Justin Mitchell
Founder & Investor
Freehold Co builds, owns and backs businesses. We develop new ventures and invest in companies, real assets and select public equities across North America and West Africa.
Connect with Justin on LinkedIn
An owner’s perspective
Ownership gives us the freedom to choose interesting work and the people to do it with. We bring together ideas, capital and capable people to build businesses. We take an active role in the companies we lead and selectively back businesses led by others.
The person behind Freehold
Founder & Investor
Justin Mitchell is a founder and investor with two decades of experience in real estate and business building. Early in his career, he served as the financial analyst for more than 50 brokers at Cushman & Wakefield before moving to the investment sales team. The role introduced him to the pace and demands of dealmaking.
He went on to co-found Frontline Real Estate Services, building a commercial brokerage focused on Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
Over $4.2 billion in cumulative brokerage sales and leases through a business he co-founded and led.
Today, Justin focuses on what gives his work purpose: starting and building businesses, developing people and investing. Freehold Co is his platform for developing new ventures, owning businesses and making investments across North America and West Africa. He has owned and operated his investment company since 2008.
Alongside the businesses he builds and leads, his investments span seed and venture capital, private equity and direct ownership.
Learning has always been part of that work. Justin founded Professional Leadership Institute after developing practical training with his business coach for use in his own companies. His interest in sharing experience was shaped by a high school history teacher, a successful lawyer and investor who chose to give back through teaching. PLI carries that ambition into practical learning for individuals and teams.
Family is at the centre of Justin’s life as he and his wife, Kandja, raise their two young children. He enjoys travel, golf, motorsports and skiing.
Our portfolio spans businesses, property, agriculture, EV infrastructure and select public equities. We manage our own assets, with employees at Freehold and within our portfolio companies.
Businesses we start and build, operating companies we own, and selective investments in companies led by others.
Professional Leadership Institute develops DISC assessments, team tools and practical leadership training.
Pre-IPO investmentAn investment in Thinkific’s pre-IPO round, with shares still held today. Thinkific is a software platform that helps people and businesses create and sell online courses and learning experiences.
Property investment, development and rental interests across North America and West Africa.
A 50,000 sq ft mixed-use retail and residential building in central Accra, alongside a development and rental portfolio in Accra.
A residential rental portfolio in Los Angeles.
A 25-acre farm in Aburi, near Accra, forms part of our agricultural interests in Ghana.
We’re developing an electric-mobility infrastructure opportunity in Ghana, built around the daily needs of commercial and shared-transport operators. The thesis connects access to suitable electric vehicles with dependable charging, power and maintenance. High-use fleets can create recurring demand for charging infrastructure, providing a practical starting point for wider EV adoption.
Selective investments in publicly traded companies, alongside our private businesses and real assets.
Selected businesses and property investments from Justin’s earlier work.
Co-founded and built into a commercial real estate brokerage serving Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, with specialist teams and a focus on people and market intelligence.
Now Breakside Real Estate Group
A residential project marketing business developed within Frontline and later spun out as a standalone platform.
Acquired and operated a strata-management business. The turnaround proved challenging, and the business was subsequently sold.
Acquired, renovated and sold a commercial building in Cloverdale, Surrey.
Assembled and subsequently sold a multifamily rental portfolio of apartments and townhouses across Greater Vancouver.
For introductions and conversations about starting, building, owning and backing businesses, connect with Justin.
Connect with Justin on LinkedIn