Urel Martinez remembers a lot about growing up.
He remembers the tax document declaring the combined income of his parents’ household was $18,000 as he was applying for college grants. He remembers the summers and holidays working with his dad, a landscaper who works to this day. But the current chief revenue officer (CRO) for Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy also remembers dreaming as big as he could. He dreamt of playing professional basketball, being the first person in his family to go to college, and making his life bigger than the neighborhood around him.
“I think the difference between me and other people is that I wake up every day believing I have to earn it,” Martinez says. “Regardless of what position I’m in now, I have to come in and compete, because there is someone who would love to be in this job. That’s just how I’m built, but it doesn’t have to be the only way to make the life you want.”
Martinez remains as competitive as a professional athlete, no matter what’s at stake.
Before considering Martinez’s broader advice, consider his past. At the time, in high school, he wished he would have thought to dream bigger and try to attend an Ivy League School. But junior college wound up his post-secondary schooling choice, before transferring to University of California, Irvine.
“I remember being really disappointed that other people in my class were going on to universities with names you would recognize, and I felt like I had somehow underachieved,” the CRO says. “But junior college really helped me understand and learn about myself. It helped me understand how to study and be a good student.”
The experience taught Martinez that no matter how things work out, there are ways to learn and grow. His advice to others? Maximize the opportunity in front of you, whether it’s the opportunity you wanted or not.
Martinez worked throughout college, eventually landing a part-time job with the LA Dodgers while he was still a student. That job led to a role with the LA Clippers.
“I don’t care what job they’re doing, what job you’re doing, or anything in between. If you treat people with respect, and treat them well, good fortune will come from it.”
Urel Martinez
“Both of those jobs I firmly believe I only got because the other applicants turned them down,” Martinez says, laughing. “But you know what? I think I earned salesperson of the month four out of the six months I was in that entry role with the Clippers. That got me a job in the front office.” And he worked in that front office for twelve years, ultimately overseeing the entire ticket sales team.
Martinez has had a similar rise at LA Galaxy. He took the vice president of sales role in 2017, and he’s since been promoted three times before ending up in his current role. The organization is coming off its highest grossing revenue gate in club history with the visit of Inter Miami FC and their international star Lionel Messi. The previous year they set an attendance record with over eighty thousand fans packed into the Rose Bowl against LA-rival Los Angeles Football Club. They plan on breaking that record again this July.
With success made on the work front, it’s also imperative for Martinez to motivate young Hispanics and Latinos. The CRO returns to his high school and other universities periodically to speak to students about what’s possible for their lives if they’re willing to dream big enough. His advice is three-fold:
1. Understand how to communicate.
“If you’re able to engage with people clearly and purposefully, I think you’re going to be very successful,” Martinez says.
2. Treat people with respect, regardless of their position.
“I don’t care what job they’re doing, what job you’re doing, or anything in between. If you treat people with respect, and treat them well, good fortune will come from it.”
3. Start building credit now.
“Look at your finances. Look at your goals. When do you want to buy a house? I bought my first house when I was twenty-four, my second when I was thirty. These are things that aren’t necessarily a blast to think about, but if you make a plan and work toward it, you can get there.”
Aside from those three pieces of information, Martinez says you should always have high standards for yourself and those around you. He’s working on finding a good balance in life but finds the scales tip toward work, because he knows how to harness his passion and intensity in order to bring projects to fruition.
On the other hand, he remembers how important the time spent with his family was and always prioritizes being there for his son, whether it be cheering him on at basketball games, showing up for back-to-school night, or taking him to see a movie.
Looking back, Martinez can remember spending summers working with his dad to help support the family. He’s the same person he was then, potentially in the same situation that so many people reading his story might find themselves in. And he wants you to know that you can have the life you want if you are willing to put in the planning and the work.
This article was originally published on HispanicExecutive.com.