Wayne D. Martin Jr., PE
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Wayne D. Martin Jr., PE, is a licensed professional engineer, entrepreneur, and co-founder of MDS Engineering, a full-scale mechanical, electrical, and plumbing consulting firm. He grew up in poverty and instability on the east side of Baltimore, experienced homelessness as a teenager, and later earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Morgan State University. He holds 16 Professional Engineer licenses and helped MDS Engineering grow from roughly $100,000 in its first six months to more than $2 million in annual revenue within five years.
Together with his wife, Lakeisa Martin, he also co-founded The Academic Athlete to help student athletes connect sports discipline with academics, STEM, and trade careers. Drawing on his own journey—including nine engineering exam attempts across seven years—he teaches that circumstances do not define the finish. Through the B.U.I.L.T. framework, Wayne helps business owners, technical professionals, and young people move from uncertainty to action and build success beyond themselves.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
- That where you start does not have to determine where you finish, even after homelessness and poverty.
- How Wayne passed nine engineering exams across seven years by studying setbacks the way an athlete studies game film.
- Why athletic discipline transfers into academics, careers, and entrepreneurship, creating long-term stability for student athletes.
- How MDS Engineering grew from roughly $100,000 in early revenue to more than $2 million annually.
- That technical expertise alone is not enough without clear communication, customer service, and relationship building.
- How systems, people, and accountability scale a business beyond the founder's personal hustle and grind.
- Why representation of engineers and skilled professionals expands what young people believe is possible.
- How the B.U.I.L.T. framework—Believe, Unite, Innovate, Lead, and Thrive—guides life, leadership, and business decisions.
- That student athletes can use sports discipline to prepare for sustainable STEM and trade careers.
- Why leadership means creating careers and developing future leaders instead of only solving immediate problems.
about the show
Next Level CEO is an entrepreneur education series hosted by Daymond John, created for business owners, founders, and leaders who want real insight from people who have built, scaled, and led successful companies.
Each episode features expert CEOs, founders, and industry leaders sharing the stories, decisions, strategies, and lessons behind their growth. Viewers get a closer look at how strong brands are built, how companies scale, and how experienced entrepreneurs think through leadership, opportunity, risk, and long-term success.
From disruptive startups to established business empires, Next Level CEO gives entrepreneurs a front-row seat to the business strategies, founder insights, and leadership moves that drive business excellence.
Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to grow, a business owner ready to level up, or a leader who wants to learn from proven builders, Next Level CEO delivers practical lessons from people who have created something that lasts.
