The role of advisors and consultants to enterprising families is as essential as it is complex. From wealth managers to strategic consultants, estate planning attorneys to psychologists, this population is both incredibly diverse and, paradoxically, under-researched. At GFEP, we recognize that advisors and consultants are a critical presence in the family enterprise ecosystem—and, as such, must be part of our inquiry, our dialogue, and our educational offerings.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to a few research projects focused on this very topic. An article included in this newsletter summarizes some of the early insights from that work. What emerges is clear: while family enterprise advisors are often highly skilled and deeply committed, there remains a significant misalignment between how advisors perceive their clients and how family enterprises perceive themselves.
The study at the center of the article highlights an important friction. Advisors tend to emphasize structural (e.g., governance, roles) and cognitive (e.g., shared values, strategic goals) dimensions of family social capital. These are the “visible,” more easily measured aspects of family enterprise life. However, they often deemphasize relational social capital—the emotional bonds, trust, and unspoken dynamics that make each family business unique and, at times, uniquely challenging.
With an expected transition of $180 trillion in the next decade and $70 trillion already underway, family enterprises are increasingly attractive clients for advisors, and therefore this divergence matters, potentially massively! Not only does it reflect a gap between theory and practice—it also affects the quality of support families receive. Why the gap? In part, because relational capital is hard to measure, hard to “fix,” and even harder to define in traditional consulting terms. Advisors, no matter how well-intentioned, may be trained to focus on what’s tangible, repeatable, and scalable—skills drawn from corporate settings that don’t always transfer neatly to family systems.
We want to be clear: this is not a critique, but a renewed call for awareness. The job of advising enterprising families is extraordinarily difficult. Advisors must navigate business strategy, emotional terrain, family conflict, generational transition, and more. No one professional can do it all—but recognizing the limits of one’s role is the mark of a responsible advisor.
Based on the research, we offer the following ideas to think about:
For Enterprising Families Hiring Advisors
- Prioritize alignment with long-term vision
- Seek advisors who acknowledge relational dynamics
- Assess how advisors frame their language and services
- Ensure a multi-dimensional approach (structural, cognitive, and relational)
- Investigate experience with family systems
- Ask for real-life examples, not just credentials
- Verify formal education and clear boundaries of expertise
Too many advisors become “armchair psychologists” simply because families confide in them. Good listening is not the same as proper training in psychology or family systems. Families deserve qualified, ethically grounded professionals.
For Advisors to Family Enterprises
- Expand your lens beyond structure and performance.
Families are not corporations. Learning how trust, legacy, identity, and emotion shape decision-making is vital to providing meaningful support. - Seek education specific to family enterprise advising.
While many advisors are highly trained in their technical domains, advising families requires additional, domain-specific expertise. Invest in programs that focus on family systems, generational transitions, governance, and the psychology of ownership.
Serving families is not just about business acumen—it’s about understanding the human architecture of the enterprise, and for that, experience isn’t enough. - Integrate relational and emotional intelligence.
Engage in deeper training or partner with professionals who can support you in navigating relational dynamics. - Rethink your language and marketing.
The research shows that advisor websites are overwhelmingly short-term focused. If your clients think in generations, your messaging should, too. - Collaborate across disciplines.
Build bridges with coaches, therapists, and educators. Multidisciplinary teams often serve families better than any one expert can.
At Columbia Business School, we’ve taken these insights seriously. In collaboration with the Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business, we launched a groundbreaking Global Immersion Program: Consulting and Advising Family Enterprises (CAFE) in Italy. This course brings our students directly into the heart of Italian family enterprises, where they learn not only how to consult—but also how to listen, sense, respect, assess, and advise in the context of family complexity, building on strong why and ethical principles.
This isn’t just another consulting class. It is part of a broader commitment to educate the next generation of advisors—whether they serve as external professionals or take on advising roles within their own family enterprise, integrating research, teaching, and practice.
Learn more about the research: