Martha Hernández

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT MARTHA HERNÁNDEZ

Martha Hernández is a visionary entrepreneur, systems builder, and CEO & Co-Founder of ESO Ventures, a for-profit company scaling entrepreneurial infrastructure to close the racial wealth gap. ESO provides black, brown and underinvested entrepreneurs with the confidence, competence, and capital they need to not only launch, but scale businesses that transform communities. Under Martha’s leadership, ESO has deployed over $6 million in trust-based capital and supported more than 500 entrepreneurs, prioritizing access, equity, and long-term success. Martha is also the founder of madeBOS, Inc, a tech-enabled HR platform that makes organizational design and performance systems affordable and accessible to small and growing businesses. Her work sits at the intersection of economic equity, business scalability, and systems innovation. An Oakland native and proud product of OUSD, Martha’s deep roots in community drive her bold approach to leadership. She earned a Bachelor\'s degree in Sociology and Spanish Literature from Occidental College and is a graduate of several elite leadership programs, including the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, the Mills College Institute for Civic Leadership, and the Camelback Ventures Fellowship. She holds certifications from MIT (AI Business Strategy), Harvard Business School (Financial Accounting), and Stanford Business School (Scaling Impact). Martha is a Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP), a member of the NSBA Leadership Council, and serves on the Advisory Board of ReWork the Bay through the San Francisco Foundation. Martha is a contributing author of Latinas in VC and a best-selling author of I Have What it Takes, available at Target, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble — a call to action for underrepresented talent to step into their leadership power. Known musically as Martha Soledad, she uses art as a form of advocacy. Her debut album, Prefiero Mandar en Falda, includes an original corrido that celebrates gender equity and political courage. When she’s not building or advocating, Martha stays grounded through boxing, CrossFit, and time with her son Joaquin, a gifted musician and the center of her world.