My grandfather has been (and always will be) my role model, ever since I was a child. He taught me everything that I know about being a man, a decent human being, and about business. I always make certain to give him credit for where I am before I say anything about myself since he’s been a part of my entrepreneurial journey since day one. My story is unorthodox, to say the least, but every trial and tribulation leads to a lesson. My grandfather once told me “The school of hard knocks is the best education you can get, and boy, you must have a Ph.D.”
I was a part of the event industry for 12 years, starting with simple event and nightlife promotion in Los Angeles and leading up to the creation of my own production company here in San Diego called InfiNite Nightlife. I fell in love with the music and the community, and there was something magical about building an event from the ground up. The real payoff was seeing people coming together to enjoy a music scene I had been a part of for so long and having a great time. I realized that my place was behind the stage, not on it, and that my purpose was to help those artists have the opportunity to pursue their passion by allowing them to play their music to a new crowd each week.
My first company, unfortunately, did not weather the storm of COVID. I had invested a lot of money into a music festival that never happened, and after almost two years of not being able to host public events, I had to shut InfiNite Nightlife down for good. I went back to the 9 to 5 life for some time, but honestly: that life just isn’t for me. I longed for something more, to create something of my own again. I knew I didn’t want to go back to the nightlife industry as I got too used to being in bed by 10 PM.
I found what I thought was my dream job, as the Marketing Director of a franchise that had expanded to San Diego. I love being a part of a company’s journey and creating a marketing strategy from the ground up. Last year, my position was eliminated. Undeterred, I launched Purpose Drvn Marketing. I combined my skill set from years of event production and grassroots promotion with traditional forms of digital marketing, creating Purpose Drvn’s unique Trilateral Approach to on and offline marketing. We operate more as a creative agency and treat our clients as partners in success rather than just a job. We specialize in Brand Strategy, Event Production, and Community Creation, although we offer so much more than that. We pride ourselves in supporting business owners from under-represented backgrounds, and most of our clients are Minority-owned, Women-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and family-owned businesses.
It has been a bit of a climb, starting a company from absolutely nothing. But the journey has well been worth it, and I can’t help but be excited to see where our company goes moving forward this year. If you’re a serial Networker like myself, I’ll most likely run into you at some point at an event, as I attend at least four a week and love to support my fellow entrepreneurs in all their endeavors. Starting this month, I am launching the “Friendly Neighborhood Networking Guide” for San Diego, which will include networking and marketing tips as well as an all-inclusive and consolidated event calendar for all things business in our fine city.
I’m grateful to the Faces of San Diego and the Local Umbrella team for selecting me for this interview. It has been an honor, and I hope to do my part in assisting our ever-growing community of entrepreneurial spirits to actualize their visions and turn them into reality. I’ll sign off with this quote: “The best way to predict your future, is to create it.”
About Justin Ochoa
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have a beautiful 11-year-old daughter named Yiara, a 15-year-old sister I treat as my own, a loving fiancee of two years, and of course, my hero of a grandfather.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I worked in the event industry for 12 years before switching over to digital marketing. In both fields, my favorite part has always been helping others achieve their goals and bring their dreams to life.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
I used to have a saying about the event industry, something that applies to much of life. The most important part of producing events? Learning how to pivot. Things don’t always work out according to plan, but if stay determined and learn to improvise, you can keep moving forward. And if you fall, always fall forward, that way you never give up a single inch.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
I am currently working on a startup that I am passionate about, on top of my marketing agency. Within 5 years, I intend to build both teams up to maximize our impact in our community. Within 10 years, I intend to extend that impact internationally. While money is never my primary goal, I do find it almost necessary to affect true change. I believe in myself and my team, and I intend for our business model to consistently reach seven figures in profit so that we can accomplish our philanthropic goals.
Justin Ochoa & Our Community
Q: What are a few of your favorite restaurants in our community?
My all-time favorite Mexican restaurant would have to be Sayulitas in Mira Mesa. (Try their Pacman Burrito – trust me.) For sushi, I highly recommend Natsumi Buffet in Miramar. Finally, for breakfast, La Fresheria on Logan Avenue.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I have lived in San Diego since I was three, although I am originally from Northern California. San Diego will always be my home though.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
It’s hard to pick just one, I’ve met so many amazing and interesting people over the years. My first vote would be my grandfather, James Shields. Right behind him would be my friend James Hickey, the producer of San Diego Networking.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
This may be the nightlife promoter in me speaking, but I miss Stingaree Nightclub. It was by far the best club and source of music. I also miss the club that I used to manage, which was called Somewhere Loud and was located off of Washington and Noelle Street.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
Beyond the beaches, the great food, the art and music that is so abundant in our city, what I find most interesting is the diverse mixture of cultures. We are home to individuals from every nation and walk of life in the world, so to me, San Diego is the greatest melting pot there is.
Q: If you could choose anyone alive today and not a relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would you meet for this lunch?
Without a doubt, Les Brown. He is my favorite motivational speaker, and I would love to have the opportunity to thank him for the impact he has made in my life. As for lunch, I hope he likes burritos, because I’d meet at Sayulitas!
For Fun
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
Top movies would have to be Interstellar, Pan’s Labyrinth, and my kids’ favorite, Inside Out. (I’m also a sucker for anything Disney.) I don’t watch very much television, and this may be cliche, but I love Shark Tank.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
My greatest passion is writing. I am currently writing a book called “Starting from Square Zero: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting Over.” My favorite genre, however, is fantasy. I have several books that I have been meaning to publish, which I may just need to hurry up and do so.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
The spirit of creativity that exists within our city.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My kids, my fiancee, and my grandfather.
Q: What community organizations and/or local nonprofits do you admire/support?
I absolutely love the impact that Urban Street Angels, Father Joe’s Village, and the Alpha Project have made in our community. I went through several years of homelessness from the age of 15 up until I was 19, so I respect all those who work hard to help the downtrodden turn their lives around.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Life is far less about what has happened to you, and more so about what you do with what happens to you.”
Q: What Neighborhood do you live in?
I live in Tierrasanta, which has been my home since I was 9 years old.
What I love about my Neighborhood:
Tierrasanta has a strong sense of community, a great school system, not to mention awesome hiking trails.
Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend:
While I spend most of my time either working or networking, going to the gym and then out for a hike will always be at the top of my list when it comes to weekend activities. My fiancee and I love driving over the Coronado Bridge to catch the sunset. We always take the scenic route down the Silver Strand, and I like to stop by an ice cream shop in Imperial Beach for a treat. They have an old-school jukebox, and I can’t help but sing along to some Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Kenny Rogers!
Q: Finally, what three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Home can be anywhere so long as you are with the ones you love; home is where the heart is, and mine is in San Diego; a house doesn’t make a home, it is the people that live in it.
