Help Wanted: Financial Writer/Editor
Interests: Investing, Writing,
Helping/Teaching Others
A few weeks ago, Austin and Susie took my wife, Cindy, and me out to dinner. The occasion: celebrating the completion of 10 years at SMI together!
It was fun to think back together over the past decade and all the Lord has brought about. Ten years ago, the entire web side of SMI's business didn't exist. Over the decade, all of our Financial Tools 
(such as the 401(k) Fund Tracker , Income Portfolio Tools , and our new Diversification Tool ) sprang to life, along with our Advanced Strategies (Sector Rotation , Enhanced Just-the-Basics ), and various new services (like the
SMI Weblog).
And of course, the separate business of the SMI Funds was conceived, launched, and enthusiastically embraced by Upgrading-oriented investors.
That all of this was accomplished during a decade that, frankly, was a difficult one for most investors just drove home how much we have to celebrate and thank the Lord for.
It's good for Christians to use milestones as reminders to pause and reflect on the faithfulness of God. Over and over in the Old Testament, God instructed Israel to stop and remember all He had done for them. This 10-year anniversary definitely had that effect on me. The decision to move to Louisville and join SMI was difficult — one of the most difficult "leaps of faith" I've made in my life.
In June 1999, when an editorial by Austin (with the same title as this one) graced the pages of SMI, I wasn't looking for a job. I already had a job I was happy with, so when a co-worker gave me a copy of the editorial I was intrigued but not inclined to respond. Although I knew I wanted to transition into personal finance eventually, at that time I was focused on moving up in a growing company. Besides, we had just had our first baby and, for a variety of reasons, it seemed a particularly poor time to uproot our family and make a career change.
The decision to join SMI as its first web editor was made that much tougher by the fact that SMI's web effort would succeed (and my compensation would be sufficient!) only if a significant number of people were willing to pay a monthly subscription fee for web content. Such a business model was hardly a proven one in those early days of the Web (and it still isn't working for many publications!).
Deep inside, though, I knew my comfortable job wasn't pointed in the direction I wanted my life's efforts to go. I wanted to bring my talents and spiritual gifts into alignment with my true passions. I desired for my work to be accompanied by a sense that what I was doing had direct, eternal significance.
Which brings me to today. While the last decade has been great, it has also greatly expanded our workload. Our SMI team has already grown some in response, but now it's time to add another key player. We're looking for someone with strong writing skills to help Joseph and me oversee the website and contribute articles to the print newsletter.
The written word is our platform, so while our new hire doesn't need to be a "writer" per se (neither Austin nor I were originally), the person we're looking for does need to have excellent writing skills. This person also needs an understanding of investing matters, so prior experience in the personal-finance field would be a huge plus.
Most importantly, the person we seek must have a commitment to biblical principles and a heart for teaching/helping others in the body of Christ. The person who fills this position will occupy a key slot in SMI's current and future management team. (Because of this, while technology makes possible long-distance employment relationships, that won't work in this case. Relocating to Louisville — a great place to live! — will be required.)
If I'm describing someone you know who might fill the bill — or maybe it's you! — I need a resume and introductory letter. Send it to applicant@soundmindinvesting.com.
We need to add a key member to the SMI team — perhaps the Lord will use you to help us do it. If this discussion kindles your personal interest, or brings someone else to mind, please act on it. Please also join us in praying about this very important decision. 
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Mark Biller is Sound Mind Investing's Executive Editor. His writings on a broad range of financial topics have been featured in a variety of national print and electronic media, and he has appeared as a financial commentator for various national and local radio programs. Mark is also the Senior Portfolio Manager of the SMI Funds. |
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