Meet Roberto Martinez

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Roberto Martinez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Roberto , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My work ethic isn’t just a habit; it’s a heritage. I was raised in a community where I watched people move mountains with very few resources, turning scarcity into survival through sheer grit. My parents taught me a fundamental truth: when opportunity doesn’t come to you, you build the door yourself. That ‘builder’ mindset has anchored me through every career pivot and every business I’ve launched.

Today, that fire is stoked by the entrepreneurs I serve. When you spend your days training small business owners who are fighting tooth and nail to keep their dreams alive, you cannot show up halfway. Their resilience sharpens me. Their hustle grounds me. At the end of the day, it’s about impact. I know that my work touches families and shapes communities that I grew up in.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m an entrepreneur, educator, and digital strategist focused on one mission: helping overlooked entrepreneurs gain access to the tools, technology, and mindset that create real economic mobility.
Today, I run Braven Agency, a digital marketing firm helping small businesses grow through AI and digital transformation, and SMRTS.co, an AI-powered business assessment tool that helps entrepreneurs understand their strengths, gaps, and opportunities in minutes. I also serve as a Google Digital Coach, training thousands of business owners each year on digital marketing, data analytics, and online growth strategies.

What excites me most about my work is knowing that a single workshop, one tool, or one mindset shift can completely change the trajectory of a business. I’ve trained over 50,000 entrepreneurs across the country, and I still get messages from people who say, “That one session helped me grow my revenue,” or “I finally understood SEO,” or “I hired my first employee.” That’s what keeps me going.
My career has taken me across government, academia, and tech, from being appointed the City of Los Angeles Entrepreneur-in-Residence and launching the LA Optimized program, to collaborating with Google, Amazon, TikTok, Meta, and Wells Fargo Foundation. But the heart of my work has always stayed the same: democratizing access.

Right now, I’m excited about two things:
1. Bringing AI education to small businesses in a way that feels human, practical, and culturally relevant.
AI shouldn’t be something that only Fortune 100 companies can use. I’m focused on making AI accessible to barbershops, food trucks, local retail shops, and aspiring founders who want to grow but don’t know where to start.

2. Expanding the impact of SMRTS.co.
Our goal is to make business assessments something every entrepreneur can access for free or at a very low cost. The tool is already being used by organizations like Wells Fargo Foundation, the County of LA, ICIC, and TikTok and we’re continuing to expand partnerships nationwide.

At the core, everything I do comes back to this belief: When entrepreneurs rise, communities rise. My brand is for underestimated founders, and showing people that the tools of the future belong to them too.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

When I look back on my journey, the three qualities that had the biggest impact on my growth were adaptability, digital fluency, and community-centered leadership. Adaptability shaped everything from moving between industries to navigating new technologies to building companies in constantly shifting environments. Being able to adjust quickly, stay curious, and embrace change rather than fear has opened more doors than any single skill I’ve learned. I always tell people early in their journey: don’t get stuck in one version of yourself. Be willing to evolve.

Digital fluency was another turning point for me. Understanding how technology, data, and online tools work didn’t just make me a better entrepreneur; it gave me leverage. It allowed me to serve thousands of businesses and collaborate with global organizations because I could translate complex digital concepts into something human and practical. For anyone starting out, don’t try to learn everything at once. Pick one tool or one platform and master it. Momentum builds from small wins.

But above all, the most transformative part of my journey has been workin with community. My entire career has been rooted in the belief that when you empower overlooked entrepreneurs, you change entire entrepreneurial ecosystems. Leading with empathy, building genuine relationships, and showing up for people consistently has been more valuable than any degree or certification. For those just beginning: invest in people. Build community before you need it, and always connect your work back to something bigger than yourself. Your skills may open the first door, but your character and your community will keep you in the room.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

My ideal client is someone who is committed to growth and genuinely invested in creating opportunity for the communities they serve. I work best with organizations that believe in the power of digital transformation as a real pathway to economic mobility. Whether it’s a tech company, a university, a chamber, or a nonprofit, the ideal partner is one that wants to equip entrepreneurs with practical tools, training, and access they wouldn’t otherwise receive.

I gravitate toward clients who value innovation, but also understand the human side of business. The best collaborations happen when an organization is willing to adopt new technology, embrace AI, lean into data, and think creatively about scaling impact, while staying grounded in service, equity, and community. I love working with teams that are curious, collaborative, and open to reimagining how business support can look.

What makes someone an ideal client is their alignment with purpose. If they’re committed to helping small businesses thrive, if they’re excited about leveraging digital tools to close opportunity gaps, and if they see entrepreneurship as a way to strengthen families and communities, then we’re already speaking the same language. Those are the partnerships where the work doesn’t just “perform”, it transforms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bravenagency.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertombraven/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robthemarketer/