Following the departure of longtime Monroe County startUP Facilitator Jamie Matthews just a few weeks ago, the board of directors has found a new leader in local business owner Leslee Martin.

Martin said she’s originally from St. Louis and attended college at Saint Louis University, where she received a bachelor of science in clinical laboratory science and a master’s in business administration.

She spent three years working as an information technology services manager at Hospital Sisters Health System in Belleville, which she said has helped give her diverse work experience beyond just business management.

Martin said her interest in business ownership was rather natural for her.

“It’s something that came organically,” Martin said. “Business ownership is kind of sometimes a dream, sometimes something somebody thinks they won’t do until retirement. I was lucky that I got a taste of it kind of early with the right opportunity.”

That opportunity came as Martin started a franchise with Fun4kids in St. Louis from 2017-2023.

This franchise, she said, served as an excellent foray into the world of business ownership as it is, in a sense, guided. A great deal of responsibility still lies on the owner, but they are able to worry less about marketing and design.

More recently, Martin has taken ownership of Martin Triple Lakes Farm in Dupo and has stepped away from the St. Louis franchise.

Martin said the newfound small amount of free time she has on her hands seems like it would be well spent sharing her business experience and knowledge.

“I have space now, and time,” Martin said. “And I think this is great that the opportunity with the kids has come in this time where I have some space to fill and knowledge to share, and here now is an opportunity for me to do that.”

Martin further expressed that she hopes to give back to the community by overseeing the class.

“I understand the value that businesses have on the community, especially small businesses,” Martin said. “I’m particularly interested in the program because I feel like it adds a lot of value to society when you invest in the communities you live in.”

Over the last week or so, Martin has been working with Matthews as she prepares to take over her role, getting a better idea of the curriculum and some of the perspective Matthews brought to the position.

While she didn’t share too many specifics concerning what she hopes to do with the class, Martin did say she has fresh ideas to offer.

She noted that, much like Matthews, she hopes to let the students guide much of the class.

“I’m also planning on letting the kids drive a bit of what we do,” Martin said. “This is my first year, and I understand there’s some incredibly smart kids that I’m going to be working with, so I look forward to having a little bit of their feedback as well as we go along to make sure that what we’re doing is really giving them the most value for their time.”

George Obernagel, who serves as chairman of the Monroe County startUP Board, spoke positively about Martin, saying the board took to her very well during the interview process.

He said Martin seems to have great ideas and is very energetic and concerned about doing a great job.

“I think that she’ll do a good job, along with the board to help support everything she needs,” Obernagel said. “She might have different ideas, doing some great things too, but I think she’ll do a great job.”

Matthews also spoke highly of her successor.

“Leslee is going to be an amazing addition to the startUP team,” Matthews said. “Her energy, experience and entrepreneurial spirit will guide the students on a life-changing journey. I’m so excited for the community and students to meet her.”

For more on the Monroe County startUP program, visit monroecountystartup.com.