Justis Mendez: OneSixOne Ventures

The Investor With Joel Palathinkal

In this episode, Joel Palathinkal hosts Justis Mendez from OneSixOne Ventures as he shares his journey from early influences to entrepreneurship. He discuss moving to Florida, engaging with Gainesville's startup scene, and the support from Hutch Law's startup package. The conversation covers startup equity, leadership lessons, and the cycle of learning, earning, and giving back. Justis talks about adapting to the pandemic with virtual events, launching a tech-focused fund, and community engagement strategies. They offer advice for emerging fund managers, emphasizing intentionality and networking, before concluding with future outlooks. (0:00) Introduction to the podcast, guest background, and early life (3:00) Role models and life-changing advice (9:04) Overcoming challenges and the impact of mentorship (16:16) New beginnings in Florida and entrepreneurial ventures (20:06) Gainesville's startup ecosystem and company formation (24:19) Hutch Law startup package sponsorship (27:18) Startup equity and entity formation insights (30:31) Evolution of influences and leadership lessons (37:07) The cycle of learning, earning, and giving back (40:12) Building a curated entrepreneurial community (42:14) Adapting to the pandemic with virtual events and accelerator (45:06) Launching a new fund with a focus on technology (47:13) Event strategies and community engagement (49:53) Advice for emerging fund managers and brand significance (51:32) The importance of intentionality and networking (52:11) Closing remarks and looking ahead