On today’s episode, Apollo chats with Adrian Mendoza, Founder & General Partner of Mendoza Ventures, the first Latinx VC Fund on the East Coast. Focused on fintech, AI, and cybersecurity, Adrian is dedicated to diversity when making investment decisions. 80% of their portfolio consists of startups led by immigrants, people of color, and women.
Scoring with a majority in Prioritize and Leverage, Apollo and Adrian discuss how his working style has changed through his success. Adrian, once purely an executor while starting Mendoza Ventures, describes his transition into a leader by “firing” himself from unscalable tasks he would have previously done himself.
While advising his early stage portfolio companies, Adrian aims to create a memorable experience: bringing around a plush dog with the firm’s logo on it to every investor meeting. He stresses to Apollo the importance of telling your story and describing your vision, so that others from similar communities can follow in those footsteps.
