To Inform: “We’ve got to feed the monster, so it doesn’t get upset, it’s got an awesome appetite, Tyrannosaurus Debt.” For schoolchildren of a certain age “Schoolhouse Rock” was one’s earliest lessons in civics. “Tyrannosaurus Debt” was one of a long list of video vignettes set to jocular music about topics that were a lot […]

To Inspire: Through an organization called Young Catholic Professionals, I (along with some other older Catholic professionals) was recently asked to be a mentor. A young man named Ben was chosen as my mentee and we had our first meeting this morning. I looked up the word mentor and was drawn to the definition: someone […]

To Inform: If it hasn’t come through in my Wealthnotes, I love to read. I’m currently reading a historical fiction novel by Stephen Pressfield called The Gates of Fire about the stand of 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae. One thing that struck me in my reading is just how chaotic and unpredictable the […]

To Inspire:   We’ve been talking about holiday traditions around the office this week. Most of The Joseph Group team couldn’t come up with what they consider “traditions” around this holiday, but most have plans to enjoy local parades and street fairs, spend time with family and friends, and see some fireworks. For central Ohio, […]

To Inform: Earlier this week, TJG Chief Investment Officer Alex Durbin, Summer Intern Avery Rice, and I (Travis) attended the Ohio RIA Summit in Downtown Columbus. It was a gathering of investment managers and financial advisors across Ohio and an opportunity to share ideas and best practices. I had the good fortune to serve as […]

To Inspire: Last night I attended a gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of our local Catholic radio station here in Columbus, Saint Gabriel Radio. There must have been 500 people in attendance – volunteers, donors, staff, and many who have found the station’s daily programming so uplifting. It got me thinking about the power of […]

To Inform: When I joined The Joseph Group this summer as an intern, I was excited not only to grow in financial knowledge but also to understand the emotional and psychological factors that shape our money decisions. As a student of both finance and psychology, I was recommended a book that quickly became a favorite: The […]

To Inspire: While expecting to face new challenges in her nineties, what has truly surprised writer Katherine Esty is the amount of new joys she’s experiencing. She has let go of past regrets and has embraced a sense of gratitude that is new to her. When asked what we all can do – at any […]

To Inform: There is a tension in the investment world. Predictions can be valuable and are important exercises. Here, having an imagination can be a valuable tool. Anticipating where markets are heading requires one to think about a range of possible outcomes. Sometimes those outcomes seem murky, sometimes they seem crystal clear. But even when […]

To Inspire: Lisa and I drove up to Amish country yesterday (Sugarcreek, Ohio to be exact) to enjoy the beautiful countryside and do some shopping. Afterward I realized how refreshing it was for us to get away from the big city, travel on back country roads and enjoy the spectacular scenery: rolling hills, horse and cattle […]