Aspen invites you to meet our faculty — Juan Martinez!
“Citizen of the world,” Juan Martinez specializes in business consulting, start-up ventures, executive-level sales, marketing, legal and condominium finance, and In-House legal counsel work. He works hard to “build champion students” within the School of Business and Technology.
What is your name? Juan Martinez
Where are you from? I am an Ohioan born and raised but have lived in numerous countries/cities, including Miami, Manhattan, Bangkok, Singapore, Macedonia, Michigan, and Ohio. Just call me a citizen of the world.
What do you teach (for what programs)? At Aspen, I teach for the School of Business and Technology. My courses include International Business (BU495), Management (MGMT500), and Marketing Management (BUS530).
What’s your professional and educational background? Where did you go to school?
My professional background and areas of expertise are in business consulting, start-up ventures, executive-level sales, marketing, legal and condominium finance, and In-House legal counsel work. My professional background also includes over ten years of teaching in higher education, both online and on-ground.
Educationally, I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The Ohio State University, a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing from The University of Toledo Graduate School of Business, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
How did you get your start in teaching? An opportunity for teaching Business Law presented itself at a local university, and the thought of inspiring and providing business/legal insight to students excited me. My initial teaching experience was so enjoyable that I knew that this was only the beginning of my teaching in academia.
Share an “aha!” moment that you’ve had within your discipline that made you feel passionate about your field? An “aha” teaching moment that I recall fondly happened a few years ago when a past student contacted me. He informed me that he had recently graduated and earned his Master of Business Administration degree and that he was taking a management position with a Fortune 500 company. I recall our class times together.
Initially, this student was not a strong student and was not as respectful as I would have liked. The student was “high potential” but had low motivation, terrible work ethics, and had a chip on his shoulder. I took time before and after class to answer his questions, thoughts, and concerns and to make sure he was doing what he needed to do to be successful in the particular course. Consequently, I was very direct with my dealings with this student.
Talking with this student years later, he thanked me for my directness and how I often challenged him in and out of class. He mentioned that I was the hardest professor he had ever had, but also the one that showed the most caring and understanding. In addition, he said that he hated the way I always asked him questions during class — ala the Socratic method — but in the end, it forced him to prepare immensely for class, and he learned the most from my courses. Our conversation ended with this student saying that he admired and respected me and that his success in life was, in part, because of me.
You never know when you will have a momentous impact on someone’s life, but it is quite gratifying when you hear that. With each class I teach, I strive to give it my all and to see the results of my efforts make it all worthwhile.
Why did you decide to teach at Aspen? I wanted to be associated with an educational institution with an impeccable reputation. It allowed me to be able to provide students with a truly professional education and ready them for the real business world. Many academic institutions claim to be student-focused and faculty-focused, but Aspen is the real deal in those regards. Teaching at Aspen has been very rewarding personally and professionally, and I hope that our relationship continues for some time.
What makes Aspen students unique? Most of the students that I have encountered in my courses seem to understand the great opportunity they have here at Aspen. They are generally thrilled with the Aspen experience, eager to learn and participate, and know that they will be graduates of a prestigious online university. Driven, bright, and disciplined are how I would describe my past and present students.
What do you do when you’re not teaching? I workout, layout, go out but do not dine out. I am a tremendous, but not modest, cook, and baker. Basically, I enjoy life to its fullest.
What should a student expect when enrolling in your course(s)? Students can expect to be challenged like they have never been challenged before. Students may get sick of my many pages. My many course announcements. My many discussion board posts. My many emails. But what I’m sure they’ll appreciate is the fact that they have in me someone who cares about them and their academic success. I strive to build champion students, so I expect champion effort, champion work, and nothing less.
What advice do you have for a student just starting at Aspen? Strap yourself in. You’re in for a serious ride….but an exciting and rewarding one for sure.
If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title would be?
The Juan and Only. Stories for the ages of the wonderful life and times of a great looking, awesome-haired, well educated, fiercely loyal, human being.
Like Juan Martinez, our teachers are outstanding educators — committed, compassionate, and knowledgeable. In this series, get to know some of our faculty members up close and personal.