Meet Jency Martinez | What It’s REALLY Like Being a Young Entrepreneur | Faith & Fashion
Jency Martinez and I met in the fall of 2017 at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in downtown Los Angeles, California. We were classmates in our first class on campus, retail math. The course was a dreary general study requisite that hosted all majors instead of one. There were many students, yet no one was very conversational or social. The class was so silent that a sewing pin could drop and reverberate through the walls around us. Jency, however, stood out from the crowd, and we spent many days catching up after class and learning more about one another. Jency and I were both fashion design majors and getting settled after a big move to California. She became a familiar face on campus in a sea of strangers, and it has been an absolute joy to stay connected to her as the years have passed. I am always inspired by Jency because she is entirely comfortable with who she is. Her self assurance is exuded in all that she does, especially in her interactions with people. She doesn’t obsessively follow trends. She develops her style and outlook with every life chapter that commences or concludes. Jency warmly embraces the beauty of life wherever she goes and answers to her heart and soul with all of her might. Her unwavering faith is her compass. Her presence genuinely lights up any room. Jency’s fashion designs while at FIDM were entirely original and drew from numerous areas of her personal life, culture, and aesthetics. I remember watching Jency drape in a third-floor patterning room on campus and being amazed at her skill and attention to detail. Her choice of fabrics was unmatched, and her passion for her work was tangible to all those who shared space with her. While Jency is flourishing as a career professional whose expertise knows no confined medium, her genesis in fashion provides a unique lens in any industry she sees fit. Her expansion into finance and young entrepreneurism is a feat all on its own. I am so proud and honored to introduce her to you, today…
“Hi, I’m Jency a local entrepreneur from Pennsylvania!”
Tell us about yourself and your latest endeavors!
@mjency: “As of lately I have been serious about self development and the journey back to my core values. I’ve always had a clear picture as to what I wanted my life to look like ever since I can remember, but I had lost sight of that by trying to be who I thought the world wanted me to be rather than living by my own values. One of my favorite things to do with my friends is “dream build” it’s like creating a real life vision board so that you can taste, see, smell, and taste your future. Whether it is touring apartments in NYC, visiting designer stores and trying clothes I cannot yet afford, or talking about our dreams over dinner, I like to create moments that make me want to work even harder so I can do them more often. I love to read self development books and listen to podcasts. Something that keeps me grounded and focused is my relationship with God. That is one of my most precious possessions.”
What are you most grateful for, right now?
@mjency: “I am grateful for my health, my family, and friends and that I get to live out dreams that I only thought of as possibilities before.”
How has your life been since you graduated from FIDM?
@mjency: “It is so funny because I am not doing fashion at all at the moment. I think ever since I was 5 years old I knew fashion was where I wanted to build my empire, however, I now work in the financial industry and I have a side business where I get to market for different companies online. I honestly believe that change is essential for us to grow and it can be hard to accept sometimes, especially when things are going great but it is just a matter of trading what is good for you for what is greater.”
How did you start being an independent entrepreneur?
@mjency: “The idea of being my own boss had always attracted me. I think that owning something of your own and making it big is so key to living a life of options and choices rather than just trading in your life for money like you would at a 9-5 job. For now, I very much enjoy doing both but I know one day I will want to focus on my business and take it to the next level.”
What’s a day in your life like while managing your small business?
@mjency: “Since I have a day job, I only have so much time after work to work on my business so I need to be very intentional. After work, I grab some dinner and then I usually have some meetings or I am preparing my customers' orders. I like to hand deliver them if they live close so that I get to have some quality time with them and catch up. I have never owned a business and I didn’t really have anyone to teach me how to be a business owner but one of my best friends introduced me to her mentor, Mallory, and since then I’ve been picking her brain as to how to have a profitable business and scale it out. But also how to create quality relationships. I like to schedule meetings with Mallory and sometimes we just end up talking about life and books we are reading. I’ve learned so much from her about having a healthy EQ, and about balancing self care, business and family & friends, as well as taking control of my finances. It’s cool to have someone who has already been in my position before but is much more ahead of the game. I think having someone like that is key in your life.”
What were the first 3 months of being an independent entrepreneur like for you?
@mjency: “Honestly, I wish I could have taken it more seriously. I think my first three months I treated my business as a job. I was serious and professional, however, in some ways I treated it as a side hustle because I was scared or I just didn’t know what I could make it out to be if I put more time and effort into it. You may feel afraid that things may not work out, especially if you have never done anything like that or explored outside of your comfort zone. It can feel risky but you can’t give up because things eventually turn up and every ‘failure’ will teach you how to do things better next time.”
How does your faith influence your business practices?
@mjency: “My faith is non-negotiable and every morning I have to be very intentional about spending time with Jesus. When it comes to my business, I like to pray about every decision I make and live it up to God. I also aim to leave people and places better than I found them and I aim to add value to people every day even if it is just by saying hi to a couple of strangers. A lot of times strangers have turned into friends that then became my customers. The biggest thing is not treating people as numbers but as beautiful creations, you know and just being intentional about getting to know my customers, what makes them happy or sad because I genuinely want to serve them in the best way possible.”
What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming an independent entrepreneur? What are you most looking forward to, personally?
@mjency: “I would say go for it! It is the best thing you can do if you want to create something of your own. I am looking forward to building a family legacy and leaving something great for my kids, financial freedom, more time to do whatever I want to do and overall creating a life of design.”
How would you describe your personal style?
@mjency: “That is a hard question. My style very much depends where I am going and how I’m feeling. I can be very colorful and playful if I am going to a museum or art gallery but most of the time you’ll catch me wearing professional clothes or in an all black outfit hahah. I am trying to integrate more neutrals and a little more color into my wardrobe but I feel most comfortable in black.”
What are your favorite items in your wardrobe?
@mjency: “I love all my booties. I collected a couple over my college years and unfortunately had to get rid of a few since I am now aiming to live a more minimalist lifestyle but for sure my boots!”
Are there any fashion focused items that you’re excited to try this fall/winter?
@mjency: “This is sooo hard to pick! This Fall/Winter season is already so much fun. But I would say I am mostly excited about the ‘Quiet Luxury’ trend just because I feel like I was already going in that direction before it became an official trend. I love that we get to shop for quality instead of quantity with this trend and shopping for timeless items that will make you feel and look expensive instead of flashy or trendy. I am also, however, excited about fringe details and snakeskin accessories too! I’ve been seeing those a lot too.”
Anything else that you’d like to add?
@mjency: “Let me be your personal shopper! Click here to visit my online store and shop with me!”
Be sure to watch Jency’s ‘Day in the Life’ Instagram Story Takeover on @victoriawaang for a sweet giveaway! What did you think of Jency’s interview? Comment or reach out on socials, we would love to hear from you.
Works Cited
Martinez, Jency. Personal Interview. September 12, 2023.