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Bringing over ten years of professional experience across various industries, John Lydiard has founded Castle Pines Capital Partners, a dedicated SF focused on acquiring and operating a single privately held U.S.-based company. He has partnered with top American investors, including Peterson Partners, Highland Creek Partners, Liberty Search Ventures, Northspring Partners, Operand Group, Red Forest Capital, Applied Equity, Partner Ventures, Reframe Capital, Jeff Oldenburg, West Atlantic Group, Dunmore Search Partners, Ned Tomasevic, and Lava Root Ventures.
John brings a unique combination of experience as an investment professional, investment banker, and military officer. At Charles Thayne Capital in Chicago, he was actively involved in the acquisition of four companies, gaining hands-on experience in lower-middle-market private equity, operations, and value creation. Previously, he worked at Goldman Sachs in San Francisco within the Technology, Media & Telecommunications group, where he advised on M&A transactions and collaborated closely with executive teams and advisors. A former U.S. Air Force Captain, John’s leadership, discipline, and analytical rigor were further honed through his military service. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a Master of Science from MIT, a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and is a CFA charterholder.
Castle Pines Capital Partners is actively seeking to acquire a U.S.-based company that combines strong financial performance with enduring market fundamentals. While industry-agnostic, John prioritizes businesses in sectors with stable, long-term demand, low cyclicality, and limited commoditization—particularly in niche B2B services or software. Ideal targets generate over $10M in annual revenue and at least $2M in EBITDA, with a consistent track record of growth and profitability over the past three years. He focuses on companies with healthy margins, low capital intensity, and strong operational foundations. Equally important, he looks for businesses with a committed leadership team, low employee turnover, and a culture aligned with long-term, people-first value creation.
