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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Power and Pitfalls of Collective Family Wealth Across Asia and many emerging markets, family wealth is rarely confined to a single...

Imagine a family legacy that stretches not just decades, but a full century into the future. That’s the promise—and the challenge—of 100-year wealth planning. It’s a bold, forward-thinking approach that asks families to look far beyond the next inheritance or business deal, and instead plant the seeds for a flourishing family tree that will stand strong for generations.

At some point, though, every family hits a snag. Maybe it’s a disagreement over the future direction of the business, or maybe it’s just that old family dynamics rear their heads when the stakes are high. This is where an independent Family Adviser becomes worth their weight in gold.

When it comes to leadership transitions, few events are as steeped in tradition and intrigue as the papal conclave. While the Catholic Church and wealthy families might seem worlds apart, the process of electing a new pope and planning for succession within a family business have more in common than you might think.

For many Australian family business owners, the timing of a sale often feels completely out of sync with the business’s growth cycle, the prevailing economic winds, or the evolving plans and aspirations of the family itself. If you’re grappling with this conundrum, you’re not alone—and the path forward is rarely linear.

Financial decision-making in a family enterprise is less about individual authority and more about collective responsibility.

By embedding giving into their legacy, families focus shifts from simply preserving financial assets to creating meaningful social change.

When conflicts arise, a values statement can even help resolve disagreements by serving as a reminder of what your family stands for.

"It is the Psychology of the family which will determine wealth preservation through the generations. Not tax" writes Dr Katherine Hunt

Navigating the great wealth transition between generations also requires open communication and strategic planning. Families that proactivel

For the business owner who has sold their enterprise, life can suddenly feel like uncharted territory. After years—perhaps decades—of...