Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs: Spotlight on Enizio Strategies and CEO Jocelyn Martin-Leano

November is National Entrepreneurship Month. Women Empowering Women celebrates our amazing members who have taken the leap and started or own their own businesses.

Jocelyn Martin-Leano is the founder and CEO of Enizio Strategics LLC, a startup consulting firm. Jocelyn created Enizio to help leaders stay ahead of the curve by empowering leaders with strategic insight and agile formulation. Jocelyn says she was inspired to take the “leap of faith” after attending the 2022 WEW retreat and listening to fellow members discuss how to overcome the barriers of entrepreneurship.

“Enizio’s name (‘eh – nit – zee – yo’) is inspired by the fusion of the Italian word 'inizio,’ signifying "beginning" or "start," with the letter 'E,’ emblematic of our modern, digital-first approach. At Enizio, we believe that every challenge in the digital era is an opportunity for the right start of a project, a breakthrough or a restart towards transformation to propel business forward that’s why our logo has a distinctive sunrise for new beginnings.”

Tell us about your work history – what position you started in and where you were working/what you were doing prior to your current role:

Formerly, I was President of Rushmore Loan Management, a position I held for 11 years. Prior to that I was COO at GE/Genworth US Mortgage Insurance. I was President of Irwin Home Equity for over 13 years. I have held progressive leadership roles at Citibank, Bank of America and a start-up, ITT Residential Capital.

What is the name of your current company and what is your title?

The company I founded is called Enizio Strategies LLC. I am the CEO. Enizio’s name (‘eh – nit – zee – yo’) is inspired by the fusion of the Italian word 'inizio,’ signifying "beginning" or "start," with the letter 'E,’ emblematic of our modern, digital-first approach. At Enizio, we believe that every challenge in the digital era is an opportunity for the right start of a project, a breakthrough, or a restart towards transformation to propel business forward that’s why our logo has a distinctive sunrise for new beginnings.

When/how did you decide to take the leap to entrepreneurship?

Rushmore Loan Management’s servicing platform was sold, and I felt that it was the right juncture for me to try something different. In today’s world of exponential change and disrupted business models, I set up Enizio to help leaders stay ahead of the curve by empowering leaders with strategic insight and agile formulation. We advise clients on solid execution by helping align capital, operational excellence, risk management, talent, and organizational culture around a strong, future-oriented, innovative strategy. Our Value add: state-of-the-art, forward-thinking solutions that are resilient, sustainable, and innovative.

Did you face any setbacks or challenges on your path to being a business owner?

Yes – first it is the fear of the unknown – will I be successful in helping other businesses?  Also, this is such a lean time for the mortgage industry, so will there be enough sustainable work? Second, it is an economic risk to not have a steady monthly paycheck (vs. the ebbs and flows and unpredictable nature of consulting) plus incurring the start-up cost of a corporation. Third – will I have the capacity to do business development and the render actual work? Despite these questions and unknowns, I was excited about having a corporation that could crowd-source the best talent who may be displaced or interested in doing work on the side if they are currently employed.

What is the best piece of advice you received that helped you get where you are in your career today?

I attended a WEW session last year that talked about women and the barriers to entrepreneurship, and this inspired me take the leap of faith.

What advice would you give others who are looking to venture into entrepreneurship?

It is too soon to tell if I will be successful, but it is good to try, fail fast, learn, and have no regrets. It would be also nice to add to the ranks of women entrepreneurs who can lift up other women.