Insights matter.

For high net worth families, communication is a strategic advantage. Families who cultivate open dialogue and a culture of transparency across generations create resilience that extends beyond financial capital. These families position themselves to make sound decisions, navigate complex dynamics and steward both wealth and legacy with intention. The Cornerstones of Strong Family Communication Families who communicate effectively tend to be intentional about fostering clarity, openness and accountability in their interactions. They approach this work with a “win-win” attitude, with

For decades, we’ve known that strong collaboration leads to better business outcomes—more innovation, better decisions and greater fulfillment. The same is true for families. When families take intentional steps to work together across generations, they unlock new possibilities: a deeper sense of unity, more resilient planning and a legacy that lasts. At Matter Family Office, we’ve seen firsthand that families who invest in building the skills, practices and tools needed for cross-generational engagement consistently make better decisions. But that doesn’t

Ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families, like successful business teams, face complex challenges that require clear communication, strategic decision-making and a long-term vision. Managing family wealth across generations demands not only financial acumen but also interpersonal harmony, shared values and a structured approach to governance. By studying the dynamics of high-performing teams, UHNW families can develop strategies that foster collaboration, preserve legacy and ensure the continued success of their family enterprise. Here are key lessons that families can learn from top-performing business teams:

How to Establish Trust and Collaboration in a Complex Family System Key Findings Why Is Transparency So Hard? Ultra-high net worth (UHNW) families are defined as families with more than $30 million in net assets. This means that they have generated enough wealth to have a significant impact on the long-term well-being of their children and grandchildren. Choosing how and when to share financial wealth with their kids can affect the careers their children choose, where they live, who they

The internet has been abuzz due to a stellar performance by Jerry Jones, long-time owner of the Dallas Cowboys, in the hit series Landman. Apparently, this Emmy-worthy monologue took only one try. In the scene, Jerry Jones is talking to his friend Monty, played by Jon Hamm, who has just suffered a heart attack. Monty is a hard-driving oilman who spends little time with his family and enough time managing his business to warrant a fifth heart attack. Jerry’s job

Legacy and Learning Matter has recently made a decision that has significant meaning even if the result seems like an insignificant change. We take a comprehensive, integrated approach to managing wealth and have framed this as follows: Investment Management, Wealth Planning & Coordination, and Culture & Legacy. Truth be told, as we have learned more about what makes families successful and thrive, the word legacy does not capture the entirety of this critical aspect. The Oxford Dictionary defines legacy as

At Matter, we believe successful families truly thrive when they develop their human capital along with their financial capital. We are committed to helping them do both by continuing to expand and evolve our innovative, industry-leading family culture and learning services.  On October 1st, Matter added a chief learning officer (CLO) to our leadership team and began a search for a family learning consultant. These new team members will lead our culture and learning work and develop new services, programs,

We are on the cusp of an unprecedented shift in the US financial landscape.   By the numbers: From 2010 to 2015, private wealth held by women grew from $34 trillion to $51 trillion. By 2021, women are expected to hold $72 trillion.   Source:  <Economist Intelligence Unit (2018) study>  Some of this change is due to the fact that women are earning more than we ever have. We’re running companies, launching startups, and helping to drive innovation and evolution across the global marketplace.

If we’ve learned anything over the past several months, it’s to expect the unexpected. The global pandemic has challenged us all to learn new ways of communicating and collaborating effectively, and it has highlighted the need for businesses, organizations, and individuals to lean into their creativity, flexibility, and resilience in the face of change.   The same is true for families. At Matter, we help build “learning families” because we believe they exhibit the behaviors and characteristics that help them remain successful in

Family meetings are invaluable to multigenerational success. They help families build trust and communication, provide a structure for information-sharing and decision-making, and create a format for introducing the rising generation to the opportunities and complexities of wealth. At Matter, we take an integrated, holistic approach to helping families thrive for generations, and facilitating family meetings is a critical part of that work. Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about how to help families prepare for meetings, set expectations, and

With the holidays approaching, many families are preparing to gather together. These are precious opportunities for family members to connect, especially for those who are geographically scattered. They are an especially important time for different generations of the family to listen to and learn from each other. While we have all experienced the telling and retelling of certain classic family tales (occasionally accompanied by much eye rolling), establishing a tradition of storytelling is actually an extremely powerful tool for families

It’s only March, but summer is just around the corner. Should teens be considering a summer job? According to Richard Weissbourd, a lecturer and research at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education quoted in this Quartz article, the answer is a resounding “yes!” Weissbourd doesn’t necessarily recommend a high-profile internship, either. He believes teens benefit much more from jobs in the service industry, where they get to see life through “a radically different lens.” “The lessons are huge,” said Richard Weissbourd, a lecturer