Tag: #familyoffice
-
-
Why Your Private Equity Returns Don’t Match the Fund Statements
It’s a scenario every private equity fund investor faces. You compare your own return calculations to the official statement stamped with the fund company’s logo, and notice the numbers don’t match. Sometimes, they aren’t even close. Naturally, the knee-jerk reaction is to assume something is wrong. But as our colleague likes to remind us: “Don’t…
-
Family Office Governance That Works
Effective family office governance within a family office is often discussed in terms of structures like family meetings, boards, and advisory committees. But, before choosing any formal structure, wealthy families must define who is included, what matters to them, and why. Governance Starts with Definitions Governance reflects the family itself. A first-generation entrepreneur with a…
-
Planned Giving at Family Offices
Planned giving conversations are different when you’re engaging with a family office. For fundraisers, especially those focused on legacy giving, the opportunity is significant. But so is the need to understand how these families think, operate, and make decisions. At this level, philanthropy is often professionalized. Family offices often bring a deliberate, structured, and strategic…
-
Navigating A Family Office: Service Provider’s Perspective
Working with a family office can feel very different from dealing directly with an individual investor or donor. For investment managers, advisors, fund sponsors, and even fundraisers at charities, the experience is often more structured, less personal in the traditional sense, and far more process-driven. Understanding what’s happening behind the scenes, particularly regarding governance, stakeholder…
-
How We Help Founders with Newfound Liquidity
Many entrepreneurs spend decades building a business or a real estate portfolio. Their expertise is deep, practical, and hard-earned. But when the day finally comes to sell, whether it’s a company, a commercial property, or an entire real estate portfolio, something changes overnight. Instead of operational decisions, you now become the steward of a large…
-
Losing Control of Wealth
We often assume that wealth automatically brings control. If someone has accumulated meaningful assets such as investment portfolios, holding companies, trusts, or even a family foundation, it seems logical that they’re firmly in charge of their financial life. Surprisingly in practice, the opposite often happens. As wealth structures become more complex and professionalized, decision-making can…
-
Home Bias and Global Investing: Global vs. International Equities Explained
When investors talk about diversification, the terms global equities and international equities are often used carelessly. They are not the same thing. For Canadian and U.S. investors, understanding the distinction can materially improve clarity, discipline, and long-term results. What is the difference between global equities and international equities? And, why does it matter? Global Equities…
-
Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: Governance in Family Foundations
Most family foundations are created with generosity and good intentions. Over time, however, many discover that their biggest challenges have little to do with investment returns or grant performance. Instead, the friction comes from a more basic question: who actually runs the foundation? When governance is unclear, even well-funded and well-advised foundations can struggle to…
-
Stepping Into Family Wealth Stewardship: Next-Gen Challenges
Stepping into the role of “point person” for your family’s wealth and investments is both an honour and a burden. It can feel exciting and purposeful but also heavy and awkward. Many next-gen investors don’t plan to make this their full-time job, yet they still want to protect their family legacy, create alignment, and ensure…