Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Martinez
Hi Nicole, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Originally from New Jersey, I went to Rowan University, where I met my co-founder. We both studied advertising—she went into growth marketing, and I landed my first job as a Marketing Coordinator at a small startup in New York. After a year working closely with the designer, I decided to pursue graphic design. I took a continuing education course at the School of Visual Arts, then applied to jobs across the country. I wanted to be in the mountains and find a place where I could thrive in design. I applied to roles in Oregon, Colorado, and Washington, but my first offer came from Backcountry in Park City. They asked if I could be there in two weeks—I said absolutely.
I’ve been in Utah ever since. I got into snowboarding, climbing, backpacking, and camping. I fell in love with the desert and mountain lakes. And I watched the design community evolve into something inspiring and resourceful. Along the way, I’ve had incredible opportunities—leading campaigns as a Visual Designer at Overstock, then pushing my skills in web, mobile app and interactive projects at Super Top Secret. That experience took me far outside my comfort zone and completely changed my trajectory as a designer. Eventually, I felt the urge to build something of my own.
In 2021, my best friend and co-founder, Suzie, married our other co-founder, Tyler in Tulum, Mexico. (I introduced them and officiated the wedding.) As maid of honor, I planned group activities for 50 people and quickly realized how frustrating it was. Half the group wasn’t on Facebook, so Facebook Events didn’t work. We sent a PDF itinerary—no one read it. So we built Let’s Jetty, a group travel app that solves the human aspect of planning. We have surveys that align the group quickly, voting for activities and accommodations, and cute invites for every occasion.
Since launching on January 24, 2024, we’ve gained nearly 6,000 users and 150 paid customers. We’re building a brand ambassador program and partnering with companies in travel and bachelorette markets, creating a community of people who love to travel and bring their friends together.
We’re still bootstrapping because we want to stay in control of both the product and brand without outside pressure from investors. Every day, we make small improvements based on how our users engage with the app. There’s so much more we want to build, and we’re giving ourselves the space to do it the right way—our way.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s definitely had some challenges! I think the first challenge was that I had minimal experience in the tech industry. I had previously worked as a brand designer in a tech company in Lehi but didn’t know how to start a company. I started watching Y-Combinator videos and going to a ton of local tech events. Shoutout to the Utah Tech community by the way, it’s grown so much and they have so many helpful resources for founders. I learned about whether or not investment could be right for us, and talked to other founders about their challenges and shared ideas about our respective apps.
One of the biggest challenges for me as a designer was transitioning into a more business focused founder and really seeing everything from a bird’s eye view. I went to Kinect Captial’s Third Thursdays every month to understand what makes a good pitch deck. And after several notes and iterations (about 25), we created a pitch deck that we’re proud to show partners or any one interested in our business. I broke out of my comfort zone to contact any potential brand partners, investors, mentors or even just other founders to get a coffee and ask questions.
Another big challenge was raising money to build the app. We raised funds from a kickstarter from our friends and families which allowed us to build the MVP. We started looking at grants, accelerators and investment opportunities. But at the end of the day, we learned to see our app as a business first and foremost. We cut all unnecessary tools we were paying for and limited our costs to only the absolute bare minimum. And we launched our affiliate program with Expedia and VRBO as well as our premium upgrade package which has been doing really well! We continue to bootstrap which works really well for us because we remain in the tech industry and there’s still so much I’m learning in regards to building a sustainable business and also how I want to grow as a creative leader. I’m so lucky I have some great mentors and co-workers who continue to help me grow in that direction.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Since I started design, I’ve always had imposter syndrome. When I was at Backcountry, I felt like everyone was so much better at design, and I wasn’t moving as quickly in my career as I wanted. So I decided to take a few classes at SLCC including Painting, Typography, Illustration and Traditional Print Techniques. This improved my design tenfold, but also made me question who I wanted to be as a designer. I became less interested in brand design and more interested graphic design as an art form. I began pursuing more personal projecst to find my style and voice. I began experimenting with type design participating in 36 Day of Type Challenge. And I began exploring photography and film as well. This curiosity ebbs and flows but through these explorations, I’ve been lucky enough to land some fun opportunities in my career. And I have a few fun projects coming up this year including some book design, photography and apparel.
My favorite quote –from one of my biggest inspirations, Virgil Abloh– said “In my mind, I haven’t done any work yet. I’ve just made a case for why my point of view is valid.” And this is all I’m trying to achieve.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I’ve always been lucky enough to work on talented teams with great leaders. I recommend reaching out to people who inspire you, someone who you’d like to be someday. This isn’t exclusive to hard skills. My favorite Creative Director, Jared Strain from Super Top Secret, taught me how to listen. I always appreciated how he works with clients –he really listens to what they want and pushes them to explore ideas outside of their comfort zones. He also gave me the freedom to explore my own process, and always pushed my designs in an inspiring way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nicolemartinez.design/
- Instagram: nicmartnez
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemartinez2/
