"You need to be ready to pivot and change course at any given time"
Briton Hill Tweet
Briton Hill became a very successful investor in his teens. Now the President at Weber Global, he applies those same principles that made him successful to his clients. Briton has quickly achieved the reputation as one of the leading ultra-high-net-worth investment strategists in the world.
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You are recognized as a power player in your field. How did you get started as a wealth strategist and investment advisor?
Briton Hill: I started as a trader at Fidelity Investments. I was always an avid reader of financial newsletters and investment commentary. My favorite was the Weber Global Opportunities Report, written by Chris Weber, which I’d been reading since I was sixteen. During lunch one day, I decided to reach out to Chris and thank him for his years of insightful writing. I emailed him at the newsletter’s customer service address.
Much to my great surprise––and excitement––I heard back from him in a couple of days. We really hit it off. We found out we had a lot in common, from traveling and reading to, of course, our love of the markets. It wasn’t long before I asked him to let me know if an opportunity arose where we might work together. A few months later, he did just that.
We met for the first time in Kanab, Utah, a small town near Zions National Park. Weber Global Management—along with my career as a wealth manager—was founded that day––August 14, 2017.
What excites you most about your career?
Briton Hill: The constant change. Capital markets are an ever-changing animal that constantly keeps you on your toes. So many variables come into play and nothing is for sure. You need to be ready to pivot and change course at any given time. I know for lots of people that might sound a bit overwhelming, but I’m wired for it.
What is the most important part of your job?
Briton Hill: Making sure the objectives of my clients are met is all-important. Each client’s financial needs, wants, and investor psychology is unique. Some have an appetite for risk, while others are risk averse. If I don’t align their investment strategy with who they are as a person as well as their desired outcome, it could be an awkward and uncomfortable process for both of us.
What are your guiding principles in your career as a wealth strategist?
Briton Hill: Transparency, integrity, patience, and persistence.
What is the biggest lesson you learned and from whom?
Briton Hill: It’s essential to have a healthy dose of humility as an investor. You can’t be so insecure as to cripple yourself with fear and self-doubt. You need to recognize and admit that you could be wrong. A lot of people in my industry let success go to their heads, and that’s usually when things start to fall apart for them. They think because they’ve won before they’ll continue to win, but no investor will make it through his or her career without having a fair share of losers. The big difference between the best investors and average ones is how they handle losses and how quickly they can admit a mistake.
How do you describe your relationship with your ultra-high-net-worth clients?
Briton Hill: It’s like a think tank. These guys are really smart and ask some good questions. I always need to be on my toes when they call and mentally prepare myself for some thought-provoking conversation, and that’s a good thing. I’ve noticed that my wealthiest clients tend to be the least emotional when it comes to their investments, which means they can take a step back and will often notice things that other people miss while being caught up in emotion.
Tell us about your unique skills that helped you achieve success.
Briton Hill: I’ve always been a good investor and networker. I love people, and I love investing. My love of investing has made me financially independent, and my ability to form relationships and understand people has put me in a position to help others achieve the same financial independence.
What is the business philosophy behind Weber Global Management? What is most important to your company?
Briton Hill: From an investing standpoint, we focus on Federal Reserve policy and Government policy.. The two combined can give you an idea of what sectors are going to outperform. As far as principles go, we believe in being authentic, humble, and transparent with our clients. Even the best investments can go sideways for periods of time, so we need to be sure we set realistic expectations with our clients and honestly evaluate if what we are doing makes sense. When we make a mistake, the best thing we can do is admit it and change course.
Can you tell us more about the variety of portfolios you manage?
Briton Hill: We run a variety of portfolios depending on investor objective and risk tolerance. Lately, our portfolios have been commodity- and medical device-centered. We were prepared for the inflation we’ve seen this year, and we want to be ready in case it gets worse. That’s why we will continue to hold commodity-related investments until we feel the risks for continued inflation subside. We also hold a number of water companies that are aiding regions with limited access to water or plagued by drought. With how dry things have been in so many areas this year, these companies have done very well. Medical device companies are a continuation of investments we made years ago.
The Affordable Care Act continues to provide insurance to more Americans than ever before, and these people are going to hospitals and having procedures done. The result is more dollars to the bottom line of medical companies, and as long as U.S. markets continue to do well, so should medical device companies.
What kind of philanthropy and giving back inspires you?
Briton Hill: I like to support causes where I have a personal connection or that people I’m close to are affiliated with. For example, one of my friends skied for the Irish Olympic ski team and uses his platform to raise money for Movember. We all grow our mustaches in November, and I match the donations he receives from others. I get to help a friend with something he is passionate about, and support men’s health and suicide prevention, which I am passionate about.
We understand Weber Global is now expanding into foreign bank markets?
Briton Hill: We have always been a global investment firm. American investors often forget that there is an entire world outside of U.S. markets, and great opportunities can be found there. We look worldwide for the best investments for our clients, including custody at the best Swiss Banks.
You are starting your own bi-weekly newsletter similar to your business partner, Chris Weber. Tell us about the importance of that information.
Briton Hill: I think one of the most difficult things for most people when it comes to investing is staying up to date on relevant information. A good investment today can be an awful one tomorrow based on a number of different factors. Most people just don’t have the time to scour the news and markets daily for opportunities, so they end up making investment decisions with bad or outdated information.
Subscribing to a bi-weekly newsletter gives investors an edge that they otherwise wouldn’t have. I have my finger on the pulse of the market, daily, and I’m always researching. By reading a few short pages from a professional investor and wealth manager, investors can save themselves hours of market research and potentially a lot of lost money.
Chris’s newsletter made me fortunes, and even more valuable, it saved me from losing fortunes by keeping me current on the markets while I was in school, when I didn’t have hours each day to conduct market research. I’m confident mine will do the same by providing people access to investments they otherwise wouldn’t have knowledge of.
In our post-pandemic economy with inflation looming, what may fuel growth in the last quarter of 2021 and into 2022?
Briton Hill: I think the governments of the world have demonstrated they will continue to stimulate their economies artificially until the bitter end. I don’t think inflation will be temporary; I can only hope it won’t be too damaging to the economy and harmful to the average American family. Much of the remaining growth will be from sidelined capital lingering from the Covid crisis last year, and actions taken by the Federal Reserve to keep money flowing into the economy.
With the pressures of your career, how do you recharge and relax?
Briton Hill: I learned a few years ago that burnout is a real thing, and I can really wear myself out if I’m not careful. I experienced extreme mental and physical burnout early in my career, and I’ve had to learn to slow down. Quality time with family and friends always helps me recharge, and recognizing that people often overestimate how much they can accomplish in a day helps me not be so hard on myself and overwork.
If I’m not refreshed, I won’t perform as well as I should, and that could be detrimental to my clients and career. It’s not just healthier for me to slow down, it’s my responsibility to make sure I am functioning at my highest level so I can provide the best service to the people who have trusted me to do so. Remembering this also helps me relax and allow myself to rest.
Tell us about how can people follow you?
Briton Hill: The best way to follow me is on my website. That’s where I post the most frequent updates and commentary, as well as my newsletter and investment opportunities. You can also connect with me on Instagram @britonhill, and LinkedIn.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Briton Hill for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Briton Hill or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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