TOP 100 MAGAZINE

Daniel Park

 

Daniel Park isn’t just a finance executive—he’s a force of nature in the world of private equity. As the co-founder and general partner of Bushido Group, he brings more than twenty years of battle-tested experience in M&A, capital structuring, and operational optimization to the forefront of value creation. With a calm command and strategic vision, Daniel has orchestrated over 18 acquisitions ranging from $1 million to $25 million and raised a staggering $3 billion across debt, equity, and recapitalizations.

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His playbook is grounded in fundamentals, but elevated by finesse—leading buyouts and integrations, architecting complex deals, and transforming portfolio companies from the inside out. Whether he's guiding a business through an exit strategy or rolling up his sleeves to scale its operations, Daniel infuses each move with both rigor and foresight.

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Before co-founding Bushido Group, Daniel sharpened his edge at heavyweight firms like Apollo Global Management—where he helmed the finance team for a major investment—and Accel-KKR, where he led financial operations for a key portfolio company. Along the way, he’s earned accolades like the Outstanding Employee Award and was handpicked by KPMG as one of the top 20 out of 3,000 to teach its national audit methodology.

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Armed with a Master of Accountancy from Golden Gate University and a trifecta B.A. in finance, economics, and information systems from the University of Washington, Daniel is also a CPA (inactive) in California—a credential that underscores his mastery of the numbers behind the strategy.

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Today, at Bushido Group’s Irvine headquarters, Daniel is building more than portfolios—he’s building legacies. The firm, founded in 2024, takes a hands-on approach to private equity, going beyond financial engineering to drive real operational transformation across SaaS, logistics, manufacturing, energy, and financial services. With Daniel at the helm, Bushido doesn’t just invest—they elevate, optimize, and exit with excellence.

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By Daniel’s side is Aashi Makan, co-general partner, who brings a rare and powerful talent to the Bushido Group: a deep, intuitive understanding of each client's unique needs. Rather than prioritizing the fund's agenda, Aashi leads with a client-first mindset—an approach that sets the Bushido Group apart from traditional private equity firms. Before co-founding the Bushido Group, Aashi a partner at NY Life Investment Management, later transitioned into entrepreneurship, working with Metta World Peace. A top graduate from UC Berkeley, she combines intellectual rigor with relentless dedication to client outcomes. While Aashi is laser-focused on tailoring solutions to investor needs, Daniel specializes in engineering deal structures that bring those strategies to life. Together, they’ve built an investment firm that breaks the mold—one that delivers customized strategies designed around the goals of each individual investor.

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With a track record defined by precision, transformation, and strategic vision, Daniel Park continues to reshape the private equity landscape. In this exclusive Q&A, he shares insights into his leadership philosophy, the founding principles behind Bushido Group, and what it truly takes to drive value in today’s evolving market.

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Daniel, what motivated you to break away and build a different kind of private equity firm with Bushido Group?

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Throughout my career—including two decades in private equity—I kept witnessing a troubling pattern: talented people in powerful roles putting profits above people. One moment that stuck with me was when a firm I worked for laid off thousands of loyal employees just before Thanksgiving. I spoke up—they didn’t flinch. After another successful exit, a board member told me, “Great job. Now go find me another moron to overpay.” That was it. I realized I couldn’t keep generating wealth for people who lacked basic humanity. I founded Bushido Group to prove you can deliver strong returns without compromising integrity. We operate with a fiduciary mindset—putting our investors first, both legally and ethically. We want everyone involved—our investors, our partners, our teams—to win. That’s not just smart business. It’s the right thing to do.

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Bushido Group blends venture capital and private equity strategies—how does that set you apart?

We uniquely combine the strengths of venture capital and private equity into one powerful approach. Most VCs invest early, betting on numerous startups to find a rare unicorn. Meanwhile, private equity firms typically enter later, scaling revenue-generating businesses by leveraging bank financing. At Bushido Group, we've bridged these strategies. Instead of taking random bets or waiting on proven winners, we strategically select early-stage companies with strong potential and become deeply involved in their growth. We don't just invest; we actively advise and collaborate operationally, reducing risk while maximizing the upside. My partner and I personally invest alongside our investors in every deal. If we wouldn't put our own money into it, we wouldn't ask others to. That alignment of interests and hands-on approach distinguishes Bushido from traditional firms.

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Bushido Group is achieving nearly double the returns of traditional PE without typical VC risk. What’s your secret—where are you investing, and how do you choose your targets?

We target overlooked markets and businesses valued under $100M—companies brimming with potential but often ignored by larger firms. Historically, most investors were excluded from early opportunities in companies like Facebook or Google. At Bushido, through our three specialized funds, we open doors for investors to access similar groundbreaking opportunities early. PortalSphere (https://www.portalsphere.io/) is a prime example—an early investment that’s now thriving.

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Transparency is non-negotiable. Unlike traditional PE firms that review quarterly statements, we maintain active, hands-on involvement. As an advisor to PortalSphere, I personally monitor financials in real-time, seeing exactly how every dollar is used.

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Before we commit to any investment, we perform rigorous due diligence, deeply examining the founder’s background, vision, and strategy. But our greatest advantage is our diverse, intentionally curated team—experts from finance, tech, entertainment, real estate, hospitality, sports, and beyond. We purposely avoided the “cookie-cutter MBA” approach because we wanted genuine diversity of thought. For example, former NBA star Chris Copeland evaluates sports-related ventures, while a successful film producer vets entertainment proposals. By leveraging these unique perspectives, we gain insights traditional finance teams miss, giving us an unmatched edge—and the results speak for themselves.

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You recently launched a podcast called The Bushido Hour—what can listeners expect?

Our podcast offers authentic, engaging conversations with influential figures from private equity, VC, and angel investing. Guests share personal journeys, insights on the market, and the pivotal moments behind their success. Our first episode features Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly Metta World Peace), exploring his transformation from NBA star to investor and father, and why he chose to invest with Bushido.

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Daniel Park
Co-Founder and General Partner
Bushido Group
Website: https://www.thebushidogroup.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bushido-group/
Instagram: @thebushidogroup