--- title: Rick Lindner & Michael Means | Aurum Pursuit description: "Meet the operating and investment principals behind Aurum Pursuit: Rick Lindner and Michael Means." image: https://aurumpursuit.com/hubfs/Logo%20Files/aurum-pursuit-og-1200x630-dark.png --- [Skip to content](https://aurumpursuit.com/team#main) [![](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/aurum-pursuit/images/mark.png?width=320&height=302&name=mark.png) ![Aurum Pursuit](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/aurum-pursuit/images/wordmark.png?width=720&height=197&name=wordmark.png)](https://aurumpursuit.com/?hsLang=en) - [Home](https://aurumpursuit.com/?hsLang=en) - [About](https://aurumpursuit.com/about?hsLang=en) - [Team](https://aurumpursuit.com/team?hsLang=en) - [Contact](https://aurumpursuit.com/?hsLang=en#contact) # The People Behind Aurum Pursuit [![](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/Rick%20Lindner.png?width=1400&height=933&name=Rick%20Lindner.png) Rick Lindner Operating Principal](https://aurumpursuit.com/team#rick-lindner) [![](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/Mike%20full%20headshot.png?width=1400&height=933&name=Mike%20full%20headshot.png) Michael Means Investment Principal](https://aurumpursuit.com/team#michael-means) ![Rick Lindner, Operating Principal](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/Rick%20Lindner.png?width=900&height=600&name=Rick%20Lindner.png) ## Rick Lindner Operating Principal [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickl9880/) Enterprise-grade discipline paired with lower-middle-market resourcefulness Rick has spent more than twenty years building and running the commercial side of growing businesses, from large enterprise to private-equity-backed companies. He is the operator of the pair: the one who builds the teams, systems, and go-to-market motion that turn operating strength into durable growth. Experience - Built a commercial function from the ground up inside a private-equity-backed company: organization, compensation, systems, and go-to-market, with record bookings two years running. - Managed a multi-hundred-million-dollar annual capital plan for a large enterprise, holding variance to plan under half a percent for five consecutive years. - Led go-to-market diligence and integration for a software acquisition, including pricing, packaging, and the sales plan. - Led sales and solutions-engineering teams supporting customers from small business to global enterprise; recognized as a top 1% performer at a Fortune 10 company and ranked #1 nationally in technical sales. What this means for a seller Someone who has built, led, and scaled commercial organizations from the inside—not from the sidelines. MBA, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University. BA, Economics and Sociology, Southern Methodist University. Beyond the resume For twenty years I've helped other people's businesses grow. Now I want to lead one I've chosen myself—and be accountable for what it becomes. > A business is its people and its relationships first. My job is to protect what's working and help it grow. Outside work you'll find me spending time with my family on the lake, building something in the garage, or cheering on the Spurs with my dog, Pickles, close by. ![Rick Lindner](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/site/images/RL%20Candid.png?width=900&height=600&name=RL%20Candid.png) ![Rick Lindner with his dog, Pickles](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/site/images/Rick%20and%20Pickles.jpeg?width=900&height=600&name=Rick%20and%20Pickles.jpeg) ![Michael Means, Investment Principal](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/Mike%20full%20headshot.png?width=900&height=600&name=Mike%20full%20headshot.png) ## Michael Means Investment Principal [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-means/) Institutional-grade financial discipline applied to the lower-middle-market Michael has spent more than fifteen years on the investing side of business, across family offices, private equity, venture capital, and investment banking, along with operating leadership including as a CFO. He is the investor of the pair: the one who evaluates a deal, structures the capital, and watches the downside. Experience - CFO of a large middle-market food manufacturer: strategy, treasury, and M&A. - Built and ran investment teams, deploying $150M+ of equity. - Diligence and portfolio oversight across PE platforms, including interim CFO. - Led direct investments for a single family office. What this means for a seller Someone who has underwritten, financed, and overseen acquisitions across PE and family-office settings. MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business (Entrepreneurship, Finance). BA, Analytical Finance, Wake Forest University. Beyond the resume As both an investor and operator, I've spent my career helping founders and executives scale platform companies into category leaders. Aurum lets me do that work as a true partner and owner. > At Aurum, we think like owners, hunt as a pack, and grow by giving each other the freedom to think differently. Outside of work, I'm usually outdoors with my family or trying a new restaurant. Wherever I am in the world, I'm always on the hunt for great coffee. ![Michael Means](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/site/images/MM%20candid%201.png?width=900&height=600&name=MM%20candid%201.png) ![Michael Means outdoors](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/site/images/Mike%20Personal.png?width=900&height=600&name=Mike%20Personal.png) ## Together Operating - Building commercial engines - Leading high-performing teams - Scaling what already works Investing - Underwriting acquisitions - Structuring capital - Guarding the downside Between us: the judgment to buy well, and the operating strength to grow what we buy. We met in an eleventh-grade entrepreneurship class and stayed close for more than twenty years. We took different professional paths—one through sales, product, and operations; the other through finance, capital, and investing. Now we bring both sides together to acquire a founder-owned business with a strong foundation and lead it into its next stage of growth. ![Rick Lindner and Michael Means](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/site/images/rick-mike-together-web.jpg?width=2000&height=1125&name=rick-mike-together-web.jpg) ![Senior yearbook spread featuring Rick Lindner and Michael Means](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/site/images/rick-mike-yearbook-2002-web.jpg?width=1672&height=941&name=rick-mike-yearbook-2002-web.jpg) ![Rick Lindner and Michael Means together on a cruise in 2002](https://aurumpursuit.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Aurum%20Pursuit/site/images/rick-mike-cruise-2002-web.jpg?width=1448&height=1086&name=rick-mike-cruise-2002-web.jpg) Contact ## Confidential inquiries [deals@aurumpursuit.com](mailto:deals@aurumpursuit.com) [Contact form](https://aurumpursuit.com/?hsLang=en#contact) [About Aurum Pursuit](https://aurumpursuit.com/about?hsLang=en) We respond within 48 hours. © Aurum Pursuit - [Home](https://aurumpursuit.com/?hsLang=en) - [About](https://aurumpursuit.com/about?hsLang=en) - [Team](https://aurumpursuit.com/team?hsLang=en) - [Privacy](https://aurumpursuit.com/privacy?hsLang=en) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/team#webpage", "@type" : "WebPage", "about" : [ { "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#rick-lindner" }, { "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#michael-means" } ], "isPartOf" : { "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#website" }, "name" : "Rick Lindner & Michael Means | Aurum Pursuit", "url" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/team" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Aurum Pursuit", "url" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#rick-lindner", "@type" : "Person", "jobTitle" : "Operating Principal", "name" : "Rick Lindner", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickl9880/" ], "url" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/team#rick-lindner", "worksFor" : { "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#organization" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#michael-means", "@type" : "Person", "jobTitle" : "Investment Principal", "name" : "Michael Means", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-means/" ], "url" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/team#michael-means", "worksFor" : { "@id" : "https://aurumpursuit.com/#organization" } } ```