Michael Marty, son of Wayne and June Marty, was physically born in Le Mars, Iowa in 1967. Traveling with his parents, he journeyed around the world in 1979 and spent fifth grade in the Philippine Islands, which potentially had a life-altering effect upon his thinking. He changed his middle name from "Scott" to "Spiritfair" in 2003 to help cement his personal path. He graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Liberal Studies, May 2007 (math, physics, humanities, professional fields), the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, December 2009, and the University of Northern Iowa with a Master of Business Administration, July 2010.