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The latest economic figures show there will be a challenging period ahead for the Australian economy and at Grant Thornton, we know that the retail sector is not immune to these shifting tides.

In this podcast, Kirsten Taylor-Martin and Simon Gow, Partners in the Private Business Tax and Advisory team at Grant Thornton Australia discuss setting up a family office.

Next generations are itching to take over – the question is are they ready? Future leaders should allow at least three to five years to demonstrate their credibility and develop leadership skills. There are high expectations of the next generation’s business acumen, financial and industry understanding, the ability to lead and inspire, and capability to overcome hurdles. Taking over the family business is a process that often spans across a number of years, and can be separated into succession of management (that is, responsibility and authority), and succession of ownership.

When considering starting a Family Office, it is important to know the potential pitfalls that may affect your wealth position and how every family member has the potential to impact this wealth – positively and negatively. And many are often an untapped resource.

The complex multi-generation relationships in a family business define their success – and often underline their failures

How to finance the transition of a business through generations can be one of the fundamental challenges encountered in an effective succession plan.

Learn our five tips to any family member wishing to join the Family Office – and for the family wishing to appoint an official role

Well over half of all Australian family businesses do not have processes in place to deal with conflict, to clearly express the aim and goal of the business and to allow for transition and succession. Consulting a third party facilitator can assist with the formation of a governance structure. A facilitator provides a layer of independence as they are not emotionally involved, and serve in holding the family accountable, aiding in dealing with more sensitive matters.

There have been some recent developments from the ATO which are set to impact those using a discretionary trust as part of their financial family arrangements.

There is an increased importance for the boards of family businesses to find the right balance between compensation for the management team working in the business, and earnings for the family shareholders who own the business. It is likely that some family members will be involved in both aspects which heightens the challenge of distinguishing the return. There are several ways for family business owners to approach these challenges.

A question we often hear is ‘what is a family office’? While any family can think about these same issues and investment goals, our family office start up allows families with a minimum of $2 million to invest to start a family office.

The conversation around workplace culture is shifting fast. Team members, customers and shareholders are demanding greater transparency from company leaders on how they are leading and truly embedding a cultural shift.