Applying Family Systems Theory to Deepen Family Connections with Ellen Perry

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Ellen Perry, founder and Managing Partner of Wealthbridge Partners. In 1989, Ellen co-founded GenSpring Family Offices, which became one of the leading fee-only multifamily office firms and was acquired by SunTust Bank in 2001. The GenSpring brand continues to this day as part of Truist Bank. She is the author of “A Wealth of Possibilities – Navigating Family, Money and Legacy” – a vital resource for families who seek to better understand the qualitative issues associated with their human capital.

Ellen talks about her discovery and immersion into family systems theory and shares the key learnings she derived from this body of knowledge and their applications in her work with families. Ellen reflects on the most important priority for any family, and any family system – ensuring the well-being of their children and the success and happiness of the future generation.

Having worked with many families to help them prepare their rising generation and pass on the family ethos and values, Ellen shares her observations on how well families are doing today at this all-important task and how successful parents and family leaders are in nurturing the young members of the family to be happy and fulfilled and how they are engaging them to become the future leaders of the family.

Ellen offers her tips on the practical frameworks she uses with families to engage and empower their young family members, such as the “Four Meaningful Questions” and the “Life Values Inventory” and talks about how she uses these tools to guide families to establish deeper connections, emotional intimacy, and enhanced well-being for their members.

Finally, Ellen contemplates the role of the family’s advisors in this process – both the ones working inside the family enterprise or single-family office and the trusted external advisors working for outside firms. She shares her views on what the family wealth advisory industry should be doing to advance the cause of stronger connections within the family and to help families flourish across generations.

We hope you enjoy this conversation with one of the most influential and thoughtful founders and shapers of the family wealth advisory field.