Meet the High School Dropout Who Cracked Private Equity

In this video, high school drop out turned private equity firm owner Elliot Martinez breaks down why chasing money isn't the goal — having freedom is. He shares how mindset, clarity, and purpose shaped his journey from real estate to private equity. You'll hear the real reason successful people still chase growth. This conversation will shift how you think about success, wealth, and what truly matters.For more content like this and an inside look into the world of the largest dealmakers in the world, subscribe to The Off Market Memo https://offmarketmemo.beehiiv.com/ Are you in Private Equity, VC, or a Family Office? Become a guest on the Deal Flow Show herehttps://guestlist.dealflowshow.ai/The Deal Flow Show Episode 1 ft Elliot Martinez Timestamps:01:25 Why most of your worries are fake02:14 The deeper reason behind wanting money03:13 The basketball game that changed his motive05:42 A 30-second exercise to kill regret07:43 Writing your own obituary11:03 How faith shaped his business13:20 Millionaires chase lifestyle, billionaires chase purpose15:33 Warren Buffett’s 25-5 rule19:10 Energy audit: Who drains vs. fills you20:35 The power of intentional relationship building26:16 How to talk to billionaires29:57 How to get a callback from high-level people33:14 The business model explained simply36:46 How a mentor saved him millions39:32 Red flags when buying a company42:59 Why character beats profit47:35 Intuition vs. numbers in dealmaking50:10 How it feels managing investor money53:11 Getting the right people on the team58:19 Building the team before raising capital01:04:35 The one skill that beats AI01:08:51 A week-by-week relationship routine01:13:17 How to find your zone of genius01:16:38 Hire out what drains you01:17:45 The biggest mistake in private equityThe Deal Flow Show is where real conversations happen with real capital behind them. Hosted by Ivan Acuna and DJ Panfili, this is not another surface-level business podcast. We sit down with investors, operators, and elite dealmakers to unpack how 8- and 9-figure deals actually get done — from private equity roll-ups to mindset shifts, from war stories to wealth strategy.No fluff. No guru talk. Just raw insight, big plays, and the people pulling the strings behind today’s biggest moves in private equity, VC, and Family Offices.