The Mack Podcast

In this special crossover episode of The Mack Podcast and the Declarations Podcast, Brian Adams and Todd Rich, Co-Founder and Partner at Declaration Partners, come together for a wide-ranging conversation on the family office landscape.

They explore the transition from wealth creation to multigenerational stewardship, the changing role of family office leadership, and emerging trends in private capital investing. They also discuss what makes a successful family office executive, evolving approaches to talent and compensation, and the importance of building strong relationships and community across the family office ecosystem.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by BanyanGlobal Family Business Advisors.

Banyan works with family business owners to navigate complex decisions around succession, ownership, and long-term strategy—helping families clarify their options, align as a group, and move forward with confidence. Learn more at banyan.global.
This episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub.

Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference

November 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel required

FOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.

Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

As private companies stay private longer and secondary markets continue to expand, family offices have new opportunities to access sought-after investments, but also face greater complexity in evaluating and managing them.

Brian C. Adams is joined by Bob Blair, Hendrik Jordaan, and Tobias Heaslip to explore the evolving private secondary market, from deal sourcing and SPV structures to due diligence, pricing, liquidity, and exit strategies. They discuss how family offices can navigate these opportunities, manage concentration risk, and position themselves for long-term success.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com
This episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub.

Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference

November 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel required

FOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.

Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

Brian Adams is joined by Adam Chin, Managing Partner at International Art Finance, to explore the growing market for art-backed lending and how family offices and collectors can unlock liquidity from their fine art collections. They discuss the differences between traditional bank financing and specialized lenders, valuation and collateral considerations, and the evolving role of art as an investable asset class.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by EY.

EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.

Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.

This episode is also sponsored by FOTechHub.

Join FOTechHub's 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference

November 18–19 | Fully Virtual — join from anywhere, no travel required

FOTechHub brings together single and multi-family office professionals to share insights on technology and operations. Its 4th Annual Tech & Ops Conference will feature discussions on AI implementation, the future of family office tech, live tech demos, and practical workshops with industry practitioners. Attendance is complimentary for single and multi family offices and advisors.

Learn more and register for the conference HERE.

How can families bring greater discipline and oversight to their commercial real estate portfolios?

Brian Adams is joined by Richard Leider, Pete Stone, and Lex Wieneke of Trinity Real Estate to discuss the outsourced real estate CIO model, including portfolio strategy, risk management, asset performance, and succession planning. The conversation explores how institutional expertise can help families navigate complex real estate holdings and make more informed, long-term investment decisions.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by Somos22.

Somos22 is a network for family office principals and professional managers to connect and deepen Connection Capital within a community of trusted peers. Learn more at somos22network.com

Wealth can create extraordinary opportunities, but it can also remove the challenges that help develop purpose, motivation, and independence.

In this episode of The Mack Podcast, Brian C. Adams is joined by Connor Boyack and Taylor Adams to explore The Prosperity Paradox, the distinction between financial and human capital, and how traditional approaches to wealth preservation can unintentionally create dependency. They discuss why families may need to shift their focus from preserving wealth to developing capable, purpose-driven future generations.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by EY.

EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.

Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.

In this panel discussion, Brian C. Adams is joined by Sutton Fannon of Glen Rock Strategic Partners and Stephen Pharr of Old Harbor Partners to discuss the infrastructure, talent, governance, and economics behind successful direct investing.

They explore deal sourcing, investment discipline, portfolio oversight, and the long-term commitment required to establish and sustain a direct investment strategy.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by Somos22.

Somos22 is a network for family office principals and professional managers to connect and deepen Connection Capital within a community of trusted peers. Learn more at somos22network.com

As family offices and prominent families become more visible, managing reputation requires thoughtful planning long before a crisis occurs.

Brian Adams is joined by Crayton Webb, Owner and CEO of Sunwest Communications, to discuss reputation management, crisis communications, and public affairs. The conversation explores political and philanthropic giving, social media exposure, preparing the next generation for greater visibility, and protecting a family's reputation across generations.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by EY.

EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.

Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.

As family offices expand their direct investments, operating responsibilities, and governance structures, executives face a broader range of personal and professional risks.

In this episode of The Mack Podcast, Brian Adams is joined by Jeff Avery, Santosh Keni, and Debo Adesina to discuss executive risk, fiduciary responsibilities, insurance coverage, cybersecurity, and reputational exposure. The conversation explores how family offices can strengthen governance, protect key decision-makers, and establish safeguards that support long-term continuity.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by Somos22 and High Road Hiring.

Somos22 is a network for family office principals and professional managers to connect and deepen Connection Capital within a community of trusted peers. Learn more at somos22network.com

High Road Hiring is a boutique recruitment consultancy serving high-net-worth households, family offices, and founder-led enterprises. They provide executive and personal search, estate staffing, and strategic hiring advisory, delivering rigorously vetted talent aligned with your culture and long-term vision. Learn more at highroadhiring.com

As family offices explore the potential of artificial intelligence, protecting sensitive information and maintaining control over data remain critical considerations.

In this episode of The Mack Podcast, Brian C. Adams sits down with Steven Walchek, Founder and CEO of Liminal, to discuss the risks associated with public AI tools, the rise of shadow AI, and the importance of data privacy and governance. They also explore multi-model AI strategies, agentic AI, and how family offices can responsibly adopt emerging technologies while safeguarding confidential information.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by EY.

EY Family Office Advisory Services has built its approach around the principle that every family is unique. EY tackles the most complex problems alongside families that set the standard. Their team sees the whole system, which ensures families understand the full scope of options and the implications of their choices across governance, tax, technology, risk and operations.

Learn more about the EY approach at ey.com/familyoffice.

In this episode of The Mack Podcast, Brian C. Adams is joined by Brad Harrison, Founder and Managing Partner of Scout Ventures, and Guy Filippelli, Managing Partner of Squadra Ventures, to discuss the growing interest in aerospace and defense investing among family offices.

They explore emerging investment opportunities across defense technology, the changing government procurement landscape and the role of private capital in strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains. The conversation also addresses how family offices can evaluate specialized investment managers and develop long-term exposure to the sector.

To learn more about Mack International, please visit www.mackinternational.com

This episode is sponsored by High Road Hiring.

High Road Hiring is a boutique recruitment consultancy serving high-net-worth households, family offices, and founder-led enterprises. They provide executive and personal search, estate staffing, and strategic hiring advisory, delivering rigorously vetted talent aligned with your culture and long-term vision. Learn more at highroadhiring.com