We recently connected with Jamie Martin and have shared our conversation below.
Jamie , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Without a doubt, I get my resilience from my family! My parents were very young when I was born, but they always made it work! There was never a time where my siblings and I were without something- anything! They, to this day, are some of the hardest working people I remember my first day in the workforce (1999!). They dropped me off and said, “you’re here to do a job, not mess around!” And that stuck with me! I went above and beyond for that $5.50 an hour! No one was going to work harder than me.
Years later, I made the move to southern California (born and raised in Indiana) because my grandmother told me she visited there when she was a teenage and she loved it. She passed in 2006 and I headed out in 2007 in honor of her, but to also make a fresh start into my adulthood. I was 22 and full of optimism! It was a struggle- working two jobs to make ends meet, but those were some of the best times! I was so proud of myself for maintaining my little 700 square foot apartment.
I’ve gotten through my worst times by ‘finding the funny’ in the situations. And when I say I can find funny in ANY situation, I mean it! In April 0f 2021, I was diagnosed with stage IV cervical cancer (almost two years clear now!). Something that kept me going is writing down of every funny thing that happened while I was going through it all! It was my way of coping with what was happening to me, but I also felt it was a way of others in the room feeling comfortable around me. It was the best way to address the bald head in the room. When you’re going through something like that, it’s difficult for others to find the right words. (understandably)
My early development of resilience came from my parents, but over the last 13 years, my husband Kris has contributed. He encourages me to take risks and to dream big. And if it does not work out, well, he’s there to tell me to keep going. It’s sometimes that simple.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a crafty, crazy cat lady who loves baseball. I enjoy it so much that I even work for the Augusta GreenJackets- the single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. But my journey to get here was not easy!
I grew up in southern Indiana. My whole family lived there. I was extremely close to my grandmother. She once told me a story of when she and a girl friend of hers hitchhiked from Indiana to Hollywood, CA when they were 14. She went on about how beautiful it was there and how I would love it. When she passed in 2006, I was 21 and knew I had to start paving my own way. That’s how I made it to California!
February of 2007, I packed up and headed out West. I had never been to California. I was calling apartment complexes along the way and secured a job waiting tables. I met some of my lifelong friends that year. I even tried my hand at stand-up comedy for about a year.
Then one random night in 2010, I would meet my husband in a dive bar. He said he was moving to Guam in three months. I told him, “I won’t like you in three months, it’s fine”. But I messed up and still liked him beyond the three-month mark. I visited him out there and then moved there myself. We were literally on the other side of the world!
After our time in Guam, we moved back to the same town in California. We spent a couple years there and then it was off to Maryland. Three years out there and then back to our familiar California town.
In 2018, I was still waiting tables, but something changed for me; I was 35 and was not having any fun doing it anymore. I needed a change. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Then one day I was driving around and saw a billboard that said, “Work for the JetHawks (the local Minor League Baseball team)”. I was like, “yeah, I SHOULD work for the JetHawks!”
I got a part-time gig making the coldest of cold calls, selling mini ticket packages. That first day, they said, “if this works out, we might hire one of you full-time”. I knew this was my chance! I would come in early, stay late- whatever they needed. This job was MINE!
… and I got that full-time spot! I was selling season tickets and working all the games. It was a dream come true! But at the end of the 2019 season, we got word that the Lancaster JetHawks would lose their affiliation with Major League Baseball. It was devastating!
I found another baseball job in Dayton, Ohio. I moved there in February of 2020. I was there seven weeks and then the world shut down. I was alone in Ohio and knew no one. (my husband was still in California for work) I worked essential jobs til I got word that Dayton wasn’t going to have most of us back. Heartbreaking!
I drove back to California (with three cats in the car) and wasn’t sure what my next move would be. A Dayton coworker found a job posting for the Augusta GreenJackets and I jumped on the chance.
So, it was back on the road in January of 2021. My husband still had to work out in California. I was doing great with the new job and surroundings, but I was feeling some pain- bad abdominal cramping and other womanly issues. I got an appointment to get checked out.
The news was not good. On April 27, 2021, I was told I had cervical cancer. I had just moved to Augusta and now I have to deal with this??! Oddly enough, one of the best oncologist in the country for cervical cancer was right here- and I got him! To say this was overwhelming and terrifying is an understatement! It was stave IV, so I had to do radiation and chemotherapy.
My first season with the GreenJackets was definitely not how I envisioned, but after spending the rest of 2021 at the cancer center, I got my first clear scan January 25th, 2022! I have had clear scans since!
I’m taking things as they come. I’m not out of the woods yet and there are many changes that have happened. I like sharing my story so women know what to look for. Cervical cancer is very preventable, but screening is essential.
When I’m not working, I’m hanging out with my husband, taking photos of our four cats (Harlow, Hendrix, Harrison, Havoc) watching sports, sipping wine, and crafting. I make accessories out of recyclables and have an Etsy shop!
I just turned 40 this past October. A couple years ago, I wasn’t certain if I would see 40, so I am proud to reveal my age! I’m excited to see what’s in store for me.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
There are a few very important things that helped me. Hanging onto my sense of humor was major in getting through the worst times. There are funny things that happen, even in my cancer journey! I also have a confidence to try new things. That confidence comes from a loving, supportive family and spouse. I think the last quality that has set me up for success is my work ethic. You are in complete control of how hard you work. There’s no substitute to putting in the effort.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
It may be a common answer, but my parents have helped me in so many ways become the person I am today. I got to witness first-hand what a strong and loving marriage looks like. It made me not want to settle. They showed my siblings and me how to work hard and play hard. They gave me a love for sports, especially baseball.
I have not lived in the same area as my parents in quite some time, but my husband and I have always found life-long friends as added support. This has also been essential. Chosen family is just as important!
My husband, family and friends have given me the confidence to peruse any endeavor.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/jbtenfour
- Instagram: jbtenfour
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamienicolemartin/
