Wealthy Behavior

Markets remain near all-time highs, and investor sentiment is strong — but a softer July jobs report, along with downward revisions to prior months, points to a cooling labor market.

Heritage Financial CIO, Bob Weisse, joins CEO, Sammy Azzouz, to discuss what this means for the Fed, the economy, and investors. They also break down key valuation metrics (CAPE vs. PE ratios), share views on market efficiency, and examine the potential impact of new tariffs.

Tune in for timely insights on markets, economic data, and how they’re influencing portfolio strategy today.

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In this episode, Ed Jastrem, Heritage Financial's Chief Planning Officer, joins Sammy Azzouz to break down the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and what it means for your financial future. They discuss what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and how individuals and business owners can make the most of planning opportunities.

Topics include:

Markets continued their upward trend in June, reflecting investor resilience despite ongoing global uncertainty.

In this episode, Bob Weisse, Heritage Financial's CIO, joins Sammy Azzouz, CEO, to explore what’s driving strong market performance, offering historical context and some investment opportunities.

He also discusses how the investment landscape has evolved—many products once reserved for institutions, such as interval funds, are now more accessible to individual investors.

Bob shares his framework for evaluating alternative investments, often called the “third pillar” of investing. But is diversif...

You can have a solid financial plan and a great estate plan—but if they aren’t aligned, neither may work as intended. Liz Meyer, JD, Heritage Financial’s Estate Planning Specialist, shares strategies to strengthen your estate plan, common mistakes, and answers the questions she hears most often.

We cover:

Despite unsettling headlines and ongoing market volatility, both stocks and bonds are in positive territory year-to-date—led by international markets outpacing the U.S. Since April’s dip, markets have rebounded, giving investors a second chance to reassess their portfolios, consider global diversification, and revisit their risk tolerance. In this episode, Sammy and Bob break down what’s driving the markets and dive into:

Send...

Barry Ritholtz — Co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Investment Officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management, and host of the Masters in Business podcast — joins Sammy to discuss his new book, “How Not To Invest: The ideas, numbers, and behaviors that destroy wealth – and how to avoid them”.

Barry blends behavioral finance with data analysis to uncover some of the most common (and costly) investing mistakes — and how to steer clear of them. Tune in for actionable takeaways on failing better, managing market noise, and navigating the world of financial “experts.”

Plus, Barry explains why the...

Bob Weisse, CIO of Heritage Financial, joins Sammy Azzouz to break down the latest market trends and what investors need to know. While markets have shown improvement in recent weeks, signs of weakness remain, raising concerns about a potential recession.

Bob discusses the factors behind the Q1 GDP contraction and what it could signal for the broader economy. He also offers insights on how investors can navigate uncertainty and volatility, including an explanation of the difference between fundamental and technical price movements.

In addition, Bob shares his perspective on...

We usually advise against mixing politics and portfolios, but since the April 2 tariff announcement, politics—not fundamentals—have been driving the markets. Sammy Azzouz sits back down with Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, to unpack what’s happened since “Liberation Day” and answer some FAQs about the state of the investment universe today. If you’re wondering what just happened to your portfolio—and what could come next—tune in!

Send questions to wealthybehavior@heritagefinancial.net and don’t forget to rate the show!

And, don’t miss our free ebook and video cou...

Diversification proved its worth in Q1. While U.S. markets struggled, dragged down by a tech-sector sell-off, international and fixed-income markets delivered strong returns. Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, breaks down the Q1 results and highlights why diversification remains crucial in today’s environment of heightened risks, policy uncertainty, and elevated U.S. equity valuations.

In this episode, we:

✅ Share some glimmers of hope

✅ Explain market momentum—why winners tend to keep winning and losers keep losing

✅ Explore how direct indexing can be a smart solution for investors wi...

Erratic Policy Swirl, S&P 500 Pullback, and What Investors Might Be Missing.

Michael Santoli, Senior Markets Commentator at CNBC, joins us to break down today’s turbulent headlines. Is the U.S. experiencing a market correction, or is something bigger on the horizon? We dive into recent volatility, the S&P 500’s pullback, the “Magnificent 7” stocks rolling over, and hot topics like DOGE and Tesla. Plus, Michael highlights key market trends that aren’t getting enough attention—but should be.

With over 30 years covering Wall Street at Barron’s, Yahoo Finance...

Increasing uncertainty, rising inflation, and slowing economic growth are causing concern among investors, leading them to take a more defensive approach—reducing risk, shifting equity exposure, and turning to fixed income. Many are asking: What’s driving the moves? And how should investors respond?



In this episode, CEO Sammy Azzouz shares client questions, while CIO Bob Weisse breaks down the latest updates on U.S. and international stock and bond markets. They’ll discuss how our investment team is positioning portfolios, what data they’re watching, and what investors should—and shouldn’t—do in uncertain times...

Could this be the year international markets outshine the U.S.? Jeffrey Kleintop, Chief Global Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab, believes a new cycle has begun—one that could make global investing more rewarding than it’s been in years.

In this episode, Jeff explains why international markets are gaining momentum, what’s driving global growth and earnings, and how overseas valuations stack up against the U.S. He also puts tariffs and their impact on companies and stock markets into perspective—are they more bark than bite?—and shares what investors should keep an eye on in t...

Markets started strong in 2025, but uncertainty and volatility loom. How should investors respond?

In this episode, Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, break down what’s happening in the markets and how to make smarter investment decisions in today’s environment, including:

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Full valuations, index concentration and the potential for a resurgence of inflation have set the stage for a fragile market environment. Can prices rise further from here? Absolutely. Yet the possibility of setbacks is equally real, underscoring the importance of durability in 2025.

In this episode, we spotlight an audio replay of our 2025 Market Outlook webinar titled Bridging the Divide. Bob Weisse, Heritage Financial’s CIO, and Brad Long, CIO at Fiducient Advisors, discuss today's markets and economy, and share expectations for 2025 and beyond.

Read more detail in our written 2025 Ma...

In this first episode of the new year, Sammy and Bob recap 2024's market performance and share insights for the year ahead. Will 2025 bring strong returns, or are we heading for a correction? A wide range of outcomes are possible, so preparation is key. Bob dives into the data driving both short- and long-term outlooks, including:

And because it seems no one can stop talking about it, Bob wraps up with his take on the Cybertruck.<...

In this special episode of Wealthy Behavior, we are wrapping up a great year of amazing guests, excellent listener questions, and delivering insight to listeners by highlighting 6 enduring, valuable investment strategies and lessons from our 2024 episodes: The building blocks of financial literacy, the importance of investing internationally, the truth about dollar-cost averaging, a primer on private equity vs venture capital, private credit, and some non-monetary advice for those 5-10 years out from retirement.

Take your wealth to the next level with How To Build Your Next Million, our educational video course and ebook. You’ll learn...

Sammy and Bob discuss the market’s reaction to the election results and what might lie ahead. Taxes, tariffs, and immigration lead the new administration’s agenda, and related announcements are already moving markets. With the Republican sweep, there is potential for significant changes happening under Trump’s administration compared to a divided government. Given the wide range of outcomes, we expect some near-term market volatility. Bob also shares actionable insights on portfolio strategies for stocks and bonds, helping investors navigate this uncertain landscape. Plus, they dive into Elon Musk’s potential influence on the government, Fed rates, inflation trends...

Join Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, as they discuss Tuesday’s election results and the potential market and economic impact of the policies President-Elect Donald Trump discussed on the campaign trail.

Stock markets responded positively to the potential for new tax cuts, extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and deregulation, which could benefit economic growth. On the other hand, the rise in bond yields signals worry that fiscal stimulus, anticipated tariff increases, and immigration reform may lead to higher debt, inflation, and slowing global trade.

Tune...

Women face unique challenges and setbacks compared to men when it comes to finances. From longer life expectancies, to earning less, and greater caregiving responsibilities, on this episode Kenzie Ferris, CFP, CLTC, AWMA and Wealth Manager at Heritage Financial, shares some common financial challenges faced by women and ways to get ahead of them.

Would you rather avoid this conversation? You aren’t alone. Talking about finances can be uncomfortable and complicated. But the fact is that over 90% of women will be solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lives. Talking about you...

With only a quarter left to go, investors are pleased with 2024’s stock and bond markets thus far. Heritage Financial’s Chief Investment Officer, Bob Weisse, joins CEO, Sammy Azzouz, to discuss recent performance and:

Take your wealth to the next level with How To Build Your Next Million, our educational video course and ebook. You’ll l...

We are honored to welcome Christine Benz, author of How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement and director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar, to our podcast. Whether you are planning for retirement or already retired, you’ll gain insight on how to find success in retirement financially and otherwise, from those who have studied retirement for decades.

Michael Waldron, Heritage Financial’s Director of Portfolio Management, joins Sammy Azzouz to discuss what’s going on in the markets and investment universe today.

Take your wealth to the...

Special guest, Sam Ro, financial writer and founder of the finance newsletter TKer, joins to help investors of all experience levels cut through today’s noisy headlines and make sense of what’s really happening in today’s markets and economy.

Though economic indicators are starting to cool, the economy and consumer spending are still strong and signs are pointing toward future growth. Sam and Heritage Financial CEO, Sammy Azzouz, discuss the macro economy, the most recent corporate earnings results and the messages individual investors can get from reading and listening to earnings reports. Sam al...

The weaker than expected CPI report released early in the month bolstered investor confidence for rate cuts in September. This favorable data combined with slowing economic growth and higher unemployment, led to a sharp drop in yields and a big rotation trade among stock market performers. In fact, small cap stocks experienced their largest single day of outperformance in over 40 years. With markets adjusting to recent data and recession fears increasing, markets are becoming more volatile.

Tune in to hear our CEO, Sammy Azzouz, and CIO, Bob Weisse, discuss recent market moves, what they...

Kyla Scanlon, writer, podcaster, and the author of the book In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work, believes that human behavior is the ultimate driver of the economy, and that misinformation is driving people to make poor decisions.

Kyla joins this episode to discuss her book, thoughts on today’s economy, and the importance of financial education, which she has a great passion for. She wrote her book to serve as an introductory guide to understanding the economy and to provide the basic tools people need to better understand the world they are a...

There’s a saying that the Fed takes interest rates up on an escalator (smooth increases) and down on the elevator (larger, quick drops). We are around peak interest rates, the market is expecting the Fed to cut rates twice this year, and based on slowing economic data it looks like the cuts should begin soon. What will give the Fed the green light to start? Tune in to hear Heritage Financial CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, discuss what has stood out to recently, including:

The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act is set to sunset at the end of 2025. For many people, this expiration of tax cuts will mean more of your money will be going toward taxes. Heritage Financial’s Chief Planning Officer, Ed Jastrem, joins Sammy Azzouz to discuss the “use it or lose it” window of time that is left to save on taxes and shares the impacts this could have on your wealth, your habits, and your legacy.

A series of weaker labor market and housing data, better than expected inflation data, and resilient corporate earnings have all contributed to May’s healthy market performance. While inflation has been sticky, signs of a slowing economy are emerging. Heritage Financial CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, discuss these signs, global market valuations and why it could be a good time to rebalance, and explain the how, what, and why of stock splits.

Take your wealth to the next level with How To Build Your Next Million, our educational video course and ebook. You’l...

Allison Schrager, economist and author of "An Economist Walks into a Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk," joins Sammy to discuss how principles of risk used in finance relate to all industries, and ways to measure it, control it and maximize it.

They also discuss some of the biggest risks in retirement including the projected depletion of social security and some ways to fix the problem, what spending looks like in retirement and how it’s financed, and advice on how to balance competing goals.

Allison is al...

The April jobs report shows that the U.S. unemployment rate rose and wage gains slowed more than expected. Markets reacted favorably to this news. Why be happy that more people are out of work and earning less? These are two signals that the strong labor market may be starting to soften. The markets are hoping that a labor market slowdown will nudge the Fed closer to begin lowering interest rates.

Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, also discuss how the Feds comments can move markets, the impacts the housing ma...

Lately we’ve noticed similar themes across the questions we are getting asked most often. In this episode Heritage Financial’s CEO, Sammy Azzouz, and CIO, Bob Weisse, address the topics and answer the questions on top of investors’ minds.

With the first three months of the year posting strong market returns, most investors are pleased with the start to 2024. Equity markets have seen a broadening of market winners and in March bonds posted their first positive monthly return of the year. 2023 was the story of the magnificent seven tech stocks leading the bulk of the total market return. This year, those concentrated returns from mega-cap tech stocks have diverged and we’ve seen a broadening of market leaders across sectors-generally a healthy sign for investors. Leading economic indicator data released for the month of February also showed a ch...

Special guest Jeffrey Kleintop, Chief Global Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab, is excited for investors in international markets. It has been a bullish start to the year across global markets and we are seeing encouraging trends toward a broader outlook for performance both in the U.S. and abroad. But we won’t get there without navigating through a year full of risks and concerns. Jeff provides an update on global markets and economies and what investors should be paying attention to:

Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, revisit February’s U.S. and international stock and bond market moves and discuss reasons behind year-to-date performance. The Fed has gotten better at their job, they have history on their side, and they’ve learned their tools have a delayed effect on the economy. Bob shares historical research on Fed rate hiking cycles and performance of the S&P 500 following final rate hikes through rate cuts. While markets expect the Fed to begin cutting rates this year, we must consider the motive and ramifications of doing so, so we can...

Caleb Silver, Editor in Chief at Investopedia, joins to share some practical advice on personal finance and discuss the hierarchy of financial literacy. Throughout his career as a journalist Caleb has spoken with many business leaders, authors, and industry experts. Caleb shares some of his favorite advice and metaphors learned, and he offers some thought-provoking questions for listeners to reflect on and answer. Get the inside scoop on what people are searching for on Investopedia.com today, some unique indicators Caleb follows for signs of what’s to come, and how he recommends staying informed given today’s never-ending stre...

In the U.S., the economy is doing well, inflation is moderating, and the S&P 500 hit a new all-time high in January. 2024 is off to a strong start. Now all eyes are focused on the Fed as they are expected to begin cutting rates this year. When will they begin? And how much will they cut by year-end? Investors will be listening closely hoping to glean hints into the future.

In this episode, Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, also address:

In this episode, we offer an audio replay of our 2024 Market Outlook webinar. Bob Weisse, Heritage Financial’s CIO, and Brad Long, CIO at Fiducient Advisors, discuss today's markets and economy, and share expectations for 2024 and beyond.

Read more detail in our 2024 Market Outlook: Prepare Not Predict.

Get a head-start on your financial resolutions with our new video course and our ebook, How To Build Your Next Million! These resources highlight the financial tools and strategies that will help you SAVE more, KEEP more of what you earn, GROW your po...

A combination of favorable inflation reports and the Fed recognizing the good reports, paired with a more balanced labor market, led to strong fourth quarter results across markets in general.

2023 was dominated by financial uncertainty surrounding inflation, rising interest rates, volatile markets, and the possibility of a recession. Today, we have the benefit of hindsight. In this episode, Heritage Financial’s CIO, Bob Weisse, and CEO, Sammy Azzouz, discuss takeaways from the markets in 2023, preview our 2024 market expectations, and discuss REITS, interest rates, and changes we are seeing in the residential real estate market.

Special guest Lance Lambert, CEO & Co-Founder at ResiClub, a research company dedicated to in-depth tracking, reporting, and analysis of the U.S. housing market, joins this episode to discuss the state of the U.S. housing market from pre-pandemic to today. Lance breaks down the biggest drivers of the real estate market—Pricing, Affordability and Inventory, headwinds and tailwinds in today’s market, how mortgage rates are determined, and where he sees them normalizing at for the long-term. And finally, Lance discusses data-driven research on how inventory in regional real estate markets today, compared to pre-pandemic levels, can help pred...

Both stock and bond markets rallied in November, helping the typical 60/40 balanced investors experience the best month of performance since 1991. Markets surged based on growing confidence that the Fed is done raising rates and the number of potential future cuts is increasing. But the Fed is taking a more hawkish tone. What are the chances the November rally can continue? In addition to digging into the data, Sammy and Bob discuss: