About a year and a half ago, I was frustrated.
I knew I needed to be more consistent with my workouts, but life kept getting busy—or at least that’s what I told myself. Then I read a book that challenged me to simplify. Instead of chasing lofty goals, it encouraged small, sustainable steps—something I could commit to daily.
So I did. I picked a realistic goal and stuck with it. Over time, consistency paid off. Not overnight, but slowly. Quietly. Steadily.
That mindset has shaped more than just exercise. It’s how I think about parenting, faith, leadership—and yes, investing.
As we reach the year’s midpoint, I’d like to offer not a forecast, but a reflection—a little perspective, not more noise.
A lot has happened these past six months. And yet, if you looked at your portfolio on January 1st and again on June 30th, it might seem not much changed. In between, we saw plenty of headlines: market swings, election speculation, interest rate chatter, and even bombings in the Middle East.
On February 19th, the S&P 500 hit an all-time high. By April 8th, it had fallen nearly 19%—driven largely by President Trump’s announcement of sharply increased tariffs. Then came the 90-day postponement, panic faded, and markets rallied. Seven weeks later, the Index was setting new highs.
And through it all, you didn’t flinch.
You stayed calm. You trusted your plan. You didn’t let short-term fear knock you off course. That kind of discipline is rare—and powerful.
Your plan isn’t based on someone’s guess about this quarter. It’s based on the belief that the great companies you own will keep adapting, innovating, and building value. The world has changed before—and they’ve kept going. It will change again—and they’ll keep going.
That’s why we remain goal-focused, plan-driven, long-term investors.
Investors succeed by sticking with their plan, not by reacting to headlines. Others fail by letting fear dictate their decisions—selling high-quality companies at the worst possible times. We believe that’s always the fundamental choice in investing. Our mission is to help you keep choosing wisely.
If your plan gave you confidence this year—if the storms outside didn’t shake you—chances are, you know someone who wasn’t as steady. A friend, a neighbor, a colleague who made emotional decisions because they didn’t have a plan—or someone to walk with them.
If that’s the case, we’d be honored to meet them. We truly enjoy working with you, and we’d welcome the opportunity to offer the same level of planning, perspective, and stability to someone you care about.
It’s a privilege to work with you. Thank you, as always, for your trust.
All the best,
Bain Nickels CFP®, CKA®
