Marin originally embarked upon a business and financial career. While attending CSULA, she had obtained work in 1981 at City National Bank in Beverly Hills as an assistant receptionist. After several promotions, Marin was poised for elevation to assistant vice president of the bank. However, in 1985 her son Eric was born with Down Syndrome and she quit her job the following year in order to care for him. She also withdrew from a MBA program in which she was enrolled.