The Prosperity Paradox

When a family office is considering a new hire or a technology upgrade, where should it start? In the second installment of our six-part series with EY, Brian C. Adams joins Patrick Burke and Megan Campbell, senior managers in EY’s Family Office Advisory Services practice, to discuss how families can design an operating model around the services they need today and the decisions they expect to face over time.Patrick and Megan explain how to define what the family office should deliver, decide which services to keep in-house, and make clear who is accountable when work is outsourced. They also discuss how the sale of a business or the involvement of a new generation can prompt a review of the model, and how feedback from family members can help leaders judge whether the office is delivering what the family needs.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comListen to Part 1 here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/21NHTlOBB1l7F1nESFF3wa

Josh Rosenthal, PhD, an entrepreneur, investor, and family office principal, joins Brian C. Adams to discuss how AI and blockchain are changing how families invest and build businesses. Josh explains what AI agents can do in trading, how prediction markets might help investors hedge specific risks, and what tokenization could mean for access to private markets.Drawing on his own family office, Josh shares where families can start experimenting, how to assess a candidate’s hands-on AI experience, and how building a business together can help the next generation develop entrepreneurial skills.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by EY.EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.This episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub.Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops ConferenceNovember 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel requiredFOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

In this second conversation on The Prosperity Paradox series, Brian Adams is joined again by Taylor Adams and Connor Boyack to explore how families can intentionally build systems that prioritize human capital development alongside financial wealth.They discuss the importance of creating a family operating system rooted in shared principles, practical frameworks, and real-world experiences. From rethinking trust distributions and next-generation education to encouraging entrepreneurship and personal responsibility, Taylor and Connor share how families can help future generations develop purpose, independence, and the ability to create value.Check out the previous episode HERE.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by EY.EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.This episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub.Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops ConferenceNovember 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel requiredFOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

In this special crossover episode of The Mack Podcast and the Declarations Podcast, Brian Adams and Todd Rich, Co-Founder and Partner at Declaration Partners, come together for a wide-ranging conversation on the family office landscape.They explore the transition from wealth creation to multigenerational stewardship, the changing role of family office leadership, and emerging trends in private capital investing. They also discuss what makes a successful family office executive, evolving approaches to talent and compensation, and the importance of building strong relationships and community across the family office ecosystem.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors.Banyan works with family business owners to navigate complex decisions around succession, ownership, and long-term strategy—helping families clarify their options, align as a group, and move forward with confidence. Learn more at banyan.global.This episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub.Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops ConferenceNovember 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel requiredFOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

As private companies stay private longer and secondary markets continue to expand, family offices have new opportunities to access sought-after investments, but also face greater complexity in evaluating and managing them.Brian C. Adams is joined by Bob Blair, Hendrik Jordaan, and Tobias Heaslip to explore the evolving private secondary market, from deal sourcing and SPV structures to due diligence, pricing, liquidity, and exit strategies. They discuss how family offices can navigate these opportunities, manage concentration risk, and position themselves for long-term success.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub.Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops ConferenceNovember 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel requiredFOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

Brian Adams is joined by Adam Chin, Managing Partner at International Art Finance, to explore the growing market for art-backed lending and how family offices and collectors can unlock liquidity from their fine art collections. They discuss the differences between traditional bank financing and specialized lenders, valuation and collateral considerations, and the evolving role of art as an investable asset class.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by EY.EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.This episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub. Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops ConferenceNovember 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel requiredFOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

How can families bring greater discipline and oversight to their commercial real estate portfolios? Brian Adams is joined by Richard Leider, Pete Stone, and Lex Wieneke of Trinity Real Estate to discuss the outsourced real estate CIO model, including portfolio strategy, risk management, asset performance, and succession planning. The conversation explores how institutional expertise can help families navigate complex real estate holdings and make more informed, long-term investment decisions.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by Somos22.Somos22 is a network for family office principals and professional managers to connect and deepen Connection Capital within a community of trusted peers. Learn more at somos22network.com

Wealth can create extraordinary opportunities, but it can also remove the challenges that help develop purpose, motivation, and independence.In this episode of The Mack Podcast, Brian C. Adams is joined by Connor Boyack and Taylor Adams to explore The Prosperity Paradox, the distinction between financial and human capital, and how traditional approaches to wealth preservation can unintentionally create dependency. They discuss why families may need to shift their focus from preserving wealth to developing capable, purpose-driven future generations.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by EY.EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.

In this panel discussion, Brian C. Adams is joined by Sutton Fannon of Glen Rock Strategic Partners and Stephen Pharr of Old Harbor Partners to discuss the infrastructure, talent, governance, and economics behind successful direct investing. They explore deal sourcing, investment discipline, portfolio oversight, and the long-term commitment required to establish and sustain a direct investment strategy.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by Somos22.Somos22 is a network for family office principals and professional managers to connect and deepen Connection Capital within a community of trusted peers. Learn more at somos22network.com

As family offices and prominent families become more visible, managing reputation requires thoughtful planning long before a crisis occurs. Brian Adams is joined by Crayton Webb, Owner and CEO of Sunwest Communications, to discuss reputation management, crisis communications, and public affairs. The conversation explores political and philanthropic giving, social media exposure, preparing the next generation for greater visibility, and protecting a family's reputation across generations.To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.comThis episode is sponsored by EY.EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.