Ethan Branzuela
Founder of Mentino
The Story
I'm Ethan Branzuela. I'm 15, I live in the Bay Area, and I shoot sports photography — mainly professional and collegiate athletes around the region. That's how I pay for equipment and honestly, it's what I love doing.
When I was trying to get better at photography, I started reaching out to photographers I followed online. Not in a formal way — just cold DMs, emails, stuff like that. A few of them actually responded. And those conversations taught me more in a few weeks than I learned in years of watching tutorials.
I got better because someone who already knew what they were doing was willing to talk to me. That's it. And I kept thinking — why isn't this easier for everyone?
That stuck with me.
I started looking around and seeing it everywhere. Athletes who made it had coaches. Doctors who made it had mentors. Lawyers, engineers, founders — almost every person I looked up to had someone older who showed them how things actually worked. Not from a book. From real experience. That's the thing you can't Google.
That's why I created Mentino.
A free platform to make mentorship accessible to every student.
My Vision
"One day, a student should be able to click a button and instantly connect with the right mentor for their dream career."
- If you want to become a CEO, you should speak to one.
- If you want to become a doctor, you should learn from one.
- If you want to work in sports, law, tech, or science — you should have direct access.
The Challenges
Building this at 15 has been genuinely hard. Getting people to take you seriously when you're a teenager asking them to volunteer their time — that's not easy. My reach is limited. I can only message so many people directly. And there's no playbook for this.
But I've learned more building Mentino than I have sitting in a classroom. And every time I see a student get matched with someone they actually connect with, it feels worth it.
Focus on impact. Growth follows.
Why Trust Mentino?
I'm 15. I'm not a career coach or a therapist or a guidance counselor. But I've seen firsthand what happens when someone who knows their field sits down and actually talks to you. It changes things. I built Mentino because I wanted more students to have that experience — not just the ones whose parents happen to know the right people.
Access
Every student deserves opportunity
Authenticity
Real mentors with real experience
Impact
Conversations that create long-term growth
This isn't about networking for status. It's about building bridges through conversation. And sometimes, one mentor is all it takes to change a life.
Come be part of it.
If you're a student trying to figure out your path, sign up. If you're someone who's already figured something out and wants to share it — we genuinely need you.