Sometimes the family assumes they are less interested somehow. Sometimes old habits carry forward without being questioned. And sometimes daughters themselves wait to be invited, not wanting to disrupt the existing pattern. The irony is that when they do step in, the quality of conversation changes… immediately.

The family accountant knows every dividend ever declared. The lawyer remembers the first trust deed. There is loyalty here, and gratitude. But there is also a feeling that the conversations have stopped evolving. For the next generation, this is a hard truth to sit with. Firing a parent's professional adviserfeels personal, almost disrespectful.

Blended families begin with good intentions. Often after carrying the weight of past relationships, two people commit to building a new life together.. They bring children, assets, expectations, and history to the table, and hope that love will be enough to make it all cohere. Yet beneath the warmth of new beginnings, complexity almost always waits. The challenges rarely surface immediately. At first there is energy in creating a sense of unity- shared meals, new traditions,

You start looking around and every wealth management firm seems to say the same thing. “Holistic”, “Independent”. “Tailored”. There are smiling team photos, the promise of ‘bespoke’ service, and enough jargon to fill a small novel.

As ever, the view Beneath The Canopy is clearer when we pause to notice the patterns. Family enterprises- whether in Miami, Melbourne or across the ditch-  remind us that purpose is the thread that keeps stories intact across generations.

For a long time, the Lawsons assumed that complexity could be handled by the professionals they already had around them. Each of their roles mattered, but each was confined to its own lane. No one was charged with holding the whole picture together. When they came together in a meeting, each adviser seemed to believe they should take the lead.

Philanthropy works best when it is not framed as an obligation, but as an invitation. The call to simply give more rarely inspires lasting change. What does resonate is helping others discover the clarity and satisfaction that comes from a philanthropic mindset.

Most people assume it’s about the market, the right buyer at the right time and the right price. You might imagine there will be a moment when all the stars align, when the perfect economic and business cycles match your own life. But those stars rarely line up. If you wait for perfect certainty, you may end up waiting forever.

Walk down the main street of any Australian town and you’ll find them. The bakery that’s been in the same family for three generations. The transport company still run from a fibro office out the back of the depot. The vineyard where the children grew up running between the rows, now bringing in their own ideas about climate and technology. Family enterprises don’t just make up part of our economy, they carry the character of our communities.

Listen to Robert read this post... Business success stories often make the headlines of the mainstream media. A business scales and it’s...

As the change of seasons approaches and new buds start to show on the trees, there’s reason to feel optimistic about the summer ahead....

Look to the headlines: anti-semitic incidents are regular occurances and protests turn uglier each week with threats spilling onto schoolyards and campuses. Within months, Australia’s universities have been threatened with funding cuts for failing to protect students from threats motivated by hatred, while the Government pushes suggests stripping visas from migrants who bring hatred to our shores.

Family Offices are Setting the Agenda Listen to Robert read this post below...    The story began quietly, away from the headlines and...

When it comes to legacy, families inherit more than just assets- they often inherit the weight of expectation.  But every family, and...

In the current rush to reinvigorate Australia’s culture of giving, it’s hard not to be swept up in the positivity. Overlaying this practical tension is another layer. One where the emblem of reform masks an unforeseen fiscal dividend for Canberra.

But what about those waiting in the wings? It’s easy to assume the next generation is ready to step up, but capacity here is about more than just meeting the legal minimum. It’s about financial literacy, emotional intelligence, and the ability to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of family dynamics.

For family businesses, the end to the financial year is much more than just a date on the calendar or a stack of invoices waiting to be reconciled. It is a time when the conversations shift from what happened last quarter to what comes next, not just for the business, but for the family running it.

Explore the July 2025 edition of "Beneath the Canopy"

Understanding the Challenges of Wealth The belief that significant wealth brings clarity and simplicity is persistent. However, the...

Family meetings are the best kind of reality TV because they offer all the suspense, conflict, and catharsis without the need for a TV deal. The parallels between family meetings and reality TV are uncanny. Reality shows thrive on conflict, negotiation, shifting alliances, and the unpredictable nature of human behaviour. The living room is no different.