Michelle
When you first meet Michelle, she might ask you a question.
“What inspires you to try so hard?”
By knowing what a person will fight for, Michelle believes you will come to know that person. Through this, she finds common ground with her clients, people who are more comfortable making bold steps for what they want than following well-worn paths and hoping for the best.
In her practice, she helps families harness this dynamic energy and turn it toward far-reaching goals. She helps business owners take their accomplishments and confidently step forward into even more ambitious objectives. She helps people manage their wealth – their investments, assets and risks – but also the family challenges and worries that come from having intergenerational wealth.
To answer her own question: Michelle is inspired to try so hard by her two children, by her sense of self-worth and her desire to write her own narrative. Through her life experiences, she has learned that we do not need to be defined by our circumstances, but by our actions.
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Michelle has more than 20 years of experience providing financial guidance. After more than 16 years with Merrill Lynch, in 2018 she founded Marquez Private Wealth Management of Raymond James.
Michelle’s practice serves the sophisticated needs of affluent families, career business owners and serial entrepreneurs. For her family clients, she takes a family governance approach, a financial planning discipline that works to create family harmony despite the friction wealth can bring to those relationships. For her business owner clients, she applies market intelligence from her investment banking partners to help her clients create value to better serve their long-term goals.
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Michelle is an advocate for girls and families, serving as a mentor to at-risk preteens. She has been an avid supporter of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles since 2008 and its Holidays for the Heart program. In 2013, inspired by that program, she co-founded Heart of Angels, a nonprofit organization that helps brighten the holidays for struggling families.
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2024 AdvisorHub Advisors to Watch 100 Women Advisors
2024 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State
2023 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State
2022 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State
The 2024 AdvisorHub 100 Women Advisors to Watch ranking is based on an algorithm of criteria, focused on three key areas: Quality of Practice, Year-Over-Year Growth, and Professionalism & Character. The rankings weigh the scores in Quality and Growth more heavily than other areas. Time period upon which the rating is based is from 12/31/2022 – 12/31/2023, and was released on 6/20/2024. Advisors considered have a minimum of seven years’ experience, a clean regulatory record with 2 or fewer complaints and no significant judgements, must have been with their current firm for at least two years and in good standing, and have at least $100 million in assets under management. Out of 1,816 total nominations received, 100 advisors received the award. This ranking is not based in any way on the individual's abilities in regards to providing investment advice or management. This ranking is not indicative of advisor’s future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients’ experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with AdvisorHub.
The Forbes ranking of America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years of experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. This ranking is based upon the period from 9/30/22 to 9/30/23 and was released on 02/08/2024. Research Summary (As of February, 2024) 44,028 nominations were received and approximately 1991 women won based on thresholds. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-in-state-women-advisors/?sh=7ae191421d11 for more info.
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Michelle grew up in the Philippines and moved to the United States at the age of 13. Coming from a family of modest means, she developed an early curiosity about the disparity of wealth and its impact on people’s lives. While her childhood dream was to become a pediatrician and help others, circumstances led her to a different path. During her teenage years, she began working in the banking system, sparking a passion for finance that ultimately shaped her career.
Michelle still has a deep passion for helping others. She channels that passion by providing financial literacy to communities, families, and demographics that need it most. Today, Michelle lives in Pasadena with her family, who serve as her North Star, giving her purpose and grounding her values in everything she does.
I believe it is within our power to tell our own stories and to meet any challenge on our own terms. That’s what my practice is about: I help people create their narratives. I help them put their work and ideas toward the things they care about most. Financial well-being is about more than numbers, more than clout, it’s about having the independence and confidence to follow your own path.
Raymond James is not affiliated with the above organizations and/or charitable causes.