We’ve added an incredible new team member, and you may recognize his last name. Michael Kafoglis joins our Client Service team as an advisor and CFP based out of our Houston Office. Michael will work closely with John Reagan, servicing our Hill and Hilltop clients. Michael comes to Hill Investment Group with seven years of experience at one of the largest investment institutions in the country, where he served as an advisor to high-net-worth families.

As the son of a consultant turned teacher turned financial planner, he has a unique view of investing. Although he was taught concepts of compounding, diversification, and patience at a young age, when he became an advisor, he discovered his financial education was not the norm but the exception. Michael has made it his goal to educate clients and simplify their financial lives so they can focus on what they care about. Needless to say, he will fit right in at Hill Investment Group.

If his name sounds familiar, Michael is following in the footsteps of his dad, Charles Kafoglis, as he joins our team out of Houston. We are referring to them as the Kafogli and are already enjoying the camaraderie and banter they bring to the team. Stay tuned, as his complete bio will hit our site later next month.

Welcome, Michael!

Hill Investment Group prides itself on always having a team member, not a machine, answer our phones within two rings. We’ll never have an auto attendant answering system (during office hours) – but this means you will have to be placed on hold occasionally. Most hold music ranges from loud and irritating to the nonexistent ‘Is anyone still on the other end?’. 

You’ve likely been placed on hold at Hill Investment Group, and we try to make that experience as pleasant as possible. Whether it’s an interview clip with one of our team members or jazzy holiday tunes – we aim to entertain or educate you while we connect you. 

We’re excited to share our latest and coolest hold music, this time from one of our clients, Mr. Clint Willis. If, in 2016, you happened to be at the St. Louis launch party for Matt’s book Odds On:The Making of an Evidence-Based Investor, you might recall Clint’s soulful performance that served as a fantastic introduction (see photo). 

During a recent interaction, and because Clint is such a creative person – I couldn’t help but wonder if he could create a mellow tune for our friends to enjoy while they’re on hold – and boy did he deliver! We hope you’ll enjoy our latest hold tune the next time you call or by clicking play above!

My grade-school-age kids recently returned to school, which made me think about being a little kid again. Summer was always a time of unbridled joy and freedom for me. Even as a kid, I knew summer meant I had the freedom to get on my bike and ride to the nearby pool or meet up with my neighborhood friends for a game of street hockey because my schedule and routine were flexible. My biggest concern was whether or not I got a hit in my baseball game!

As we get older, those feelings start to change. We take on more responsibilities – summer jobs, summer school, and ultimately adulthood. Life speeds up quickly, and we don’t always do a good job of slowing down and living in the moment. We’re constantly thinking about what’s next and what we must do to keep everything moving forward. As Harry Chapin famously sang in Cat’s in the Cradle, “There are planes to catch and bills to pay.”

On a recent family vacation to Florida, I read a book by the former Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, Leading with the Heart. Coach K uses the metaphor of his team being on a train. He reminds readers that stopping and enjoying the moments while on the train is essential. Some of those moments are big milestones we plan and prepare for, while others happen unexpectedly.

So, as summer ends and we return to our busy lives of hauling kids to their various events, traveling, and everything else we have going on, I encourage each of you to take a moment to “pause at the station.” Whether things are improving or worse than anticipated, try to enjoy the moment. Enjoy the moment.

P.S. For those looking for some light humor, I recently created unique handshakes with each of my three boys (my daughter is a bit too young to have her own). Below is a video of my youngest son, Charlie, and me doing a clumsy version of our handshake on his first day of Kindergarten – certainly a major milestone in both of our lives! 

*Apologies to long time client George Thomas for making a positive Duke reference. I hope you’ll forgive me.

**This is the same book featured prominently in the hit show The Bear (season 2).