John Bass

Investing Thoughts

Over the years, some basic truths surrounding investing have become clear to me: markets are brutally efficient, fees are your enemy, simplicity tends to beat complexity, our own emotions often drive poor decision making, and actively trying to “outperform” the market is statistically a losing game. Academically-developed financial theory, supported by decades of evidence, should be the basis for informed portfolio construction. Far too often, this is not the case.

The investment industry is riddled with wasteful and inappropriate investment products, presented as “solutions,” and pushed onto institutions and individuals alike. These practices simply transfer wealth from clients to the investment industry. One Day In July’s entire model and philosophy stand in stark contrast to this “usual way of doing things.” One Day In July takes its duty to clients seriously and makes it their mission to deliver on its foundational and transparent principles. I suspect the same things that drew me to One Day In July as an advisor are the same things that attract you as a client. Our aligned interests create a relationship built on trust.

As a financial advisor at One Day In July, I work with clients to create personalized investment portfolios that consider their short- and long-term goals, time horizons, risk tolerances and many other factors to ensure each portfolio is optimally set up for every client’s specific situation. At One Day In July, we are fiduciaries on all accounts, for all clients. This means the interest of our clients is always put first.

My Story

I grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and attended the University of Texas at Austin, where I graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. While at the University of Texas, my love for athletics led me to the sport of rowing, and I joined the crew team. I became enamored with rowing, going on to compete after college, then to coach in both Massachusetts and Texas. Following my experience as a rower and a coach, the lure of teamwork and public service led me to a career in the fire service. I spent 21 years as a firefighter in Austin, Texas, and currently serve on the Board of Trustees for the fire department’s defined benefit pension plan, a fund with over $1 billion in assets that serves roughly 2000 members.

Throughout my experience, a consistent, innate curiosity and relentless drive to understand finance on a deeper level has fueled me to continually further my knowledge, with particular focus in areas such as valuation, asset allocation, risk, financial theory, actuarial methods, statistical analysis, and pension finance. My passion for reading finance textbooks was spurred on by continually being perplexed with financial news and questionable industry practices, and by my own early investing. Researching and finding answers to one question led to multiple new questions, and thus a lifetime of curiosity and learning that has carried through to today. You read that right—I enjoy reading finance texts, and fortunately other things, including endurance sports, getting out in nature as often as possible, and a good diner breakfast.

What Has Shaped Me

My upbringing, competitive sports, the fire service, and my educational journey have all imparted qualities in me that I feel fortunate to have developed. In my middle school years, I made money mowing lawns. My father, a retired mechanical engineer, made me pay him rent, two dollars a lawn, to borrow his lawn equipment for my enterprise. My naïve early complaint about the arrangement was met with, “You are welcome to buy your own.” My mother taught me about the importance of family, empathy, and kindness. The fire service, more than anything, taught me how to always place the whole above yourself and to remember there are truly no individual victories; they are always shared and achieved with help from others. It also taught me there is no emergency that can’t be handled methodically, calmly, and with a sense of purpose. My quest to understand finance has led to interaction with academics and industry professionals whose gracious mentorship and advice have left a lasting impression on me.

My Commitment to You

I will do right by you, and along the way, I will never stray from my values and those of One Day In July. I will bring clear communication and a calm, dedicated, disciplined approach, staying focused on the big picture. Throughout our relationship, I will serve as a grounded and steady guide, keeping you on course toward your goals.

As my father would say when I was young, “Son, you always have to pay attention.” I always will.

I look forward to working together.