Family Business Audiocast

R. Adam Smith
  • 5.0 (2)
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  • Updated Biweekly

The Family Business Audiocast series is a premier podcast that brings together the foremost experts from the global family office and business ecosystem. The series has quickly become one of the leading global podcasts in its field, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners and subscribers worldwide. Each episode offers an exclusive deep dive into the inner workings of family businesses and single-family offices, exploring key topics such as governance, culture, corporate strategy, growth, and mission alignment. Our conversation covers the experiences with, and the importance of, high-quality advisors, investors, partners, governance, and essential resources and vendors for family boards and owners.  Founded 2022™ Created, Produced, and Owned by R. Adam Smith

  1. 4d ago

    Episode 67: Raising Stewards of Wealth — Susan Schoenfeld on Family Enterprise

    Susan R. Schoenfeld, JD, LLM, CPA, MBA, CEO and founder of Wealth Legacy Advisors, joins R. Adam Smith to explore the human dimensions of multigenerational wealth. Drawing on a career that spans tax law, trust administration, and service as a family ambassador at a $600 million single family office, Susan discusses how families can build governance structures, develop next gen leaders, and navigate the emotional undercurrents that surface around major transactions. From crafting a family enterprise narrative to facilitating consensus through her "good enough" philosophy, Susan makes the case that family estate planning is ultimately about values, stewardship, and preparing the next generation to lead with purpose.

    33 min

  2. May 27

    Episode 66: Dennis Jaffe on Governance, Legacy, and the Family Business Enterprise

    Dennis Jaffe — organizational psychologist, senior research fellow at Banyan Global, and one of the founding voices in family enterprise consulting — joins R. Adam Smith to explore why succession so often stalls between intention and execution. Drawing on decades of work with global families and his recent collaboration with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, Dennis reframes succession not as a single decision but as a multigenerational system built on reflection, alignment, and shared purpose. The conversation covers limiting assumptions that block action, the governance structures that hold family business enterprise together across generations, and what families truly risk when they delay.00:00 Welcome & Guest Introduction03:14 Dennis Jaffe's Opening Remarks04:01 Why Families Delay Succession06:35 Redefining Succession as a System08:40 The Power of Reflection & Mindset10:27 Succession at Scale — Large Transactions13:08 The Five-Step Succession Framework16:43 Family Governance & Wealth Complexity19:49 Selling the Family Business23:20 Next Gen Buyouts & Succession Limits26:07 Legacy, Purpose, and Long-Term Vision29:15 The Costs of Waiting31:14 Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Dennis

    34 min

  3. May 13

    Episode 65: Stephan Gerwert on Family Wealth, Succession Planning, and the German Family Enterprise Ecosystem

    Stephan Gerwert, Head of Family Office Services at PwC Deutschland, joins R. Adam Smith for a wide-ranging conversation on what it takes to build and sustain a modern family office — particularly within Germany's uniquely secretive ultra-high-net-worth landscape. Stephan draws on a career that spans big-bank wealth management, leading a Swiss single-family office, and co-founding a fintech platform to offer a genuinely holistic perspective. Topics include building governance from scratch using RACI frameworks, the growing importance of family succession planning, Germany's conservative capital allocation habits, cybersecurity threats facing affluent families, and the collaborative opportunity — still largely untapped — among Europe's most powerful entrepreneurial dynasties.00:00 Welcome & Introduction01:36 Guest Introduction: Stephan Gerwert and PwC Deutschland03:17 PwC Germany as an Independent, Holistic Family Advisor05:06 Stephan's Career Path07:31 Advisory Philosophy: Starting with Family Vision09:52 Building Governance from Scratch11:23 The Family Capital Ecosystem and Scaling Trends14:56 European Family Dynasties Reinvesting as Business Platforms16:00 Germany's Secretive Family Office Culture vs. the US18:29 Proactive PR and Brand Ownership for Prominent Families19:26 Germany's Economic Headwinds and Family Business Succession24:01 German Family Business Statistics and Cash Allocation26:03 Low Equity Ownership and Long-Term Implications28:06 Holistic Wealth Reporting and Technology29:56 Cybersecurity Threats Facing Ultra-High-Net-Worth Families32:39 Closing Reflections on Stewardship and Legacy

    35 min

  4. Apr 29

    Episode 64: Luke Jernagan on Building Family Office Services That Go Beyond the Balance Sheet

    Luke Jernagan, Director of Family Learning and Culture at Matter Family Office, joins R. Adam Smith for a conversation about the relational and human dimensions of managing multi-generational wealth. Luke traces his unusual path from Episcopal ministry to family advisory work, and describes how Matter structures its engagement model around communication, shared values, and generational learning — the elements he believes sustain a healthy family enterprise over time. He covers the firm's recent merger with IWP in Denver, the philosophy behind permanent capital ownership, next-gen wealth preparedness, and how families can build a living legacy that outlasts the sale of any single business.00:00 Welcome and host introduction 01:07 Introducing Luke Jernagan and Matter Family Office 02:36 Matter's service model and family office services 04:09 Luke's path from Episcopal ministry to family advisory 07:07 What distinguishes Matter's culture and ownership structure 09:50 Communication as the foundation of family enterprise 12:30 Concentrated wealth and preparing families for a sale 15:09 Next-gen readiness and whole-family education 17:21 Human capital, Barry Wehmiller, and Kathy Lintz's vision 20:58 Trends in ultra-high-net-worth families and the industry 25:41 Stewardship curriculum and next-gen engagement 28:34 Redefining legacy beyond the family business 31:05 Closing reflections and a note on St. Louis

    34 min

  5. Apr 15

    Episode 63: Amy Griman on Trust, Governance, and Human Readiness in Family Office Services

    Amy Griman — founder of Delta Creative Group and former global president of the BMO Family Office — joins R. Adam Smith to explore what she calls the readiness gap: the distance between technically sound estate and governance structures and a family's actual preparedness to act on them. Drawing on more than 30 years at the intersection of trust law, family office services, and human capital, Amy unpacks how communication breakdowns, undefined decision-making architecture, and generational misalignment can unravel even the most sophisticated plans. The conversation spans succession, legacy, the Canadian versus U.S. wealth landscape, and how culture must inform governance — not the other way around.00:00 Welcome & Amy Griman Introduction01:53 Founding Delta Creative Group03:54 Trust & Estate Settlement: Early Career Lessons06:13 M&A, Liquidity Events & Readiness for Day Two08:48 Decision Architecture: Boards, Councils, and Charters10:46 Stress Testing Governance & Communication Cadence14:53 BMO Family Office: Platform, Culture & Client Experience17:14 Boutique vs. Institutional Advisory Models18:09 Family Culture, History, and the Ownership of Story22:36 Canadian Wealth Landscape vs. U.S. Market Dynamics24:28 Fusing Governance with Culture: G1 to G2 Transitions29:11 Defining Legacy: The Why Behind the Wealth30:10 Closing Reflections & Sign-Off

    33 min

  6. Apr 1

    Episode 62: Long-Term Stewardship Within Family Enterprise Kelly Pollock and Betsy Cohen

    Kelly Pollock, CEO of the Burgess Family Foundation, and Betsy Cohen, philanthropic futurist and founder of FutureGood, join R. Adam Smith for a wide-ranging conversation on strategic philanthropy, community impact, and the evolving role of family enterprise in shaping long-term social change. Drawing on decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, trust banking, and futurism, Kelly and Betsy explore how family foundations can deepen community relationships, navigate generational transitions, and move from transactional giving to sustained impact. The conversation also touches on AI's emerging role in the nonprofit sector, the diverging philanthropic priorities of G1 and G2, and what it means to be a builder — not just a buyer — in your community.00:00 Welcome, Introductions & Guest Backgrounds02:01 The Burgess Family Foundation: Mission and Structure03:04 FutureGood: Philanthropic Futurism Explained04:19 Kelly's Path from COCA to Family Foundation CEO06:07 Betsy's Journey from Corporate Futurist to Philanthropic Advisor08:10 Translating Family Passion into Strategic Philanthropic Investment10:31 St. Louis Philanthropy: Depth of Community and Collaboration12:11 Collaborative Funding Initiatives Across the Region15:51 FutureProof: Bringing Nonprofits Together for Shared Planning16:35 Next Gen Engagement Inside the Burgess Family Foundation18:29 G1 vs. G2 Philanthropic Priorities and the Generational Shift20:53 Scale of Family Office Philanthropy: Data and Trends24:50 Unlocking Capital Beyond Grant Making26:37 Innovation, Risk Capital, and Scenario Planning in Philanthropy29:02 AI's Impact on Nonprofits and Family Foundations31:09 Next Gen Leadership and Being a Student of the Work35:07 Closing Reflections: Buyers vs. Builders

    39 min

  7. Mar 18

    Episode 61: Philip Marcovici on Why Family Enterprise Fails Across Generations

    Philip Marcovici — international tax lawyer, author, and advisor to ultra-high-net-worth families — joins R. Adam Smith to explore what it takes for a family enterprise to endure across generations. Drawing on decades of advising families across Asia, Europe, and beyond, Philip challenges the assumption that culture determines planning outcomes, arguing that wealth's destructive potential is universal. The conversation spans governance structures, the role of advisors, next-generation stewardship, tax system reform, and the concept of regenerative wealth — connecting the internal health of a family enterprise to its obligations and impact in the wider world.00:00 Welcome & Philip Marcovici Introduction02:22 Career Background & Baker McKenzie Years03:16 Culture, Governance & Global Family Patterns05:31 Family Enterprise: Long-Term Vision Planning08:30 Advisors, Education & Asking Better Questions10:45 Governance Structures & Legal Frameworks15:54 Using a Governance Entity Across Structures16:50 Tax Systems, Non-Dom Reform & the UK Example20:53 Corporate Tax, Family Wealth & Economic Impact23:41 Regenerative Wealth & the Family Enterprise Role in Society26:00 Internal vs. External Sustainability: Bridging the Silos30:13 Tax, Branding & Wealth's Obligation to Society32:58 Emotional Intelligence & Next-Gen Succession37:19 Closing Reflections & Sign-Off

    40 min

  8. Mar 4

    Episode 60: The Leadership Principles Behind Enduring Institutions and Family Enterprise with James Rosebush

    James Rosebush — Reagan White House veteran, author, and family office advisor — draws direct lines between presidential leadership and multigenerational stewardship. Having worked alongside Reagan as Chief of Staff to the First Lady, Rosebush witnessed firsthand how indifference to public opinion, deep spiritual conviction, and a relentless drive to understand "what is really going on" shaped one of history's most consequential presidencies. He translates those lessons into the realities of family enterprise: the complexity of working with difficult wealth creators, the emotional demands placed on advisors, and why integrity compounds over time just as capital does.

    40 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Family Business Audiocast series is a premier podcast that brings together the foremost experts from the global family office and business ecosystem. The series has quickly become one of the leading global podcasts in its field, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners and subscribers worldwide. Each episode offers an exclusive deep dive into the inner workings of family businesses and single-family offices, exploring key topics such as governance, culture, corporate strategy, growth, and mission alignment. Our conversation covers the experiences with, and the importance of, high-quality advisors, investors, partners, governance, and essential resources and vendors for family boards and owners.  Founded 2022™ Created, Produced, and Owned by R. Adam Smith

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