By: Chris Hostetler There was a fascinating report last week from Credit Suisse, which validates something I tell my clients all the time: if you live in the United States, you are probably among the wealthiest people in the world. According to Credit Suisse, a net worth of $93,000 puts you in the top 10% globally. (If you want to see how your net worth stacks up among other Americans, here’s a cool tool built on Federal Reserve data: https://dqydj.com/net-worth-percentile-calculator-united-states/) But if you use this information only as a scorecard to satisfy your inner competitor, then I think you’re missing the point. Instead, think about these numbers and recognize how much you have to be grateful for! The numbers in these studies compare your wealth only to people who are alive in 2018. But think for a minute about what a basic income affords you today. If you have an iPhone and air conditioning and indoor plumbing, your lifestyle would be the envy of kings and queens from just 2 ...

By: Mya Reeves (with Chris Hostetler and Kali Whitaker)   A diverse, growing city with great food and inspiring arts, Durham, North Carolina, has a proud heritage as an economic powerhouse for black-owned businesses.  Many of the institutions and traditions that took root more than a hundred years ago are still shaping business activity and lives, including mine.  “Black Wall Street,” a term coined by Booker T. Washington, describes the vast business developments on Parrish Street in the early 1900s. Located north of the Hayti Community, one of Durham’s largest African-American communities, Black Wall Street became a center of black life in Durham.  John Merrick, one of the primary founders of NC Mutual Life Insurance Co. What we know of Durham today is a mosaic of institutions that sprung from the innovation and entrepreneurship of Black Wall Street’s leaders, many of whom were born as slaves.  At a time when most black people struggled to r ...

By: Kali Whitaker “Make a positive impact on the world around you.” It’s more than just a key element of Hilltop’s mission statement. We believe that making a difference in the lives of others is a critical component to living a fulfilling life. There is a plethora of organizations in the Triangle working to improve lives – we have listed only a few. To be clear, we are not ranking or grading local charitable organizations, but we hope to make you aware of opportunities to get involved and make a difference in a way that aligns to your skills, hobbies or interests.   Big Brothers Big Sisters About (via bbbstri.org) As a proud big sister for over 4 years, I couldn’t not include Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle (BBBS) in my list of great charities in the triangle. BBBS is a non-profit organizations that matches kids in need of mentorship with a caring and kind adult. One of the things I find unique about the organization is that the mentor-mentee r ...

Like me, you have been a part of a team at some point. Early on you may have played on a sports team, been assigned a group project at school, or joined a group of community volunteers.  As adults we trade our backpacks and Little League uniforms for laptops and dress slacks.  Whether you’re collaborating on an annual report or organizing your favorite charity’s annual fundraiser, the team’s success depends on how well you work together.  Good teamwork isn’t happenstance – the team’s chemistry can and should be built intentionally. The ideal team environment combines a healthy balance of individual strengths along with collaborative relationships.  This isn’t always easy to achieve, but the result is efficiency and effectiveness.  At Hilltop, this means a smooth day-to-day process for our team members and a positive experience for our clients.  Poorly performing teams, on the other hand, can lose productivity so the whole is actuall ...