10 Reasons Why Family Offices Make Great Investors

Over the past thirty years or so, family offices have become the preeminent financial model for the ultra wealthy. This amassing of capital has resulted in the family office becoming an intricate player within the private capital markets. As the leading family office data and research platform engineered for the asset raising professional, FINTRX has seen first-hand the impact of family office investors and how their unique nature distinguishes them from the rest. 

As household debt hits record highs, it is evident that personal finances are a great challenge for most people. When it comes to high net-worth families and individuals, the old saying ‘more money, more problems’ rings true, as the intricacies of managing large pools of capital and navigating the tax system generally exceed the abilities of a single person or family. To assist with these tasks, families employ a niche group of financial experts called single family offices and multi-family offices. Not only have we seen a spike in family offices all over the world, but we have also uncovered a growing trend among affluent families, entrepreneurs and startups increasingly looking to family offices as an alternative to attract and mobilize capital.

As family offices continue to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with, we have provided ten reasons as to why family offices make optimal investors.

1. Business Savvy 

In essence, family offices are comprised of qualified professionals with extensive experience providing a range of wealth management services to families and individuals around the world. With a starting AUM (assets under management) of roughly $50M+, family offices are prime targets for a variety of investment managers because they can shift funds more easily than larger asset pools, such as pension funds, for instance. Family offices tend to offer more patient capital, utilizing a larger spread of investment opportunities and often taking a long approach to capital allocation. Family offices are more hands-on when it comes to asset management, employing in part, their own expertise and strategically building relationships with trusted advisors. Oftentimes, family offices will seek out one another to pool capital, share ideas, resources, shared experiences, and more. 

2. Tailor-Made Structure 

Family offices differ from traditional wealth management organizations in the sense that they offer a total outsourced solution to managing the fortunes of opulent families. Each have unique structures that are specifically suited to fit the needs of the family.  Internal operations of a family office generally includes private lawyers, fund managers, tax and trust specialists, senior bankers, real estate professionals and executive assistants, to name a few. 

3. Personalized One-Stop Solution

High net-worth families and individuals often seek out more than your average joe investor. Instead, many hope and expect to receive a full-service platform from wealth managers. Family offices do just that, by providing a number of services that align with the specific needs, shared values and interests of the family. Main services offered include setting and monitoring financial goals, asset allocation, investment management, legacy planning, charitable giving, tax planning, risk management, estate planning, retirement planning and many others.

4. Diverse & Flexible 

Aside from having greater freedom and flexibility to allocate capital in a way that aligns with the values and desires of each client, family offices also open doors to a variety of co-investment opportunities with various types of capital. As family offices continue to gain momentum around the world, FINTRX offers an inside look at the direct investment history of nearly 3,000 family offices worldwide. Our data includes, but is not limited to, financing round(s), size of round(s), amount invested, region, industry as well as detailed information on the funded company. To learn more about uncovering previous family office direct investment history, click here.

5. Methodical Guidance 

Family offices act as financial mentors to their clients, ultimately guiding and teaching them along the way. This often includes finding the purpose(s) of wealth, setting goals and expectations, as well as formulating a financial plan - from choice of location and resource requirements, through to governance and structuring. 

6. Increased Industry Exposure

In search of higher returns over longer periods of time, family offices often take a more hands-on investing approach. By increasing exposure to higher-yielding assets, such as real estate for instance, industries across the board continue to attract family office capital given its diversity and mass appeal. Family offices with sticky capital and a high-level of sophistication are more willing to be riskier in their investment approaches, oftentimes investing in emerging markets such as in healthcare or biotechnology. 

7. Simplified Due Diligence Processes 

Family offices help formalize the investment process for their clients, as they are free from institutional mandates, intermediaries, and other standard due diligence procedures. Wealthy individuals turn to a family office model in an effort to maintain direct control of their investment portfolios, as compared to allocating to private equity fund managers who charge a layer of fees for little control. 

8. Socially Responsible/Innovative Mindset

Family offices are forward thinkers - continuously reevaluating traditional approaches to investing as a means to grow capital. Research suggests that ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing is not only socially responsible, but fiscally advantageous. The primary drivers of sustainable investments are made in education, housing, community development and agriculture. As control of these family offices are put in the hands of younger generations, we expect this trend to continue at an increased rate. 

9. Privacy & Confidentiality 

Family offices have been around for hundreds of years and yet they are still an unknown entity to many. They typically remain hidden out of respect for the families and individuals they serve. Oftentimes, these wealthy families make every effort to lead a 'normal' life, without the scrutiny of media outlets, journalists, etc. That said, there has been a recognizable shift in the transparency of these wealth vehicles. As more investors turn to the space for funding, family offices are slowly coming out of the shadows, ultimately allowing for high quality deal flow.

10. Trust & Commitment 

Trust and commitment are pivotal to ensuring any kind of success with a family office. Because of their unique standards, individuals targeting the family office space require an elevated approach to secure effective engagement. Connecting to the genuine passions, interests, and goals allows potential GP's to capture mindshare and establish an initial level of trust. 

Family office funding is desirable thanks to its freedom from institutional mandates, long-term staying power, frequent potential for add-on fundraising and general flexibility. Hundreds of the world's largest asset managers, bankers, private companies, and fund managers leverage FINTRX to target family office capital. As more asset raisers turn to the space for funding, this evolving fragment of the investment community continues to up the ante for capital raisers all over the world. Understanding the reasons behind what makes family offices ideal investors can be a game-changer in terms of wealth preservation and wealth expansion.

The FINTRX family office platform blends family office data and research for its global contingency of investment managers and private companies who seek to increase their capital raising efforts. In providing a unique combination of capital raising tools, continuously updated family office data and savvy search capabilities, FINTRX is asset-raising simplified. 

For an in-depth exploration of the FINTRX family office platform, click below:

For more practical family office insights and best practices, visit our newly renovated 'Resource Library' below.