Ep 368 - The Real Hustle Behind 917Ventures: Leadership, Failure, Talent, and the Power of Velocity
EPISODE INTRODUCTION
This week on Hustleshare, Ron Baetiong sits down with Vince Yamat, CEO and Managing Director of 917Ventures, to unpack how the country’s top venture builder is reshaping Philippine innovation through people-first leadership, relentless experimentation, and a powerful ecosystem advantage. Vince shares the wins, failures, and bold new direction behind Velocity—917V’s program giving startups unprecedented access to Globe’s scale, data, and distribution.
Episode Timeline:
[00:02:00] – The evolution of 917Ventures as Globe’s venture builder
[00:05:00] – What innovation means at Globe scale
[00:09:45] – The early days: building an internal innovation team
[00:14:20] – From 1,350 ideas to 36 ventures (and only 13 survivors)
[00:18:50] – The venture builder advantage vs. the traditional startup struggle
[00:22:30] – Why hiring top-tier talent is 917V’s true unfair advantage
[00:27:00] – How 917V identifies founders who “care like an owner”
[00:33:40] – The emotional weight of shutting down ventures and tough calls
[00:39:10] – Lessons from pandemic-built startups: timing, “right to play,” and pivots
[00:44:30] – Breaking stigma: the real hustle inside corporate venture building
[00:50:15] – Why 917V invests heavily in training, leveling up, and leadership
[00:55:40] – Velocity by 917V: giving startups access to Globe’s ecosystem
[01:00:30] – The power of validation: why corporate POCs can beat fundraising
[01:06:10] – Distribution, margins, and what founders often misunderstand
[01:10:30] – What kinds of startups are a fit for Velocity
[01:15:00] – How working with Globe becomes a “jet fuel” advantage
[01:20:10] – Vinci on leadership, humility, pain, and building impact at scale
[01:25:40] – Why he keeps building despite the weight of tough decisions
[01:30:20] – How founders can join Velocity and partner with 917 Ventures
QUOTES
“As a leader, I could have easily given up, but the belief is there. I believe that we can develop people. We believe that by developing people, they can solve the toughest problem. We believe that when they solve the toughest problem, they can create impact and impact for me”- Vince Yamat
CONNECT WITH VINCE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinceyamat/
Website: https://917ventures.com/
This episode is brought to you by OneCFO
Hustleshare is powered by Podmachine
Diamond Supporters: Sarisuki, PayMongo, SeekCap, Shoppable Business, Qapita, GoTyme Bank, Sprout Solutions, UNO Digital Bank