Since his unorthodox welcome into the company, Martin has researched prospective companies for investment, conducted industry studies and started a company newsletter.

Last week, he was offered a full-time position as the youngest associate in the firm and is working on recommending a student for the newly established internship position.

He will have to decide among offers from Advent, the Trilogy Development Group in Austin, Texas, and Proctor and Gamble by Oct. 2. Though he won't disclose hiscurrent salary or the offers he's received, Martinsays he has "no complaints at all."

Martin's beginning is not unlike that of anyother pre-business student at Harvard. He wasappointed assistant manager of Let's Go at HarvardStudent Agencies halfway through his first year.

"I think it was a great stepping stone," hesaid. "It's a way for you to make mistakes andlearn, but not devastate the organization."

He also interned at John Hancock LifeInsurance, in direct mail and marketing, and atProctor and Gamble, where he marketed cosmetics toretail outlets.

This semester, Martin is taking four courses,including one at the Sloan Business School at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Balancingwork and classes means taking courses that meet at8 a.m. or in the evening.

"My class attendance is not one hundredpercent," he admits.

But missing classes does not necessarily meanmissing much, Martin says.

"A lot of stuff that Harvard teaches, you canread in a book," he said. "Up until this point,I've probably gotten less than 20 percent of mylearning at Harvard, a very minimal amountcompared to what I've learned in the workingworld."

While most students struggle to jungleacademics, extra-curricular activities and sociallife, Martin is also a member of the HarvardInvestments Association and the HarvardEntrepreneurial Club and is engaged to Kirklandresident Rachel Perez '99.

He and Perez won second place in last year'sEntrepreneurial Competition for a project thatmatched job hunters with companies based onpsychological profiles over the World Wide Web.

Martin says his ultimate goal is to create acompany, build it up and take it public.

"I'm one hundred percent focused. I've knownwhat I've wanted since I was a wee child," hesays.

But the path that Martin chose to take is notwithout its sacrifices, he says.

"Have I missed out on things at Harvard? Yes.Would I do it again? Definitely," he says