Dan Lee is a Partner at Pin High Strategies, a merchant banking and advisory firm serving independent sponsors and founder-led businesses on capital raising and strategic growth. He has spent 25 years investing in private companies across both debt and equity. Previously, Dan was a Partner at Garnett Station Partners and a co-founder of Comvest Capital Partners, which he helped grow from $250 million to $12 billion. He has partnered with more than 100 founders and small businesses to support long-term growth and value creation.

Strong businesses don't grow from setbacks alone — they grow when leaders turn experience and relationships into leverage. What separates founders who scale from those who plateau isn't just strategy, but how well they activate networks and capital. How do entrepreneurs rebound from career shifts, tap deep connections, and leverage the rise of independent sponsors?

Drawing on decades of private equity and advisory work, Dan Lee explains how enduring relationships and strategic focus create a competitive advantage. As a partner at Pin High Strategies, he explains how collaboration, trust, and long-term alignment transform networks into genuine opportunities rather than one-off transactions. Dan also explores the growing influence of independent sponsors — operators who acquire and grow companies without traditional institutional funds — and why this model gives founders both flexibility and control.

In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Dan Lee, Partner at Pin High Strategies, to discuss building resilient business platforms and leveraging deep networks for capital and growth. They explore why independent sponsors are gaining traction, how strategic niches accelerate success, and how to turn professional setbacks into new opportunities. Dan also shares lessons on raising capital, scaling platforms, and building partnerships that last.