A number of people succinctly describe the difference between leadership and management: architects vs builders, what things mean to people vs how things get done. In an entrepreneurial venture and…
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When parents die, their children become orphans. Parents and children can have a deep and enduring relationship, and parents can be a key part of their children’s ‘origin story’. When…
Consider This: How do you explain your family wealth to young children? At what do you start this process? How do you say ‘no’ to them and place limits on…
I think the notion of generational wars is a perpetual myth (or perhaps a perpetual truth). Every generation has certain influences which drive their attitudes (political & social) and thus…
Increasing life expectancies have meant that for the first time in history, four generations are alive at the same time. This has important implications for the timing of the transition…
As a family enterprise matures, and often in the context of succession planning (or ageing incumbents), the decision to appoint a non-family CEO comes to the fore. Having made the…
Successful entrepreneurs are often control freaks. But they can’t control whether their children can take over the business or the assets and keep them growing. Entrepreneurs may be visionaries, but…
Advisors don’t spend enough time thinking about their own succession and exit planning. Like most people, many are too involved in the day-to-day work. But like family businesses, exit planning…
Most people with wealth to pass on have never talked to their heirs about how they plan to distribute their assets after they die because they consider the information too…
[Reposted with permission] I’ve recently returned from a speaking engagement at a conference in Dubai, which was my first visit there. As I walked around the city and particularly the…
Philanthropy, in simplistic terms, is often manifested as the flow of funds from a grant-maker to a beneficiary, and as such can be considered one-directional. Yet so many people who…
Where we spend our time and energy is a reflection of our priorities. In a wealthy family, whether or not they have a formal family office, we can think about…
