Off The Wall Monument Wealth Management

How is it that we are already heading into Q2 of 2024? In this episode, we deep dive into the first quarter of 2024 with special guest Jordan Jackson, Executive Director and Global Market Strategist with JP Morgan Asset Management's Global Market Insight Strategy team. 

Tune in for our breakdown of the Q1 2024 market and our optimistic (and pessimistic) views as we head into Q2. We explore the best and worst performing sectors, unpack the Federal Reserve's recent actions and their impact on interest rates, and delve into the ongoing S&P 500 bull market with a focus on future growth potential.  

Additionally, the episode tackles the record concentration within the top holdings of the S&P 500, analysing potential future trends as well as considerations for investing in small cap stocks, particularly in a rising interest rate environment. Finally, the team goes round-robin to share their optimistic and pessimistic views on the markets going forward. 

“75% of the time, going back to 1980, the equity market has been positive by calendar year. I think that's really important. Yes, volatility is a price we pay as investors, but as long-term investors investing in equities...that [staying invested] is how you grow your wealth.” Jordan Jackson 

 

Episode Timeline 

[00:00] Intro 

[02:00] A Historical Look at The Fed’s Interest Rate Moves During Election Years 

[03:50] Erin’s Take on Where we Are with the Current Bull Market and How long it Might Last 

[05:26] Nate Talks about the Spike in Commodity Prices and its Impact on Volatility and Inflation 

[06:50] Jordan Jackson’s Bullish Take on the Equity Markets and Fed’s Monetary Policy 

[9:10] Do We Need Interest Rate Cuts to See Successful Equity Markets and Economic Growth? 

[14:00] S&P 500 Market Concentration – How Durable is the Equity Market Considering the Top 10 Names Hold over 34% of the Value? 

[20:00] Stats and Advice for People Investing in Small Cap Stocks 

[25:00] Why Should Investors be Optimistic About Investing Now? 

[30:00] Momentum Investing and Long-Term Gains 

[32:00] Speed Round: A Round-Robin Take on the Markets – Both Optimistic and Pessimistic Views 

[44:00] Jordan Jackson’s Optimistic Wrap-Up and Kind Words About Monument 😊 

[47:00] Outro. 

 

About Jordan Jackson 

Jordan Jackson, Executive Director is a Global Market Strategist on the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Global Market Insights Strategy Team. Jordan is responsible for delivering timely market and economic commentary to clients across the country and is a frequent guest on Bloomberg, CNBC, and other financial news outlets. 

He has authored several papers on the economy and markets, with a focus on public fixed income and monetary policy and is often quoted in the financial press. In addition, Jordan is responsible for conducting research on the global economy and capital markets as well as publications such as the Guide to the Markets and weekly blog posts.  

An employee since 2015, prior to his role on Global Market Insights, he worked on the Global Consultant Strategy Group based in New York where he was responsible for serving the investment needs of institutional asset management consultants in North America and Canada.  

He earned a B.A. in African-American Studies from the University of Virginia and holds Series 7 and 63 licenses. 

 

Follow Jordan Jackson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordankjackson/ 

 

Resources Mentioned: 

J.P. Morgan Guide to the Markets: https://bit.ly/48I0YbY 

Jordan Jackson's writings and blog posts: https://am.jpmorgan.com/us/en/asset-management/adv/bios/jordan-jackson/ 

Follow Jordan Jackson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordankjackson/ 

 

Follow our Portfolio Management team on LinkedIn: 

Erin Hay, CFA https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhay 

Nate T

As a philanthropist, how can you do more than just “give back” to a charitable cause? How do you make a real impact with your time, skills, passion, and money? Should you become a board member for a non-profit? Let’s dive into it. 

 

In this Off the Wall chat, hosts David B. Armstrong and Jessica Gibbs welcome Meera Pillai, a retired IT professional turned philanthropist, to talk about the ways you can make an impact through philanthropy and board membership. Jessica also picks Dave’s brain about his own philanthropic endeavors, as he has many of them! 

 

Meera shares her thoughts on what it takes to serve as a member on a non-profit board, the benefits and challenges of board membership, and how to make the most of your philanthropic efforts. 

 

Plus, they discuss other (lower commitment) ways to volunteer your time, skills, and money to make an impact in local non-profits and community foundations. 

 

“All you need is passion. If you have passion and you have an interest in a mission area, that’s all you need to serve on a non-profit board, in my opinion.” – Meera Pillai 

 

So, which type of philanthropy is right for you? Tune in for ideas from an experienced philanthropist. 

 

Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 

[00:53] Introducing Meera Pillai & the topic of today’s episode. 

[02:37] Dave’s philanthropic background. 

[03:11] Meera’s & Dave’s transitions from philanthropist to board member: Why, when, and how they made the leap. 

[08:34] How to choose which charity to support. 

[09:41] What are the expectations/roles of a non-profit board member? 

[14:08] Signs you should not be a non-profit board member. 

[16:58] Surprising benefits and challenges of serving on a board. 

[22:01] Important things to understand about your non-profit’s culture. 

[28:22] Other ways to work with non-profits and get involved in local philanthropy. 

[31:35] The key difference between restricted giving and unrestricted giving. 

[38:53] What is a community foundation? + Why you should consider supporting one. 

 

Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   

 

Resources Mentioned: 
Giving USA 2023: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the year 2022: https://givingusa.org/ 

Give us your feedback! Take our survey: https://bit.ly/3RZp77h 

Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog 

 

About Meera Pillai: 

Meera is a retired IT professional turned philanthropist. After an 11-year career at Booz Allen Hamilton, she left industry to focus on raising her children and shift her life purpose towards philanthropy and impact. Now with grown children, she is fully focused on local philanthropy supporting the Northern Virginia area through Board membership and outreach.  

 

She currently serves as Board Chair of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of DC whose mission is to ease the hardship of childhood illness on families. She has also served as Chair of their annual fundraising 5K event. During her tenure, she has raised on average $15k annually for the organization.  

 

Meera also serves on the Board of the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia, whose mission is to advance equity through support of local philanthropy and community leadership and outreach. She currently serves on the Nominating Committee and Gala Committee. Meera served as Emcee of the 2022 “Raise the Region” Gala, which raised nearly $650,000 for the organization. She recently helped launch the Scholarship Fund for Northern Virginia, dedicated to supporting local students pursue higher education at a Virginia public college.  

 

Most recently, Meera joined the Board of Educate Fairfax, the charitable foundation supporting Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), whose mission is to engage th

With the rising prevalence of cyber-attacks on both individuals and small businesses, it’s more important than ever to learn how to boost your cybersecurity and protect the wealth you’ve worked so hard to grow. 

 

In this episode of Off the Wall, you’ll meet Cathleen Phelps, a Client Experience Manager at Monument, and Bill Phelps, a Cybersecurity Expert and Strategist with over 26 years of experience. Tune in to learn easy ways to identify and prevent fraud, phishing, and identity theft, including AI-generated fraud, so you can protect your personal and business assets from cyber-attacks. 

 

Over the years, Cathleen has successfully coached clients on how to protect themselves online as well as what to do if their personal information has been compromised. As an expert in the field, Bill has delivered cybersecurity consulting and incident response services to some of the most sophisticated clients in the world.  

 

Together, Bill and Cat offer a treasure trove of knowledge about protecting yourself and your wealth against bad actors. 

 

“The amount of money paid to cyber criminals and ransomware in 2023 passed a billion dollars for the first time… and that is disproportionately hitting small businesses, and for that matter, schools, hospitals, other organizations that have only more recently started to invest in appropriate cyber defense measures.” – Bill Phelps 

 

Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 

[00:51] Introducing today’s topic & guests. 

[02:40] Are hackers/scammers getting more intelligent with their tactics? + The most prevalent and emerging cyber threats people should look out for. 

[05:54] Anyone is Vulnerable: How cyber scams and phishing emails are affecting teens, adults, and the elderly. 

[09:00] AI and Identity Theft: How to protect yourself from AI fraud. 

[12:26] How people’s personal information gets compromised. 

[13:54] Phishing red flags to look for in your emails. 

[16:20] What to do if your personal information has been compromised or if your identity was stolen. 

[19:17] How secure are online password managers? Should I be using one? 

[22:32] Cybersecurity for small businesses. 

[25:30] Easy ways to protect yourself and your business from cyber-attacks. 

[32:46] When should I be using a VPN (Virtual Private Network)? 

 

Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   

 

Resources Mentioned: 

Report Identity Theft: https://www.identitytheft.gov 

Article: 9 Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Fraud: bit.ly/3uuURYC 

Have feedback on our podcast? Take our survey: https://bit.ly/3RZp77h 

Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog 

 

About Cathleen Phelps: 

Cathleen has two big drivers – a challenge and a love of learning. Cathleen has a degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia with concentrations in MIS and Marketing. She started her career as a process and change management consultant at Accenture. Now, she loves working at Monument because it’s a small and smart group where she is still using technology to help a business run better. And as before, she feels the best part is working with clients to help them achieve the life they want and ensuring their Monument Client Experience is something they enjoy and want to share with others. 

 

Connect with Cathleen: https://bit.ly/3ux6gaV 

 

About Bill Phelps: 

Bill Phelps currently serves on the Board at two cyber security companies, Deepwatch and Nisos. He is an Operating Partner and active investor with Blu Venture Investors and is a frequent advisor and mentor to other cyber and technology companies, their founders and investors.  

 

Bill retired in 2023 from Booz Allen Hamilton where he was Executive Vice President and Senior Part

The annual episode we’ve all been waiting for… What happened in the US market in 2023? How can we expect the market to perform in 2024? Tune in to find out! 

 

In this Off the Wall Market Update, hosts David Armstrong, CFA and Jessica Gibbs, CFP® are joined by Monument’s portfolio management team Erin Hay, CFA and Nate Tonsager, CIPM®. 

 

Listen in to hear their market recap for 2023 and outlook for 2024 – reviewing the US market’s best and worst performing sectors of last year, the stock rally of Q4 2023, and how experts’ 2023 market outlooks compared to actual market performance. 

 

Then, the team shares their thoughts on what might be ahead for the markets and the economy in 2024, including inflation, Fed rate cuts, affordability of housing, equity markets, the presidential election, and more. 

 

Plus, the essential things you need to be a great investor in 2024 and beyond. Finally, you’ll get to hear who won the great Jimmy John’s sandwich bet of 2023. 

 

“Investors shouldn’t be adjusting their portfolios based on what the market outlook says. You should only focus on your needs for long-term growth and short-term liquidity.” – David B. Armstrong, CFA® 

 

Stay tuned for more amazing content coming your way in 2024! 

 

Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 

[01:42] 2023 Market Summary – What happened in 2023? 

[12:16] What experts’ 2023 market outlooks said vs. how the market actually performed in 2023. 

[21:46] Is the economy out of the woods? 

[23:32] What we’re most pessimistic about for the 2024 market and economy. 

[29:26] What we’re most optimistic about for the 2024 market and economy. 

[36:50] Predictions on inflation in 2024: Will inflation go up or down or stay the same this year? 

[40:08] Predictions on Interest rates in 2024: Will interest rates go up or down this year? 

[42:05] Our most important advice to investors as we enter 2024.  

[48:32] Were our 2023 predictions correct? + Our predictions for 2024. 

 

Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   

 

Resources Mentioned: 

Give us your feedback! Take our survey: https://bit.ly/3RZp77h 

Subscribe to our blog: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthBlog 

Matt Levine on Bloomberg: https://bloom.bg/3TUGEii 

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefèvre: https://amzn.to/3vwG8gm 

 

Follow our Asset Management team on LinkedIn: 

Erin Hay https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhay 

Nate Tonsager https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-tonsager 

 

Connect with Monument Wealth Management: 

Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite  

Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG  

Follow us on X: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW  

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthLI  

Connect with us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthFB  

Connect with us on YouTube: https://bit.ly/YouTubeMWMFit 

 

About “Off the Wall”: 

OFF THE WALL is a podcast for business professionals and high-net-worth investors who want to build wealth with purpose. A little bit Wall Street, a little bit off-the-wall; it's your go-to for straightforward, unfiltered wealth advice on topics that founders, business owners, and executives care about. 

 

Learn more about our hosts, Dave and Jessica on our website at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com. 

 

Adding onto our last episode for executives on navigating career growth and transitions, this time we’re talking about peak performance and finding purpose in your executive role, wealth, and beyond. 

 

Today on Off the Wall, hosts Jessica Gibbs and David Armstrong welcome Dr. Julie Gurner, a nationally recognized executive performance coach and psychologist who’s helping executives achieve world-class performance in fast-paced, high-pressure, and highly competitive environments. Julie is here to share her insights and advice on making the most of your executive role and the wealth that comes with it. 

 

Throughout our conversation, you’ll learn how to overcome the overwhelm, fear, and stagnation you may feel as an executive, without losing your momentum. Julie offers tips on how to master the art of delegation, prioritization, and accountability as an executive leader. Then, she guides you through the process of figuring out your purpose (in work and in wealth), giving advice to those of you who have exited or will exit a business but may not know what to do with your newfound wealth. 

 

This is an incredibly rich episode packed full of wisdom and advice that you can only get from a renowned executive coach, so tune in and get ready to take notes! Julie’s insights are sure to lead you to the answers you’ve been looking for. 

 

“Humans are notably bad at knowing their own blockers, and so, it really does help us to get outside of ourselves to begin to develop that potential a little bit more.” 

 – Dr. Julie Gurner 

 

Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 

[00:19] Introducing Dr. Julie Gurner & the topic of today’s episode. 

[01:49] How to know if you’re a peak performer or a typical performer. 

[04:01] Why peak performers can’t push themselves to the next level. 

[06:46] Why do I still feel overwhelmed and scared of risk after years of executive experience? 

[09:46] How to push through overwhelm without losing your momentum. 

[12:03] Mastering delegation and prioritization in an executive role. 

[18:05] How to identify and order your priorities in life and work. 

[20:17] Finding your answer to “What is your purpose?” 

[29:25] Defining “wealth” and the options your wealth gives you. 

[31:40] Advice for people who’ve exited a business and don’t know what to do with their newfound wealth. 

[35:15] How Julie finds purpose in her work. 

[36:20] How to connect with Julie & get her weekly newsletter for peak-performing executives. 

 

Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   

 

 
 
About Dr. Julie Gurner: 

There's a reason she has a 2-year waiting list for new clients. Dr. Julie Gurner is one of today's most prolific executive performance coaches, Doctor of Psychology, and nationally recognized executive performance coach for individual and corporate clients primarily in finance and technology. She is trusted by top percentile talent and their teams to help them achieve world-class performance in fast-paced, high-pressure, extremely competitive environments.  

 

Julie’s international client reach includes such cities as NYC, Singapore, Sydney, Oslo, Dubai, London, and San Francisco. She’s been compared to Wendy Rhoades of "Billions" in The Wall Street Journal (2019) and Named a “Game Changer” by IBM. She has also been featured in Fast Company, Time Magazine, NBC News, Forbes, BravoTV, Greatist, US News, Martha Stewart Living, Vox, and more. 

 

Connect with Dr. Julie Gurner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-julie-gurner 

Follow her on Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/drgurner 

Subscribe to Dr. Gurner's newsletter on Substack: https://drgurner.substack.com 

Contact directly: julie@drgurner.com 

 

Connect with Monument Wealth Man

Are you an executive getting ready for your next career move? Need advice on how to step away from your current role and figure out what’s next? Thinking of taking a sabbatical or transitioning to retirement? Tune in to the expert advice you need to make your next move successful! 

 

In this episode of Off the Wall, host Jessica Gibbs welcomes Deborah Brecher, President and Managing Director of Tandem Group, to give you advice on navigating change, growth, and transitions in your career. Today, she highlights the three most common transitions executives experience in their careers and how to move through them with ease. 

 

Throughout the discussion, you’ll learn how to get ready for your next executive role, how to make a career move, and how to step away. Deborah gives fantastic advice on branding yourself as a trustworthy executive, strategically identifying what the next chapter of your career looks like, and how to ensure your next executive role is fulfilling. She also details how you can leverage your network to propel your career to the next level. 

 

If you’re ready to take on more leadership responsibilities, shift into a new industry or company, or step away from your career altogether, Deborah’s advice will certainly guide you in the right direction. 

 

“The first place to work is with yourself because when you go look for your next opportunity, you’ve got to come at it from a place of positivity and belief in yourself.” 

 – Deborah Brecher 

 

Please see important podcast disclosure information at https://monumentwealthmanagement.com/disclosures.   

 

 

Episode Timeline/Key Highlights: 

[00:19] Introducing Deborah Brecher & the topic of today’s episode. 

[01:56] How to prepare for your next role as an executive. 

[10:41] Personal branding tips for executives. 

[15:55] How to make your next career move (and make sure it’s fulfilling). 

[27:57] Approaching your next role when it’s an unexpected change vs. your own choice. 

[31:46] Taking a career sabbatical: Is it worth it for executives? 

[34:02] Act III: Navigating the last chapter of your career. 

[37:04] How to step away from your career and plan a fulfilling retirement. 

[41:56] When it’s time to grit and when it’s time to quit.  

[47:00] About Tandem Group. 

 

 

Resources Mentioned: 

Follow Tandem Group on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tandem-group-inc- 

Tandem Group’s website: https://www.tandemgroupinc.com 

Tandem Group’s blog “To The Point”: https://www.tandemgroupinc.com/blog 

Center for Creative Leadership: https://www.ccl.org 

Spencer Stuart: https://www.spencerstuart.com 

Russell Reynolds: https://www.russellreynolds.com 

Heidrick & Struggles: https://www.heidrick.com 

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: https://bit.ly/45W9Urx 

 

About Deborah Brecher: 

Deborah Brecher works with CEOs, senior leadership teams, and Boards of Directors at global companies to diagnose organizational performance issues, design and implement large scale transformational journeys, CEO and senior leadership succession planning, BOD effectiveness, and talent pipeline management. She’s had the opportunity to speak and author articles on a range of topics from CEO succession to how leaders must adapt post-COVID-19 to attract and retain good people. Most recently, she led a panel discussion for an NACD (National Association of Corporate Directors) Master Class on CEO succession planning. 

 

Connect with Deborah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-brecher-94ab1914a 

 

Connect with Monument Wealth Management: 

Visit our website: https://bit.ly/monumentwealthwebsite  

Follow us on Instagram: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthIG  

Follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/MonumentWealthTW