Firm Leadership
John Jacobus
MANAGING DIRECTOR
John leads the acquisitions and operations functions at Lone Juniper Capital and enjoys building technology and process infrastructure to fortify and grow small businesses.
Prior to founding Lone Juniper Capital, John worked for a global management consulting firm for 11 years where he helped large organizations transform their back office functions by implementing new systems, standardizing processes and creating resilient operations to prepare for growth. Most recently, John spent 7 years building back office systems and process infrastructure for a small financial services firm in New York.
Throughout his career, John developed expertise identifying value creation opportunities and managing complex projects to deliver tangible business results. John enjoys building engaged teams that sustain enthusiasm and camaraderie through periods of hardship. John graduated magna cum laude from The University of Arizona in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science. John currently resides in Portland, Oregon.
The story behind
Lone Juniper
The name "Lone Juniper" comes from the founder's affinity for old trees and two symbols that embody the qualities he admires in businesses and investments:
The Lone Cypress, an iconic cypress tree located in Pebble Beach, CA. A well known symbol of independence, fortitude and enduring natural beauty, John has admired this tree since he was a child. A "spiritual guidepost" of sorts, John feels anchored and awestruck in the presence of the Lone Cypress and is inspired by its ability to thrive alone in seemingly uninhabitable conditions.
A Resilient Juniper Bush at John's Childhood Home. This lesser known tree frequently reminds John of the power of small incremental actions compounded over long periods. One afternoon in the 1980's, John and his brother found a hornet's nest in a juniper bush located on the side of their childhood home. Concerned about the impact that hornets would have on their frequent outdoor wiffle ball games, the brothers sought parental assistance. Fortunately for the Jacobus Brothers, their father was an Eagle Scout and immediately relied on historic practice to devise a plan to eliminate the hornets nest. Unfortunately for the juniper bush, the plan went awry and ~60% of the bush was burned. While it was an eyesore for many years, John grew to admire the bush as it slowly recovered from its fire scars. 30+ years later, there is almost no trace of the accident and it stands as a symbol to John of patience and resilience.
When creating an investment vehicle to acquire, grow and hold businesses, John desired a name with personal meaning as well as one associated with sound investment principles. John believes that successful small businesses oftentimes endure harsh conditions for long periods, demonstrate resilience and are frequently the result of small actions compounded patiently over many years. The result is often something worthy of admiration. With all of this in mind, John considers the firm's namesake as a mash-up of the two symbols described here.