Suzy Gorman
Edwardsville native, co-founder and president of Hill Investment Group, and author of Odds On: The Making of an Evidence-Based Investor Matt Hall has always been a naturally curious person. And, in his new podcast, Take the Long View with Matt Hall he gets to dive deeper into subjects like finance, in a different way than others do: by focusing on both the bigger picture and the here and now of reaching goals.
Hall’s podcast hopes to help listeners to learn to live richly through interviews with a variety of guests, including psychotherapist Marilyn Wechter; former Anheuser-Busch executive and co-founder of Hill Investment Group, Rick Hill; and the co-CEO of Dimensional Fund Advisors, Dave Butler. "It’s really a podcast that is about reframing or changing the way people think about money, investing, and saving and preparing for whatever it is they define as the ideal amount of financial freedom in the future," Hall said.
SLM sat down with Hall to get the big picture on the podcast, and to find out how St. Louis played a big role in its creation.
Why did you decide to start this podcast?
I’ve had a lot of time, either listening to podcasts or reading books that are by people in my industry, and I just couldn’t find anything else out there that was satisfying the need I think I hear when I meet with people...there isn’t something that helps them feel more confident, more in control, and less anxious about preparing for their ideal future. I think I know a lot of people who are thought leaders and who could help address this problem...Podcasting in general is such a great way to communicate. You can be in someone’s ear for the 30 minutes while they’re prepping a meal or the 30 minutes they’re working out or the 30 minutes they’re in the car.
Why do you want to zoom in on these financial concerns?
If all we do is talk about philosophy and long-term thinking, in my experience, it leaves people wanting for something that they feel like they can do today...it can be overwhelming. So we have to alter our perspective to live in the here and now. It's like, "Yes, I want to understand the big-picture thinking, but I also want to know what I can do about it today." In all the interviews I’ve conducted this first season, I’ve tried to walk that line between diving into the thinking but also connecting the listener to something they can control and an idea they can implement sooner rather than later.
What do you like about podcasting?
I’ve always been the kind of person who is intellectually curious...how many times would it have been awesome to be a fly on the wall when two people are having a really great conversation? I feel like that’s ultimately what podcasting is. It allows you to develop a relationship without being there in person, by being an observer on a conversation...the coolest thing about podcasting for me is getting to learn from other people’s experiences and getting to be a fly on the wall and decide for yourself whether there’s some meaning and value in what you’re hearing.
Why did you pick the guests you did?
Each of them has a story that helps the listener change their frame of reference or change their perspective in a way that I think will help them prepare and invest and get ready for a bigger, better, richer future.
What have you learned from your guests so far?
Their patient, steady, but relentless pursuit of excellence is what made them special. Sometimes when you hear people interviewed who are Hollywood stars, someone will ask "What was your big break?" I think, in reality, a lot of people don’t necessarily have a big break. I think what happens is they’re just committed to slowly but surely making progress—not necessarily striving for perfection, but they’re patiently and persistently dedicated to a process that helps them get what they want, and I think that dogged persistence or determination is what I’ve heard in each of the guests’ stories so far.
Who is your dream guest?
I’m obsessed with tennis; my dream guest is Roger Federer.
What’s one thing you want people to take away from your podcast?
Slow and steady isn’t boring; slow and steady wins.
Hall’s podcast is available now. Visit the website for more details and access to new episodes.
