Money Flows Best When It Moves

Brandon Hatton
|
June 1, 2025

June 2025
Letter to Our Clients

In a time where billionaires are billon-airing their dirty laundry on their own social media outlets (so gross), I think we can all use a story of a billionaire who loves Cleveland, built a financial institution of mega proportions and is working on giving it all away in his lifetime. No, we are not talking about me, silly. I am talking about Dan Gilbert – the owner of Rocket Mortgages and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  

Depending on which way the interest rates and stock price of his company goes, the 63-year-old has a financial net worth of around 30 billion dollars. And I repeat, he is working on giving it all away in his lifetime. His philanthropy extends to: paying delinquent homeowners’ taxes in Detroit, research into the rehabilitation of stroke victims, and restoration of historical buildings, among so many other things.

Sure, one can scoff and say, “That’s easy for a billionaire to do, but I’m not rich.” To which I respond, “Have you been reading the billionaire room lately?” And more seriously, the point is that money works best when it flows and is in motion. Giving away money in your lifetime can create happiness here and now. It can provide opportunities for the people who receive it and joy to you in real time. Because life can be short…and fragile.  

Dan understands the fragility of life here on earth.  

“Six years ago, he suffered an ischemic stroke on the right side of his brain while watching a light show over the city’s river. He lost the use of the left side of his body and has been undergoing intensive physical rehabilitation ever since.”

This man with unlimited financial resources is spending his time re-learning to walk. I can’t imagine the frustration I would feel facing this polarity, but by many accounts, Dan is navigating it quite well.  

You may recall we at Conscious Wealth have four pillars - one of which is physical health. Because health is wealth, I am actively searching for ways to track health markers just as we track portfolios and stock indices. One such way, that I have incorporated into my personal financial plan, is the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ACSVD) risk calculation. This tool was developed by the American College of Cardiology to estimate the 10-year risk of heart disease or stroke.  

The last thing I want is a heart attack or stroke, so I worked with my doctor to create personal goals using this risk calculator. It’s a simple tool that helps me track any risk factors each year. I encourage you to look it up. And if you’re curious about incorporating health goals, donor-advised funds, or more tax-efficient giving into your financial plan, we can explore that together—and connect you with some of the teams we trust.

Wishing you health, wealth, and the joy that comes from generosity,

Brandon Hatton
President, Chief Investment Officer

Subscribe

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

June 2025
Letter to Our Clients

In a time where billionaires are billon-airing their dirty laundry on their own social media outlets (so gross), I think we can all use a story of a billionaire who loves Cleveland, built a financial institution of mega proportions and is working on giving it all away in his lifetime. No, we are not talking about me, silly. I am talking about Dan Gilbert – the owner of Rocket Mortgages and the Cleveland Cavaliers.  

Depending on which way the interest rates and stock price of his company goes, the 63-year-old has a financial net worth of around 30 billion dollars. And I repeat, he is working on giving it all away in his lifetime. His philanthropy extends to: paying delinquent homeowners’ taxes in Detroit, research into the rehabilitation of stroke victims, and restoration of historical buildings, among so many other things.

Sure, one can scoff and say, “That’s easy for a billionaire to do, but I’m not rich.” To which I respond, “Have you been reading the billionaire room lately?” And more seriously, the point is that money works best when it flows and is in motion. Giving away money in your lifetime can create happiness here and now. It can provide opportunities for the people who receive it and joy to you in real time. Because life can be short…and fragile.  

Dan understands the fragility of life here on earth.  

“Six years ago, he suffered an ischemic stroke on the right side of his brain while watching a light show over the city’s river. He lost the use of the left side of his body and has been undergoing intensive physical rehabilitation ever since.”

This man with unlimited financial resources is spending his time re-learning to walk. I can’t imagine the frustration I would feel facing this polarity, but by many accounts, Dan is navigating it quite well.  

You may recall we at Conscious Wealth have four pillars - one of which is physical health. Because health is wealth, I am actively searching for ways to track health markers just as we track portfolios and stock indices. One such way, that I have incorporated into my personal financial plan, is the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ACSVD) risk calculation. This tool was developed by the American College of Cardiology to estimate the 10-year risk of heart disease or stroke.  

The last thing I want is a heart attack or stroke, so I worked with my doctor to create personal goals using this risk calculator. It’s a simple tool that helps me track any risk factors each year. I encourage you to look it up. And if you’re curious about incorporating health goals, donor-advised funds, or more tax-efficient giving into your financial plan, we can explore that together—and connect you with some of the teams we trust.

Wishing you health, wealth, and the joy that comes from generosity,

Brandon Hatton
President, Chief Investment Officer