What's in store for you:

1. Photo From My Life
2. Financial Thought: When to Invest?
3. Life Thought: You're Not Alone
4. Good Sh*t: Best YouTube Channel Ever

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Photo From My Life:

Financial Thought:

A lot of people have a bunch of extra cash sitting on the sidelines. They always ask the same thing,“Should I invest it now or wait? The market feels so high”

It’s a great question. And a really hard one to answer. Why? Because of emotions.

Maybe they just sold a house, got a year-end bonus, or simply accumulated extra savings. They want to put it to work and invest it, but it feels risky when the headlines are screaming record highs or the next crash is coming.

The great thing about investing is there's lots of data. All-time highs in the stock market are completely normal. Since 1990, we’ve averaged about 20 of them every single year. That’s what healthy, growing markets are supposed to do. They keep climbing.

Even better? The data shows that investing at all-time highs actually produces slightly better returns than investing on any random day. It may feel counterintuitive, but the numbers back it up. Over 1-, 3-, and 5-year periods, investors who put money to work at new highs tend to come out ahead.

But this is where psychology kicks in.

Because even if the math says go for it, most people pause. And I get it. One of these highs will eventually come before the next crash. And losses tend to hurt a lot more than gains.

That’s why many people opt to dollar-cost average their money into the market over time spreading out the investment. It’s not always the most efficient path on paper, but it can reduce the risk of regret. And that matters. If that still sounds scary, build a more risk-adverse portfolio with fixed income or other alternatives.

This is where my role really comes into focus. Yes, I do a lot of things. Consolidate finances, build goals-based financial plan, create a thoughtful investment strategy, provide ongoing support for taxes, estate planning, and risk management.

But maybe the most important thing I do? I help people stay the course when it’s hardest.

Because when volatility hits (and it always does), it’s not charts or financial models that prevent bad decisions, it’s perspective, accountability, and someone in your corner reminding you why you invested in the first place.

Whether you’re investing at a high, a low, or somewhere in between, the long-term game doesn’t change. Focus on your goals. Stick to your plan. And don’t let fear make your decisions for you.

Life Thought:

Ask for Help: I tend to operate like a solo warrior. Maybe it's pride, habit, or just a belief that I can push through anything on my own. But lately, I’ve been reminded that it's not only unnecessary, it's also unhelpful.

My son has hit the classic terrible twos (maybe threes?), and we had one of those nights. The kind where logic doesn’t apply and you start asking yourself questions like “What am I doing wrong?” and “Has he changed or have I?” It was bad. In the moment, my instinct was to internalize everything and figure it out solo.

But instead, I did something different. I sent a group text to my friends (along with a slightly unhinged video clip) and their replies came flooding in. Advice. Humor. Encouragement. Solidarity. It instantly made me feel better. Not because they had all the answers, but because they’d gone through the same thing.

This reminded me of something important. Life is lighter when you let others help carry the load. I need to do that more often. Not just when things are breaking down, but even when I'm in doubt.

Because most of the time, someone else has already worn the exact same shoes down the exact same road. Thanks friends.

Good Sh*t:

The Best YouTube Channel Ever:

Look, I know this section is usually where I recommend a podcast, book, or life-changing noodle bowl recipe. But today, I’m doing something a little different. Some would say this is a shameless plug. Others might say it’s just mildly embarrassing.

I’ve started posting on YouTube. Yep, I’m officially the guy talking to a camera about wealth management, personal finance, and how to not screw up your financial future.

Right now, I’m experimenting with a few YouTube Shorts, and I’ll be releasing 1 longer-form, value-driven video each week. The goal is to share practical, no-BS insights that actually help people make smarter decisions.

Is this the best content on YouTube? Absolutely not. But I'm learning, iterating, and occasionally remembering to look at the camera instead of my notes.

If you’re feeling generous (or just want to help a guy out), I’d be incredibly grateful if you subscribed. It might just help the YouTube algorithm favor a dad in Savannah talking about Roth IRAs and direct indexing.

​Subscribe here.​

Appreciate the support. Back to regular programming next week.

Disclaimer: VDB Wealth is a registered investment adviser. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

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