Marilynn MachaMarilyn Macha, a financial advisor with over 30 years in the industry, joins Justin Recla to discuss the importance of transparency for financial advisors. Marilyn has run her own consulting firm and is a dynamic force creating change in the financial industry. Her expertise, intuitive perception, and overall vision help her clients to find new levels of success. Listen in as they discuss the importance of transparency in the financial sector and how a shift in language can create magic between advisors and their clients.  

Welcome to the In The Clear Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Recla. Today we are talking to one of my favorite souls on the planet, Marilyn Macha, who has been in the financial industry for quite some time. She’s made a very huge name for herself in the financial sector, and now she is helping financial advisors transition from old ways of doing business into new ways of doing business. Today we’re talking about the importance of transparency for financial advisors. Marilyn, thanks for joining us on the show today.

Oh, thank you, Justin. It’s a joy to be with you as always.

I love the magic that we create when you and I connect. We were just talking right before the show, and poof, just like information was flowing. I absolutely love that when we connect.

Thank you. Likewise.

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Well, Marilyn, can you tell our listeners a little bit about who you are and what you do and the magic you create in this world?

I love being able to see what's needed

I love being able to see what’s needed.

Thank you. I love how you said that. It does look like occasionally my clients will tell you that. I was an investment advisor, Justin, as you know, for 30 years literally. I was 12. No, I’m kidding. I built one of the largest branch offices, independent broker and dealer branch offices, in Houston during my tenure. More and more, it was my passion to coach my clients into a way of looking at their money, relating with their money, that empowered them rather than them be a slave to their money. That began my coaching ideas, and then as I built my company, I had 13 advisors. My joy was when they would come in and want my input or sit with me, so that just like you and I had that connection, we have that connection, Justin, whatever comes available, I love being able to see what’s needed.

It’s not even my words. Sometimes I even say things like, “Wow, that was good. I wish I had written that one down,” that there is a flow that I love creating. What that’s translated to now after I sold my company in Houston to consult and coach in the financial industry, because I know what their challenges are, I know what their day looks like, I know the due diligence that they have to do all the time, I help them step into another way to see what’s possible, not only for their clients but for themselves as well. That could be said even just the other way, not for just themselves, but what’s possible for their clients as well.

Yeah, absolutely. I absolutely love that. You and I were talking a little bit about this beforehand. How much does the transparency piece play into that?

Transparency is paramount. Transparency, I use transparency as equated to trust, trustworthiness. Transparency, when I show up that everything is clear. There’s no screen in front of it. It’s transparent. I am open. I am deliberate. What that translates to with whomever I’m talking, that they have a comfort. They feel that they can be transparent too. I call it a confident vulnerability, and that vulnerability piece meaning you will know in a conversation with me what I do know, what I don’t know, how I can support you, how I can’t support you, what’s true and right for you from my perception, but it’s transparent.

Yeah, and one, I think what’s really, really important, especially in the financial advisor arena, in the investment advisor arena, is that authenticity piece. I think there’s a lot of people that don’t like to establish relationships with financial or investment advisors, because there’s certain individuals, or at least there’s kind of almost like a stigma in the industry that there’s a lot of greed associated with them. I think the ones that are the investment advisors like yourself that are truly successful are the ones that show up in full transparency and authenticity.

I'm there to serve but we're in a partnership

I’m there to serve but we’re in a partnership.

Thank you for saying that. It matters in the world. Boy, I could take on what you just said in three different directions. Oh, wow. When an advisor knows they’re there to contribute, there to serve … Stephen Covey used the word interdependence often. It’s something the context of which I teach my clients deeply. We go deep within interdependence, meaning that I’m there to serve but we’re in a partnership. I serve us so that we serve others, so that things are expansive. That transparency translates into something bigger than what seems possible.

Yeah, yeah. That right there is where the magic is created.

That’s the magic you’re talking about.

Absolutely.

It takes on a life of its own.

Absolutely.

When I have a desire even, or when my client has a desire, I share with them, “You know, this is really something that I hear is near and dear to your heart. It’s bigger. It’s growing every time you talk about it, that it’s even life itself expressing through you. It’s not even your desire. It’s like if you came to give it.”

Yeah. This is the level of money that a lot of people aren’t ready to have. What I love is that you are bringing this conversation to the money sector through the people that you’re having an impact on. I want to explore that a little bit more right after the break. But before we go on break, Marilyn, can you share with our listeners where they can find you?

Yes. There’s a contact place on my website, marilynmacha.com.

Fantastic. We’ve been talking to Marilyn Macha about the importance of transparency for financial advisors. When we get back from the break, we’re going to dive into this a little bit more about finding the magic in the financial sector. Stand by.

To listen to the entire show click on the player above or go to the In the Clear podcast on iTunes.