Sometimes we run out of time and space to highlight everything we’ve loved reading in the last month. Based on the talk in the office, the following items deserve your attention, even if they didn’t get their own dedicated post.

1. The Randomness of Global Equity Returns – We love this piece by Dimensional and you will too.
2. Meet the Money Whisperer to the NBA Elite – We enjoyed this NYT profile. 
3. 6 St. Louis Dads Highlighted in St. Louis Magazine and you’ll know one of them.
4. Our friend John Jennings nails it with this interesting fact of the day.
5. Podcast Love from St. Louis Magazine

On June 6, 2005, Rick Hill and I inked a deal that changed the trajectory of our lives and eventually hundreds of others.

Over the course of a year, Rick and I met every Wednesday night and Saturday morning to discuss our plan to build a firm that was equal parts high touch and high performance. We called it our “island of idealism.” It may not have been the easiest path to bring that idea to fruition, but as I write this passage on our 14-year-old “island of idealism” at 7701 Forsyth Blvd., I can tell you it was worth every step.

Birthday celebrations often entail trips down memory lane—understandably so. It’s pleasant and comforting to reminisce about how much you’ve grown and achieved. But this year, I want to acknowledge Hill Investment Group’s birthday with a different twist: by looking forward instead of backward.

There’s new energy surging through our firm these days, due mainly to the excitement surrounding our group’s future. Our team, which was recently recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as one of the best places to work, is growing stronger each day. Hillfolio, our initiative to deliver a better investing experience to a wider audience, is building impressive momentum. And most recently, the launch of our podcast* has given us a new opportunity to spread the word about the value of Taking the Long View.

Some subscribers might know about my reputation as a “relentless agitator” (or a relentless improver). When I was a kid, my mom would challenge me to go 24 hours without suggesting how we could do something better. I never made it longer than five minutes. Fast forward 30+ years and my mentality hasn’t changed a bit. So, if you’re wondering why I’m celebrating HIG’s birthday by looking ahead to 2020, now you know.

Don’t get me wrong—there’s a time and a place to pop the champagne, tell stories, and evaluate the past, but that isn’t the phase we are in today. We are working on the next chapter and how we will serve clients better. We are a competitive lot, which is why Hill Investment Group will never become complacent. We thank our clients, friends and centers of influence who follow this newsletter, for your continued support. And the only birthday present we want from you is your continued trust – because without that we wouldn’t have made it this far.

*Episode 3 features a conversation between Rick and me. Check it out by subscribing here.

As you’ve likely heard, the podcast is up and running – spreading our story and message to curious investors around the world. We’re thrilled with the success of the launch and encourage you to listen to all four episodes when you can find the time. All feedback is welcome. We offer the following write up as a teaser for Episode 4.

When most athletes transition from the sports world to the business world, the process is painstakingly slow. For Dave Butler, it took 24 hours.

After attending the University of California-Berkeley, Butler was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 1987 NBA draft. But a player’s strike and a torn calf muscle cut his hoops career short. After a final stint with a pro team in England, Butler marched into his coach’s office, told him he took a job on Wall Street, and hopped on a flight to New York the next morning.

Since trading his basketball jersey for a suit, Butler has built an impressive career, ultimately leading him to his current role as the Co-CEO of Dimensional Fund Advisors. Today, more than two decades after stepping off the hardwood, Dave Butler joins Matt Hall on episode 4 of Take the Long View: the podcast that nudges you to reframe your thoughts about your money, emotions, behavior, and time.

Listen to the episode here via Apple or here through other platforms.

Key topics discussed:

• Introducing Dave. [00:42]

• Dave’s background in professional basketball. [04:10]

• Dave’s transition from basketball to finance. [06:14]

• Dave’s early days in finance. [07:17]

• Starting out at Dimensional. [11:04]

• The origins of indexing. [14:02]

• Early days of Dimensional and the 9-10 fund. [16:10]

• Setting and meeting expectations. [18:35]

• Philosophical alignment. [19:45]

• Dan Wheeler’s influence. [21:52]

• Dimensional’s reach and its growth over the years. [26:17]

• Finding balance between work and other areas of life. [30:14]

• Dave’s favorite part of working at Dimensional. [33:32]

• Dimensional as a visionary in the field. [35:57]

• Investing philosophy. [38:25]

• Talking finance at parties. [42:08]

• Current projects. [44:23]