Matt is the author of Odds On: The Making of an Evidence-Based Investor (Apr 2016) and is Hill Investment Group’s lead on all strategic matters—crafting the firm’s vision, establishing its exceptional standards, and managing key relationships. Matt hosts the award-winning podcast, now on hiatus, titled “Take the Long View.”
Matt found his calling more than 25 years ago in Las Vegas when his girlfriend (now wife Lisa) suggested they have lunch with friends from St. Louis, who happened to be visiting “Sin City” at the same time. The friends, Ed and Dorette Goldberg, gave Matt a book on how financial markets really work. Within the first 100 pages, he knew his life had changed. Matt contacted the author’s investment advisory firm, created a job opening for himself, and spent the next six years rising through the company’s ranks.
In June of 2005, Matt and Rick Hill left the firm where they met to create Hill Investment Group, shaping a group that would fuse and elevate their unique abilities. Hill Investment Group is sometimes referred to as a model practice and has earned respect from both clients and the advisor community.
Matt has led education programs for advisors tied to marketing, client service, and practice management. Matt founded a global peer group called Evidence-Based Advisors. There were over 1400 members from the U.S., U.K., New Zealand, Australia, Belgium, and Canada. In 2010, Matt also co-created an evidence-based mutual fund with Jared Kizer that now has billions of dollars in assets. In 2025, along with CIO Matt Zenz, he co-created the next-generation evidence-based ETF (Ticker: EBI) that to date has been one of the most successful ETF launches in initial assets in history.
Matt was recently selected to appear in a national television, print and outdoor media campaign showcasing the value independent fiduciary advisors like HIG bring to clients. In the television ad, Matt and other like-minded advisors spotlight the core commitments that define the independent advisory model: transparency, objectivity, and an unwavering fiduciary duty. Schwab, a key partner in our ecosystem, is featured for its role as the #1 custodian supporting independent firms and helping protect client assets.
Matt graduated from the University of Missouri—Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in English literature.
Matt is the former President of the Board of the Saint Louis Club and a former board member of Community School. In 2021, Matt was recognized with the prestigious ThinkAdvisor Luminary Award for Thought Leadership & Education. This award recognizes Matt’s overall contribution and thought leadership in the independent advisory space.
I read for both enjoyment and insight. Moneyball by Michael Lewis is a favorite because it’s a story about using evidence and creativity to outperform giants — an idea that parallels our work at Hill.
I often gift The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. It captures the human side of smart investing.
Some friends call me the “relentless motivator,” and others call me the “relentless agitator.” I see both as compliments.
Lisa and I met in line at the University of Missouri bookstore in 1993. Our 18-year-old daughter, Harper, is heading to college and continues to be the pride of our family.
To stay focused on what truly matters, I avoid the daily news and its distractions. I prefer to read and listen to a select group of clear thinkers who help me take the long view.
Featured in Charles Schwab’s national advertising campaign celebrating independent advisors, including a television spot that regularly airs during major golf broadcasts.
Also profiled in Laura Vanderkam’s book What the Most Successful People Do at Work
People often ask, “How long is the long view?” Our answer: long enough to outlast us. Imagine your great-grandchildren benefiting from the prudent, thoughtful decisions you make today.
At 33, I was diagnosed with leukemia—a moment that changed everything. It taught me to manage time and relationships with intention and to see every day through the lens of gratitude. Thanks to groundbreaking research, I’m healthy today and focused on paying that perspective forward.
I think reflection is underrated. Rick Hill and I had a tradition called “Tea Time.” Neither of us actually drank tea in the afternoon. It was simply about making space for what matters. Those pauses often led to our best ideas and decisions.
I stay sharp by surrounding myself with exceptional people who are caring, curious, high-character teammates who love financial planning, evidence-based investing, and the art of hospitality. They make the work meaningful and the journey fun.
My mom used to challenge me to go 24 hours without suggesting how we could do something better. I didn’t make it five minutes. I like to edit.
I love so many podcast episodes, but the #1 that I forward to people most often is the conversation I had with Morgan Housel, author of the best-seller The Psychology of Money.
Another top pick is the episode with Danny Meyer, restaurateur and hospitality legend.
And the most popular episode of the entire batch is the one I did with the powerhouse couple, Sid and Ann Mashburn.
Save like a pessimist. Invest like an optimist. Morgan Housel
The rewards of patience and discipline are sweet. Compounding is gradual and then sudden. In my experience, that truth applies as much to relationships as it does to money.
The most satisfying part of life at Hill is working to improve the lives of others alongside people who care about you and share that same purpose.
Working with Hill, you get the power of an entire team supporting you. We work together to deliver a fluid, high-quality experience. Our strong sense of pride in our work is rooted in everything we do.
We are students of hospitality, lifelong learners, and relentless improvers, using our unique abilities to delight our clients and colleagues.
Our culture and open opportunities