Amy Jo Martin on Leading Like a Renegade

Most skiers don’t start on the black-diamond slopes, but Amy Jo Martin isn’t most skiers. A self-described renegade and innovation advocate, Amy Jo learned to ski when her expert-skier father helped her skip the bunny slope.

Amy Jo grew up in a Wyoming trailer park. Now, she has more Twitter followers than the number of people who live in her home state. 

How she got from there to here?

• Take risks. Shaquille O'Neal wanted to learn to tweet, so Amy Jo was sent to teach him. She boarded the team plane to answer his question, wondering whether she’d have her job when she disembarked. Fear and adversity can be healthy when they spur us to challenge ourselves.
  
  
• Accept guides. Just like her father helping her to ski, Amy Jo helps others to innovate. Her boss named her a renegade while she was working at ESPN. Since then, she has embraced the identity of one who doesn’t instantly accept principles—someone who shows positive disruption.
  
  
• Embrace discomfort. Being uncomfortable is not a bad thing; it’s when growth happens. Over time, that discomfort can become more comfortable if we practice it. Teach yourself to keep trying new things. Be a renegade.

Featured Resource: Lead Like a Renegade

Listen to the whole conversation with Amy Jo below or through your favorite podcast player listed at the bottom of this page.

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Connect with Amy Jo through her website and follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @AmyJoMartin. 

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