Spencer Elliott shares his journey from a driven college entrepreneur to a venture capitalist helping shape Florida's growing startup ecosystem. In this episode, he joins Gavin Tudor Elliot to discuss entrepreneurship, venture capital, faith, family, leadership, and the mindset required to build businesses that create long-term impact.
Timestamped so you can jump straight to the moment.
Grit and integrity before spreadsheets — the founders who survive the valley of death have already survived something hard.
08:15Messy founder equity and handshake advisor grants are the #1 reason promising Florida startups stall in diligence.
19:42Chasing the highest valuation can cost founders control. Understand liquidation preferences and board seats first.
34:05The migration of capital and founders to South Florida is structural, not a fad. Build local, hire local.
47:20When the numbers are ambiguous, a clear set of values makes the hard calls faster and cleaner.
58:44Type to filter. Click any timestamp to jump the player.
[00:12] Gavin: Welcome back to The Florida Forge. Today I'm sitting down with Spencer Elliott, a venture capitalist building what he calls a faith-driven fund right here in Florida.
[01:40] Spencer: Thanks for having me. I grew up hustling — selling anything I could in college — and that scrappiness is exactly what I look for in founders now.
[08:15] Spencer: I fund the founder, not just the deck. Anyone can make a pretty slide. I want to know how you behave when the plan falls apart.
[19:42] Spencer: The number one thing that kills a raise? A messy cap table. Handshake equity, advisor shares nobody papered — it all surfaces in diligence.
[20:55] Gavin: That's exactly what we see on the legal side. Clean up the corporate formation and the founder agreements early — it's far cheaper than fixing it under deal pressure.
[34:05] Spencer: A term sheet is a relationship, not a trophy. Founders fixate on valuation and ignore liquidation preferences and board control.
[47:20] Spencer: The migration to Florida is structural. Capital is here, talent is following. If you're building, build for that reality.
[58:44] Spencer: My faith gives me an anchor. When two deals look identical on paper, my values break the tie.
[Sample transcript excerpt — replace with the full human-reviewed transcript.]
A venture capitalist and founder working at the intersection of startups, corporate innovation, and early-stage investment across Florida's growing ecosystem.
Plug and Play Tech CenterFirm articles connected to the topics in this episode.
Entity choice and founder setup before you raise.
The clauses investors expect to see.
Six signs it's time to bring in counsel.
Protecting yourself as you take on capital.
Elliot Legal Group services relevant to this conversation.
Entity setup, founder agreements, clean equity.
Fundraising, term sheets, and deal structuring.
Investor and commercial agreements that hold up.
Protecting core assets when you raise.
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