Ira Marshall’s Success and Achievement Showcase takes place May 30

Published in the May 13-26, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Robert Airoldi

Ira Marshall, in his home office, helps people focus on finding out what they are truly passionate about and helping them prioritize and mapping  their personal and career goals. Photo by Marty Cheek

Ira Marshall, in his home office, helps people focus on finding out what they are truly passionate about and helping them prioritize and mapping their personal and career goals.
Photo by Marty Cheek

Early in his life, Ira Marshall found an inner knowledge that he could succeed if he set his mind to achieving his goals.

“It starts and stops with Northwestern University,” he said. “I was given a unique break to go to school there.”

One dean took him under his wing and he was admitted as an evening student. His hard work in academic efforts eventually culminated with a degree.

“That set the stage for me to understand that, despite the fact I was told ‘no’ to attending a university of that caliber, with persistence and goal mapping, belief in myself and enthusiasm, I can actually make things happen – and I did,” he said. “That was the day I realized goal planning works.”

Marshall, now 67 and the survivor of a liver transplant 12 years ago, was working as a lifeguard in Santa Monica and teaching drums to rich kids, he said.

He knew there was something else out there. Whether it was God or a voice in his head, he packed up and headed to Chicago with the intent of enrolling at one of America’s most prestigious universities, despite not having the qualifying grades, he said. Nine deans turned him down, but it was that tenth who gave him the chance at a high-end education.

Now, as a registered investment adviser living in Paradise Valley area of Morgan Hill, he offers unique services to clients in the field of financial and estate planning.
“There are two main ingredients I look for and convey with clients,” Marshall said. “One is the value of embracing goal setting and mapping. The other is taking a cumulative approach giving advice based on a conference and consulting with the clients and giving them ideas about what products or services are needed. We devise a plan, then import products to it. Hopefully, we’ll work as a team with other advisers.”

Marshall said he sits down with his clients and figures out what they want financially and in life and develops a plan. Then he meets with a colleague and designs an investment portfolio around what the clients desires.

Another part of Marshall’s business is his Success and Achievement Showcase, a popular day-long seminar he holds at The Inn at Spanish Bay. His class teaches a personalized goal-setting process. It gives people an educational approach to planning and mapping out their lives, not only their financial affairs.

“I’ve come up with a template, a model or process rolled into one,” he said. “How to set goals and in the process follow a philosophy of thinking, planning and then achieving that model seems to resonate with most people I’ve met. My trademark is called ‘Effortless Energy.’ The whole idea is doing less and accomplishing more. I take you through a process in which I ignite in you what’s been lying dormant.”

A lot of self-help advice exists that make sense for people, Marshall said. His advice is to first start where you are right now.

“Once you get beyond that, believe in yourself, become excited about the learning process, become a goal-setter and incorporate those goals,” he said. “Think with your heart, not your mind.”

He and his wife settled in Morgan Hill 34 years ago with the idea of enjoying the area and being an active part of the community. At one point, he served on the board of directors for the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and YMCA.

“Morgan Hill has a very unique community spirit,” he said. “It’s a great place to live.”

His final advice for people looking to make a change in their lives: “Find something that excites you and disturbs you to take action.”