Whew! It has been a month. How about you? We have an election that is now in full swing, a stock market that continues to climb, and continued uncertainty about when life will go back to normal. Normally all this uncertainty would be bad for markets and it is to some degree. With the advance of Apple and Tesla dominating the financial headlines, you might be tempted to think it is business as usual for U.S. stocks. In fact, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are responsible for most of the gain in the market this year. It is beginning to look like a tale of two economies, that of the FAAMG or FAANMG if you include Netflix (I think these acronyms have been stretched enough) and everyone else. Hang on because I believe it is going to be a bumpy ride through the end of the year. The factors mentioned above could easily increase volatility in the way we saw back in February and March. This may also be amplified by the rise of retail investors jumping on beaten-down industries like travel and airlines. I believe they do so at their peril. Those industries may take years to recover and may not survive without government intervention and the government may be busy with other crises when the call comes. On to our topic of the month. What can we do for you? Zoom meetings have replaced in person so the good news is we have a bit more time to dedicate to you. We have talked to many of you these past few months, but a crisis here and there may have left some of you overlooked. If so, we apologize and encourage you to reach out and schedule some time to talk. We are growing so we have added some help. Many of you know that Adam Aurioles has helped format this newsletter and contributed articles from his perspective at the University of Chicago. It is great to have a young outlook on economics and Adam has done a great job, but now it is time for him to take on his new role at Accenture Strategy as a Strategy Analyst in Dallas. We really appreciate the help he has been and the fresh outlook he has provided. Have I mentioned his fresh outlook enough? Which brings us to Julie Murillo, our newest addition and hopefully my savior from the administrative jungle that sometimes has me wanting to go on an extended vacation in Nepal where my internet connection will be sketchy or at least I can claim it is. I met Julie as the smiling face of Dr. Rebecca Reese and Fulcrum Healthcare when you walk in the door. That is why I am making her Director of First Impressions until we find a better title. I have found her there as a beacon of light and good cheer with nothing daunting her spirit. You will be hearing from her in the coming months as she takes over our newsletter, social media, and client outreach. She will make sure I schedule time with each and every one of you to increase your confidence that you are and will continue to make great financial decisions. Obviously, I am beaming with pride for both Adam and Julie and I had nothing to do with either besides finding them. Onward! We are upgrading the website to be more of a portal where you can go to find what you need and connect with the resources we have. We’ll be sending you to the new site soon where you will be able to find articles and videos on topics of interest, check your balances, and account performance. We hope this is a game-changer for you and that it is the first place you go to get answers both on your accounts, set time to meet with us, and find informative content. Here is a sample of the videos now available on our website. We also hope to bring you webinars about financial mindset, money beliefs that can help or hurt your chances of success, which will include guest speakers in a short format that can be seen at your own pace. Stay tuned. There is lots more to come! Reading List: Tapping into Wealth, Margaret Lynch Discover Your Purpose, Rhys Thomas Thinking Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman You are a Badass at Making Money, Jen Sincero I Will Teach You to be Rich, Ramit Sethi The Science of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles Your Money or Your Life, Vicki Robin
