“The greater the mania, the higher the intellect of those who succumb to it.” - Bernard Baruch “Speculation is an effort, probably unsuccessful, to turn a little money into a lot. Investment is an effort, which should be successful, to prevent a lot of money from...
As I wade through and try to make sense of a barrage of complex, if not seemingly contradictory, third quarter economic data, I sure could use help to answer the numerous questions and solve the mysteries that surround today’s markets and the economy: Is this recent...
Over the past several years, I have written extensively about the population exodus from the coasts further inland, a sort of Manifest Destiny in reverse, as people sought more affordable housing, lower taxes, and perhaps places with less red tape and bureaucracy....
If you have recently had any type of capital gain event…. If you appreciate tax efficiency… If you believe real estate values generally increase over time…. If you are interested in how all of this can dovetail with socially responsible investment… It may be worth...
A family-owned business, or any other business for that matter, can only be sustainable if its assets are used in a manner that’s productive, and returns value and satisfaction to the various stakeholders and the family.
In the last post, we talked about where the money in your savings and checking accounts are parked. We also touched on credit cards that have a positive impact. But we’re just at the tip of the iceberg! Over the past few years, a dizzying number of ESG or...
Despite and maybe even because of COVID, Opportunity Zones are front and center in the investment world. The wealthy have the ability to make long-lasting impact on our nation’s marginalized communities and to do so with unique financial benefits. If done right,...
In my last post, I described responsible investing broadly. I shared an orientation and some key definitions, a lay of the land, so to speak. We learned that there is no single approach to Responsible Investing, or a single term to describe it....
I’ve built my career in responsible investing, a term that broadly means doing well by also doing good. I got excited about capital markets early on when I realized philanthropic and government funding are not sufficient to solve a lot of our biggest social and...
Arising out of my consulting experience in helping family firms with family governance, charters and so on, I have a few learnings to share with Family Business Owners, Family Business Advisors and Trust professionals. While wealth consolidation, protection and...
"It's a Wonderful Life" is not only a classic Christmas movie, it is also a classic example of the issues facing the next generation of Family Business owners. George Bailey, the oldest son at Bailey Brothers Building and Loan, faces terrible personal and...
Adaptive reuse projects are all the buzz in the commercial real estate sector these days. Repurposing underutilized property is an excellent strategy for many CRE owners to maximize value. States like California and cities like Los Angeles are working to implement...
Succession planning within a family business can be an incredibly challenging process very few are truly prepared to initiate let alone complete. Unlike some work tasks, succession planning is a complicated, often emotionally charged process that takes unwavering...
In the midst of raising awareness for a cause, do you ever stop and wonder if your efforts are actually helping? There are many powerful tools for inspiring change, but how effective are purpose-driven campaigns in reality? As pressure mounts for companies to act on...