From 30 to 350+ Employees: The Story Behind Marsell Wellness Center’s Growth 

When Marty Sellers started Marsell Wellness Center, he didn't envision leading a rapidly growing organization with hundreds of employees across California.  

His background wasn't in business or leadership. It was in helping people.  

"My training has been in mental health and social services," Marty said. "I imagined I was going to be a therapist with maybe ten people working for me and just live this little sunset life."  

But life had bigger plans.  

Today, Marsell Wellness serves communities across California. They provide behavioral health and human services programs that help people navigate some of life's most difficult moments. From mental health support to domestic violence services, the organization's mission is simple but powerful.  

Per Marty, "Our mission is transforming lives through the power of wellness. Every decision we make comes back to that mission and how we help people feel empowered to change their lives."  

Getting there, however, wasn't simple.   

Providing a Light in the Darkness  

Like many organizations, Marsell Wellness faced a defining moment when COVID-19 arrived. Practically overnight, the organization had to reinvent how it delivered care.  

"In three days, we had to go from having in-person therapy to doing everything virtually," Marty recalled. "I didn't have a Plan B. We had to make Plan A work."  

The transition wasn't easy, but it sparked something unexpected.  

As communities grappled with isolation, anxiety, domestic violence, and other mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic, demand for accessible behavioral health services surged.  

Because Marsell Wellness was able to quickly pivot to virtual care, the organization was positioned to continue supporting existing clients while reaching entirely new populations across California.  

New opportunities emerged. New contracts followed. Demand for services increased.  

Since 2020, Marsell Wellness has grown from roughly 30 employees to more than 350 team members.  

Systems that once supported a small team suddenly had to support hundreds of employees. New locations meant more devices, more data, and more opportunities for something to go wrong. The organization was no longer operating like a small business, yet many of its processes were still built for one.   

A $300,000 Lesson  

As the company scaled, Marty found himself facing a threat he never expected.  

Someone had mirrored company email accounts and was impersonating both him and his CFO in an attempt to redirect nearly $300,000 in payments.   

He got lucky. They happened to find the threat just in time. But it was impossible to escape the knowledge that the loss could have been devastating. The experience forced Marty to confront a reality many growing businesses face.  

Technology and cybersecurity weren't his expertise. But he did know the organization needed help.  

So Marsell Wellness began searching for answers. That's when they met Impact.   

More Than a Sales Pitch  

Marty still remembers visiting Impact's Riverside office for the first time.  

The presentation impressed him immediately. The expertise was clear. The vision was exciting. Then the cost of business arrived.  

"I wanted to be just like them," Marty laughed. "Then they brought back the proposal and I thought, 'I don't want to be like them anymore.'"  

Like many growing organizations, Marsell Wellness needed enterprise-level support but didn't yet have an enterprise-sized budget. What happened next changed the relationship entirely.  

Instead of walking away, Impact worked to understand where Marsell Wellness was, where it wanted to go, and what was realistically possible.  

“They said, 'You can't afford us yet, but we're going to come alongside you. Here's what we can do now, and when you're ready, we'll help you get where you need to go.' As a small company, that meant everything."  

Rather than focusing on everything the organization couldn't afford, Impact helped build a roadmap. They started small with copiers, basic infrastructure, technology guidance, and security education.  

For Marty, that mattered. 

As a smaller organization competing against larger players, he wasn't looking for a vendor. He was looking for someone willing to invest in the journey.  

Growing Up as a Business  

Over the next several years, Marsell Wellness continued to expand.  

New locations opened. More employees joined the organization. Additional programs launched.  

And with each stage of growth came new challenges: technology, cybersecurity, marketing, operations, and website development.  

What began as a relationship centered around one challenge evolved into something much larger.  

Impact's team helped Marsell Wellness navigate cybersecurity concerns, strengthen technology infrastructure, develop marketing initiatives, build a new website, and create systems capable of supporting continued growth.  

But Marty says the most valuable support often happened outside of projects and contracts.  

As Marsell Wellness matured, Marty found himself navigating challenges that few people around him truly understood.  

Leading a growing organization can be isolating.  

Sometimes the questions aren't about technology at all. They're about people, culture, growth, and leadership.  

"Not only do they care about the business, but they care about maturing me as a CEO. I can call and talk through challenges, leadership decisions, growth, and strategy. That level of trust goes far beyond a business transaction."   

Keeping the Mission First  

For Marty, every decision ultimately comes back to the people Marsell Wellness serves.  

Expanding the organization has never been about becoming bigger for the sake of becoming bigger. It's about reaching more people who need help: people facing mental health challenges, families experiencing domestic violence, and individuals struggling silently and unsure where to turn.  

Growing up in a household impacted by domestic violence himself, Marty understands firsthand how important that work can be.  

"Too many people are secretly suffering in silence, in the shadow of shame. We have to give people a voice so they can speak up, speak out, and live. That's what drives us every day," he said.  

That mission continues to drive everything Marsell Wellness does today.  

It's also why finding partners who understand the bigger picture matters so much.  

Technology, marketing, cybersecurity, and operations are important. But they are only valuable when they help the organization fulfill its purpose.   

Looking Ahead  

Marsell Wellness now operates 14 locations and continues to expand its reach throughout California.  

The organization's next goal is ambitious: three million lives impacted by 2030.  

To get there, Marty knows the organization will need to keep innovating, keep learning, and keep challenging itself.  

"I don't want to follow best practices," he said. "I want to create best practices."  

Looking back, the journey from a small behavioral health organization to a growing regional provider was built through countless small decisions, trusted relationships, and a willingness to keep moving forward even when the path wasn't clear.  

And for Marty, one lesson stands out above all others.  

"When you're a small company, relationships matter."  

For Marsell Wellness, that belief helped turn a moment of uncertainty into the foundation for lasting growth.