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.

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.

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.

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.

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.