Meet Cassy Martinez, Founder & CEO of LadyLab

Meet Cassy, a 27-year old Mexican-American #latinagirlboss and founder of an app called LadyLab.

1. What/who inspired you to start LadyLab?

So often we are raised to see each other as competition, rather than collaborators. For us to collectively rise and rule as women, we must change that mindset.

I started LadyLab to serve the growing population of women like myself and my peers that are striking out on their own as entrepreneurs, creators and hustlers. While women are creating more businesses and generating more profits than ever before, there is little infrastructure to support this emerging population. Without support and community, many businesses can fail from lack of connections, resources and confidence. LadyLab was born to curb this statistic.

2. What is LadyLab's mission statement?

At LadyLab’s core, we believe that collaboration is the key to growth and true sustainability. Our mission has always been to create a community that provides entrepreneurial women with the tools to connect and collaborate. Built for boss ladies of all backgrounds, LadyLab gives women the resources to go forth and conquer their dreams like access to our inclusive community, our projects board and your own customizable creative portfolio. As a platform exclusively for those identify as female, we are proud to stand as a safe and free space for women to network and share their entrepreneurial journey.

3. To what do you attribute your success?

Consistency. LadyLab didn’t happen overnight. From ideation and design, to testing and finally entering the App Store, LadyLab’s road to women’s hands took over three years of dedication and faith.

4. What does your morning routine look like?

I’m a self-proclaimed night-owl, so naturally I’m a bit of a late-riser. A lot of my bright ideas come at night and I’ll often find myself working on new ideas or projects into the late hours of the night. Sometimes, I’ll even be falling asleep when an idea springs to mind, so I’ll grab my notebook by my bed and jot it down in case I forget. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic, taught me to treat every idea with respect and curiosity.

With all that “respect” going on, I typically wake up in the late-morning. On my good days, I’ll run around my mid-city neighborhood to get some endorphins going, followed by a 10-minute meditation using the Calm app. I used to get nauseous from just a light jog, so I’m pretty proud of my progress to a sweet-and-steady 10-minute mile.

Following my very “me morning,” I’ll have a quick bite after my shower and dive into my to-do list. My daily to-do’s are divided into three categories: Personal items, LadyLab and Freelance-related tasks. One of my favorite mindful living podcasts, The Slow Home Podcast, recommended no more than three items on your to-do list a day. While sometimes hard to keep consistently, trying to keep each category at just three tasks each helps keep me feeling productive and not overwhelmed.

5. If you had one piece of advice to someone who is just starting out in their entrepreneurial venture what would it be?

Let others in. LadyLab got traction once I was vulnerable enough to tell other people about it, or collaborate with them on growing the platform. When you share your journey with others, you become more accountable to making your dreams a reality.

6. How can people get connected with you?

I’m always happy to chat with women on a mission! I can be reached at Cassy@weareLadyLab.com and by pitching me on the LadyLab app!