Why the Founder Matters More Than the Product | Venture Investor Mitchell Harounian

Elevator 260: Mitchell Harounian is a venture investor and the founder of The Venture Reel, a media-first syndicate that discovers and backs the next generation of startups. He's invested in 15+ companies, sits on boards as a member and advisor to early-stage founders, and built his platform by pairing venture capital with media and distribution, helping founders raise awareness, build credibility, and reach new investors and customers.In this episode: Mitchell breaks down why he'd rather bet on an A+ founder with a B product than the reverse, and the three traits he looks for before he ever wires money. He gets real about the immigrant story behind his hustle, why he benchmarks himself against his past self instead of anyone else, and the mindset shift that turned a setback with his video editing team into his biggest growth month. Plus, the mental motto that grounds everything he does: "You can't be good if you're not grateful."