Martha Madison talks about her journey to becoming an actor and a business owner, her favorite restaurants in Los Angeles and NYC, and her favorite books. She also shares words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs!

Lauren — Travel and Write Today: What inspired you to go into acting? 

Martha Madison: I was a really shy little kid, and one summer when I was about 6 or 7, my mom put me in acting classes as a way to open me up. Let’s just say it worked. I totally took to the theatre – I took classes and performed as much, and as often, as I could.

TWT: I love how your acting journey started. It is so great that your mom signed you up for acting classes, and that you enjoyed it so much! I am a bit more reserved, and quiet, and I took a drama class in college – I was nervous before every single class. I should have started younger too!

TWT: I know you just started a new recruitment agency – The Madison Collective (congratulations!) What was the inspiration behind starting your own business? 

MM: I’ve worked in the restaurant industry since I was 16 years old. I started managing restaurants in NYC in the early 2000’s, and when I moved to California in 2003, I was hired to open a fun new restaurant in Hollywood, called Luna Park. I fell in love with the owner, and married him in 2007. We opened several more restaurants together over the years, so I guess I’ve always had the entrepreneurial gene. I’ve also failed at business a lot; some life altering failures to be sure. My most colossal business failure in 2017 actually led me into restaurant recruitment by accident. While I was looking for a job for myself, I got recruited by my recruiter. I worked my way up through that firm (One Haus) over 7 years, and this past year, I just felt called to face my fears and start another business. It felt like a necessary move for me both spiritually and professionally, and while it’s been a little bumpy, it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience. 

TWT: Oh wow! I love that through the restaurant industry you not only found your passion for recruiting, but you also met your husband! Just another example of the fact that things work out just as they should, even when it is hard to see it in the moment! I fell into Talent Acquisition, as well, and it just immediately felt right. I am so happy that you decided to start another business! 

TWT: I know you grew up in Texas. Do you ever get back there? What are some of your favorite spots in the area? 

MM: Yup, I grew up in Houston, and went to college at Texas A&M, but two days after graduation I ran away to NYC to be a Broadway star. Ha! We did move back to Texas (Dallas) in 2017, and stayed there until Covid brought us back to Los Angeles. Dallas is probably my favorite part of the state because it has a little bit of everything; a cool restaurant scene, great museums, lakes, good shopping, and affordable homes with good schools. Texas will always hold a very special place in my heart – it raised me – but I think, in general, I’m a California girl now. 

TWT: I need to spend more time in Dallas!

TWT: You’ve spent time living in both NY and LA. What are some of your favorite restaurants in both places? I am always looking for recommendations! 

MM: Well, you couldn’t pick two better restaurant cities. My go-to restaurants in NYC are Balthazar, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Carbone, and Zuma. In LA, I’m a huge fan of Bestia, Dan Tana’s, and I just had a killer meal at the new Uchi in West Hollywood. Honestly, you could throw a rock in either city, and you’d hit a spectacular restaurant. 

TWT: So true for both cities! Carbone has been on my list, and I’ve added the others. I love visiting Spago, when I’m out near LA.

TWT: What is your favorite book? 

MM: Hmmm…this is a hard one. I’m an avid reader, and love books that either make you disappear, or make you think long and hard about your most tightly held beliefs. I’d say that Surviving Death by Leslie Kean is the book that most impacted my outlook on life…and death. I also love memoirs, so that might be a toss-up between The New One by Mike Birbiglia, Bossypants by Tina Fey, or I’m Just a Person by Tig Notaro. 

TWT: What is your go-to coffee/tea order, and from where? 

I’m pretty boring in this respect. I’m a plain black coffee girl. Plain and simple and gets the job done. 🙂 

TWT: No coffee order is boring! I just use skim milk – plain and simple.

TWT: Where is your favorite place to watch the sunrise/sunset? 

MM: We bought a house in northern LA last year, and my backyard overlooks a gorgeous, unobstructed canyon. The best view is from my bedroom, so I guess lying in my bed is the best place for that. 

TWT: Can you share one of your favorite moments since starting The Madison Collective. 

MM: Every day I get to talk to the most fascinating people, and many of them are at an incredibly vulnerable place in their life….a place I’ve been, and know all too well. So, getting to help someone shift from that place into their next job, and next life chapter, is wholly fulfilling. I guess the first person I placed under The Madison Collective brand was a moment (and a person) I won’t forget.

TWT: That is so memorable, and telling someone they are hired never gets old!

TWT: What is one of your favorite things about being an entrepreneur? 

MM: There’s a lot to love about working for someone else, but when you work for yourself, you have to take a lot of risks. Every day, you take big and little chances on yourself. When they work, it’s a very special feeling. A liberating feeling. I’ve always been a very independent person…maybe to a fault at times. But knowing that my future is up to me feels right.

TWT: What advice would you give to aspiring business owners? 

MM: I’ve learned a couple of key lessons in my career. First, and especially in restaurants, slow down. It’s easy to get swept up in the energy (or lack thereof) in the business at any given moment, and this is where people often make emotional decisions that lead to mistakes. When things feel chaotic, and they will, you need to stop and take inventory of what is actually happening. Slow down, focus, breathe and take the next action. Consistency always wins. The other thing I would say to a new entrepreneur is to be kind to yourself. This is the only job in the world where you live with your boss 24/7. Being a good boss also means being a good boss to yourself. 

TWT: “Be kind to yourself…” are words we should all remember every single day.

Follow Martha via the links below:

Instagram: @marth27

Instagram: @collectiverecruitment

The Madison Collective: https://www.madison-collective.com/

LinkedIn: Martha Madison