Family Office In-Laws

October 22, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

How to deal with family members by marriage poses significant challenges to wealthy families. Should they be allowed to work in the family business? If so, should there be a ceiling on their authority (stock, voting rights, etc)? Do they have a seat/voice at family meetings? What if the only person in the rising generation with the skills to be involved in the family business is a child-in-law? What to do when a marriage is on the rocks (and the child-in-law has a role)?

There are no clean-cut answers to these questions and not even best practice, because each family is different. It comes down to a few general guiding principles, together with the family’s own culture and beliefs regarding the role of children-in-law (some families have blood line rules that have existed for generations and challenging them is near impossible).

Here are some of my favourite aphorisms:

You enter a family by birth or marriage, and leave by death or divorce (and divorce is not as final as death).
If a child-in-law doesn’t have an actual voice at the table, their partner may be their proxy voice.
Don’t hire whom you can’t fire (applies to any business, and any person)
What works or doesn’t work in another family is no guide to what will work or not work in your family.

Rather than be reactive, develop and articulate your own family’s guiding principles and then setup governance to ensure they are applied as equally and fairly as possible.

Consider This: Does your family have a culture regarding how in-law children are treated? Have you ever had to fire a family member? How do you deal with pillow talk about family business/wealth? Do you have any (formal or informal) induction process for in-laws?

Original articles: https://www.forbes.com/sites/francoisbotha/2019/11/30/when-families-welcome-new-family-members–cultures-what-to-consider/#766fa5ca3f1e, https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/family-matters-can-a-family-business-78318/?, https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/special-features/look-family-businesses-divorce-17022880, https://www.heraldtribune.com/business/20191028/nepotism-is-keeping-it-all-in-family

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#familyoffice #wealthmanagement #conflictresolution #strategicmanagement #successionplanning #workfromhome #governance #leadershipdevelopment #familybusiness #entrepreneurship

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Navigating Trends in Family Office

October 19, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

The family office space is constantly evolving. This is driven in part by the investment flavour of the month, global economic/political trends, wealth transition within families, the family follow-me-go-round (families looking at what others are doing), and the general competitive environment amongst FO offerings.

Essentially, a family office is a set of services used by a wealth family to manage its wealth and other associated needs. There are no rules for how a FO can or should operate; it ought to be driven by demand and need. The other important issue is market segmentation: the FO needs of a family with 5B+ of assets are very different to those of a family with 500M, and these differences are qualitative as well as quantitative.

Because the SFO and MFO models have expected structures and associated constraints, new service models are being developed, like the virtual family office. Offerings like this evolve to meet demand, and are needed because so many families are global, because technology can deliver such an offering in a distributed and secure manner, and because no single solution can incorporate the best of everything.

Consider This: Do you have/use a family office? Do you know why? Have you mapped the set of services you need against your set of providers and scored/benchmarked them? Have you considered the changes that your family may face over the next 5-10 years and whether the set of services you have now will meet your ongoing needs over that period?

Original articles:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/francoisbotha/2019/10/11/why-family-office-advisors-are-fast-becoming-extinct-and-how-to-avoid-it/#6547275049cf, http://www.campdenfb.com/article/family-office-principals-unconvinced-next-generation-readiness-succession, https://www.forbes.com/sites/robclarfeld/2019/10/28/what-is-a-family-office-and-do-i-need-one/#34c6e8395da1, https://www.forbes.com/sites/francoisbotha/2019/10/30/family-office-insights-10-trends-that-will-affect-family-offices-in-2020/#5a9ad1123fb8, http://www.campdenfb.com/article/big-shifts-family-office-succession-and-recruitment-2020, http://www.businessworld.in/article/Multi-Family-Office-Over-Single-Family-Office/04-01-2020-181434/, https://www.forbes.com/sites/francoisbotha/2020/01/08/opportunities-abound-within-the-family-office-space/#57a083828693, https://www.fa-mag.com/news/russ-prince–innovations-in-the-family-office-model-53377.html

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Conflict in Family Business

October 14, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

How we deal with conflict in family business is totally different to a regular workplace. Why? In family business, we wear multiple hats: family member, co-worker, owner, and those roles can lead to conflicts of interests. The work hierarchy is overlaid by the family hierarchy, and that can lead to … conflicts of interests. And unlike a regular workplace, it’s not quite so easy to just quit for another job. By their nature, families and their businesses are deeply interdependent systems.

Understanding these key differences helps us work out how better to manage those conflicts.

A lot of conflict mitigation revolves around the principle of establishing boundaries. That helps provide clarity over the various roles we play, so that we have spaces where we are co-workers, and other spaces where we are relatives. Of course, we can’t instantly switch from one identity to the other. However, having codes of conduct, sacred spaces, formal meetings, and independent advisors make it less difficult.

The hardest part is learning how to debate tough issues, and criticise. This requires well-considered communication so that the message gets across in as positive a way as possible, with minimum spill-over to other aspects of the relationship.

Consider This: What tools or policies does your family use to reduce conflict in the family business? Is there a strong awareness of them? How often do you break your own rules or codes of conduct?

Original articles: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/09/21/keep-it-in-the-family-6-cs-of-managing-family-business-conflicts/, https://www.ibtimes.com/how-run-family-business-without-straining-relationships-3276000, https://www.forbes.com/sites/dennisjaffe/2021/07/29/how-to-prevent-family-dynamics-from-undermining-your-family-business-a-code-of-conduct/, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/370008, https://www.franchising.com/articles/the_petty_crap_of_a_family_business.html

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Turning Succession Upside Down

October 12, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

The headlines are everywhere – a high percentage of family businesses have no formal succession plan – and then the story launches in to the usual tropes about estate planning, life insurance, choosing a successor, etc.

But maybe we should be turning this upside down? After all, by necessity, a family business succession involves two generations – the incumbent and the rising – and so much of the thinking about succession focusses on (a) the perspective of the incumbent generation, and (b) the legal, structural and procedural.

What does succession look like from the rising generation? Are they plagued with self-doubt or burdened with high expectations? What of their own personal dreams and needs to individuate? While they may be chosen/groomed from a young age to do the job, it’s very important that they are taking it on for the right reasons, and have the space to make the role truly ‘theirs’.

And just like company mergers most commonly fail on culture, family business successions are seriously put at risk if there are family “elephants in the room” that are not dealt with. Issues that might seem petty (especially to parents) can fester over many years, and explode once the incumbent generation have stepped aside or passed away.

Consider This: Is the rising generation in your family business interested in taking over? What are their dreams and aspirations (both about the family business, and in general)? Have you discussed this with them early in your own succession planning process?

Further reading: https://www.kiplinger.com/business/small-business/603023/what-role-should-your-children-play-in-your-business-succession-plan, https://www.campdenfb.com/article/how-next-generation-can-conquer-their-fear-and-anxiety-family-business-succession, https://ifamagazine.com/article/psychology-of-family-governance-appreciating-the-importance-of-family-dynamics-in-succession-planning/, https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/business/exit-planning-family-matters-have-to-be-ironed-out-before-business-succession-273087/

Actionable Generational Wealth Succession

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Family Business Transition Key Ingredients

October 9, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

“How to transition the family business to the next generation?” The answer depends on (a) who is asking (incumbent or rising generation) and (b) when (in the life-cycle of the business) they are asking. More often than not, the question is raised too late – when the incumbent generation is thinking of retirement, when there are already unstated expectations from both generations, and when there is already latent conflict.

The key ingredients to a successful family business transition are open communication between the generations working in the business and with other family stakeholders (current and future owners), a shared vision both for the future of the business and for the family itself, and a good governance structure.

Those things are the foundation required for succession. They come before identifying the right family member to occupy any particular management position.

Most families don’t set the foundations first, but that doesn’t mean all is lost. A process of vision alignment, improving communication and establishing strong governance can get things on track and reduce the risk of the latent conflict blowing up.

Consider This: Has your family business thought about succession? Have your imagined or visualised what succession looks like (for both the incumbent and rising generation)? Do both generations have a clear understanding of what will happen and when?

Original articles:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/16/the-10th-commandment-of-family-business-succession-create-family-unity/, https://knowledge.insead.edu/family-business/the-key-to-making-succession-work-in-family-business-12546, https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2019/09/26/six-lessons-to-successfully-moving-a-family-business-to-the-next-generation/, https://www.asianjournal.com/life-style/lifestyle-columnists/family-unity-is-critical-for-business-continuity-part-2-of-2/, http://www.campdenfb.com/article/bringing-next-generation-family-business, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbostoncouncil/2019/09/16/how-to-transition-a-family-business-to-the-next-generation/#2d9ab33c173d

[reprinted with permission]

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Letting Go Transition Planning

October 6, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

“How do I transfer wealth to my children without spoiling them?” That would be the most common question I am asked, and for most people, stands at the heart of the challenge of wealth transition.

But often this question masks what parents really want, e.g. “how do I get my children to do/be what I want?” That question is not about wealth, but about parental power and control. And when parents say “I don’t want to rule from the grave”, often they actually do, but just don’t want to make it quite so obvious.

There are no simple answers, nor even a set of tactics that can be applied. Rather, these questions are the starting point of a family relationship journey, which can lead to a stronger and more robust family that understands its purpose and shared values, and is well governed.

As much as wealth creators and incumbent controllers of family wealth want to control the future of their family, an important part of the journey is learning how to let go, which is often needed to help your children to become everything they can be.

Consider This: Do you (incumbent generation) have a clear understanding of your family’s (wealth) goals? Is there consensus on this amongst those now in control of the wealth? What steps have you taken to (a) find out what the rising generation want, and (b) communicate what you want to them?

Original articles: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rochellemclarke/2019/11/22/top-holiday-conversations-for-families-in-business/#6f82c4a52486,

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2019/11/25/keep-thanksgiving-about-thanksgiving-by-connecting-wealth-and-purpose/#642db627799c,

https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2019/10/02/how-a-ubs-exec-gets-families-to-open-up-about-wealth-transfer/,

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/your-money/tips-to-ease-family-inheritance-tensions.html,

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/10/big-inheritances-how-much-to-leave/600703/,

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trying-to-control-your-heirs-behavior-from-the-grave-often-backfires-11571623620

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50% of the population

October 1, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

Women are at least 50% of the population, yet historically have been poorly represented in the wealth industry – as custodians and managers of family wealth, in family business, and as advisors. But that is changing on all fronts.

The percentage of wealth in the world held by women is steadily growing – as a result of inheritance (females generally outlive their husbands), divorce and entrepreneurship. In the Middle East, 20-40% of wealth is held by or for women. In Asia, there has been a surge of wealth creation by female entrepreneurs. A new female-led multi family office in San Francisco is taking a different approach to wealth management by incorporating socially-minded investment and personal branding.

Males and females have different investment strategies: for women wealth is a means to an end, while many men see the accumulation of wealth as a goal unto itself. We raise girls to be savers and boys to be risk-takers. Finally, there is significant talent within the female members of wealth families which is waiting to be unlocked, and potentially wasted if not given the right opportunities.

Consider This: What roles do female members have in your family (business, wealth management, philanthropy)? What if anything is holding them back? Are there cultural barriers in your family to their advancement? Are they sufficiently educated to be effective wealth custodians?

Original articles: https://www.worth.com/a-new-kind-of-family-office/, https://international-adviser.com/women-changing-the-wealth-landscape-in-the-middle-east/, https://www.ft.com/content/9bb4d056-d928-11e9-9c26-419d783e10e8

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Philanthropy decision-makers in your family

September 25, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

Family philanthropy can be a very effective way to bridge generations and engage the rising generation. However, according to a recent poll from Key Private Bank, there are significant differences between parents and children on matters of giving.

Most parents are not discussing philanthropy with their children, let alone agreeing on causes. 82% of advisors say very few clients involve the next generation in family philanthropy. Faith-based causes represent 73% of interest from parents, but only 3% from children. On the flip side, ESG causes are 3% from parents, and 59% from children.

It is self-evident that a lack of communication would only feed a further divergence of interests between generations. With increasing life expectancies and therefore a greater overlap between parents, children, and grandchildren, there are two likely outcomes: find common ground across generations, or fall into conflict.
Consider This: Who makes the philanthropy decisions in your family? To what extent are younger family members informed about choices or engaged in the decision making process?

Original articles: https://www.forbes.com/sites/francoisbotha/2020/07/29/how-the-worlds-next-generation-of-ultra-wealthy-are-redefining-what-it-means-to-give-back/#112919c85aad, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lack-of-family-conversations-about-philanthropy-fuels-differences-of-opinion-finds-key-private-bank-poll-300920068.html

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Conflict resolution in family wealth

September 23, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

The conflicts that take place within wealthy families are often on display through the media as a result of their public profiles (and because people want to read about them). For outsiders, they can be hard to understand: What are they fighting about? Surely there is enough there for everyone?

But in fact, wealthy families have all the same family issues as others: sibling rivalries, favouritism, jealousy, power struggles, and the search for identity. The only difference is that in wealthy families, the conflicts can be played out with much bigger stakes.

Throwing money at a family problem doesn’t make it go away – the best it can achieve is to “kick the can down the road”, or defer it. It’s rarely about the money, which cannot – in and of itself – make people happy. Solve the underlying issues, and the money component suddenly becomes easier.

Advising a family business, or developing a wealth/business succession plan with a family is part business advisory, and part therapy (often more of the latter)

Consider This: How many arguments within your family look like they are about money, but are really about deeper issues?

Original articles: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a27191152/rupert-murdoch-family-therapist-dynasties/, http://www.campdenfb.com/article/keep-out-ring, https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/12/rich-people-happy-money/577231/

Actionable Generational Wealth Succession

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Are you a wealth steward?

September 22, 2021 caracolemanauLeave a comment

Wealthy people broadly come in two flavours – wealth creators and wealth inheritors – and each have very different characteristics.

Attitudes to money and wealth are usually established as we grow up and largely remain with us for the duration of our lives. Creators often grow up without a lot of money and therefore have different attitudes to spending and the value of a dollar, are uncomfortable talking about it with their children, and often look at the wealth they created through an “ownership” rather than a “stewardship” lens. If they have created the wealth through starting a business, they also have a set of beliefs (resilience, confidence, sense of invincibility) common among business founders and entrepreneurs.

Inheritors view the world very differently, sometimes feeling conflicted or guilty for the “sin” of not having to earn it like most others. Depending on their upbringing, they may not have a sense of the value or spending power of money. They are often challenged to develop their own identity – not wanting to be known as “the child of …”, and needing to make their own mark. Their mark may often be in the non-financial arena (because their parents already made it financially).

In order to effectively transmit or transition the wealth to the next generation, both creators and inheritors need to understand their difference, and learn new skills (raising children with healthy money attitudes, adopting a “stewardship” approach, finding meaning beyond money).

Consider This: Have you considered how your attitudes to wealth might differ compared with your parents or children? Have you had family discussions about these differences and what they mean to each of you?

Original articles: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/23/success/financial-enabling/index.htm, https://www.fa-mag.com/news/russ-prince–among-super-rich–self-made-wealthy-and-inheritors-think-differently-45566.htm, https://www.fastcompany.com/90372281/5-lies-youve-been-told-about-generational-wealth, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbooksauthors/2019/08/06/better-together-stewarding-wealth-and-wisdom-to-prevent-affluenza/#2e9f03807a58

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