Mitchell Smilovitis

Mitchell is a dynamic force in the worlds of investing, entrepreneurship, and leadership development. With a career spanning over 16 years in startups, scale-ups, and investment strategy, he has built a reputation for turning ambitious ideas into sustainable businesses, while guiding founders and teams to navigate the inevitable challenges of growth.

Investor, Entrepreneur, Mentor and Coach.

Early foundations and first ventures

Mitchell began his investing journey at 18, cultivating a disciplined approach to research, risk management, and long-term value creation. By 20, he had launched his first company in building maintenance and facility management, an experience that grounded him in operational rigor, client stewardship, and the realities of cash flow and lifecycle services. This early exit at age 23 demonstrated his ability to identify durable business models, attract the right talent, and execute on scale-ready plans.

Entrepreneurship across sectors and geographies

Over the past 16 years, Mitchell has founded, invested in, and helped scale a diverse portfolio of ventures, spanning liquor, skincare, technology, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies. His ventures reflect a practical, hands-on approach to building value from the ground up, recruiting talent, refining product-market fit, and aligning go-to-market strategies with operating fundamentals. He has also leveraged cross-border insights from Southeast Asia to inform market entry, partnerships, and export strategies for portfolio companies seeking regional growth.

Investing philosophy and activity

Mitchell remains an active investor in small and micro-cap stocks, combining deep company-level research with an attention to macro trends and risk controls. He frequently engages directly with management teams, serving in advisory roles to help refine strategy, governance, and capital allocation. His investing approach emphasizes:

Deep due diligence and scenario planning to stress-test business models
Strategic investor-counsel that aligns incentives with sustainable growth
Hands-on mentorship for founders navigating fundraising, talent development, and scaling operations
A balanced portfolio mindset that honors capital preservation alongside opportunistic upside
Leadership, mentoring, and coaching

Coaching & Mentoring

A core tenet of Mitchell’s work is mentorship. He understands firsthand the isolation and complexity that accompany building a business, and he channels this insight into coaching that blends practical execution with personal development. He supports leaders in:

Crafting clear company vision, values, and performance metrics.
Navigating the complexities of building a business without jeopardising other areas of life
Designing scalable operations and governance structures
Building resilient leadership teams and cultures that sustain growth
Navigating fundraising, partnerships, and strategic alliances
Maintaining balance across marriage, fatherhood, health, mind, and spirit while pursuing ambitious business goals

Family, health, and personal philosophy

Mitchell is a proud husband and father of three teenage sons, married to his wife and business partner, Mary, for 16 years. He views family as both a finite resource and a source of constant inspiration, emphasising the importance of time, presence, and shared purpose. Health and fitness are integral to his routine; he trains daily with his sons and prioritises mental well-being as a foundation for clear thinking, sound decision-making, and enduring leadership.

Global lifestyle and communication

A globetrotter at heart, Mitchell travels across Southeast Asia with a view toward learning, partnering, and discovering new opportunities for himself and his portfolio. He values authentic relationships, transparent communication, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving, believing that the best outcomes emerge when diverse perspectives converge.

What makes Mitchell distinctive

A rare blend of hands-on entrepreneurship and disciplined investing, with a track record of building and exiting multiple ventures
A founder-friendly investor who actively mentors and advises management teams
A holistic leadership philosophy that integrates business success with family, health, and personal growth
A pragmatic, process-driven approach to scaling, governance, and strategic decision-making
A committed mentor who understands the emotional terrain of entrepreneurship and offers practical guidance, encouragement, and accountability
He's been in your shoes and doesn’t sit on the sidelines, he’s on the field with you, putting real skin in the game and doing the hard work side by side