Recent Books and Articles

Read this short piece with some practical ideas for teaching the next generation the responsibility that accompanies the privilege of wealth, as published on September 7, 2022 in Impact online magazine. There is a brief video clip embedded in the piece as well.

I spoke on “Family Governance and The Family Office: Planning for the Next Generation” at the Opal Family Office & Private Wealth Forum in beautiful Newport, RI on July 18-20. Read this short piece with my views on Family Wealth Education published in Point of View online magazine on August 4, 2022, in which is embedded a short video clip.

The WHO of family governance, family decision making, and family meetings is a critical piece because you want to make sure that you have multi-directional communication at family meetings. Read this short piece published on July 6, 2022 in Inspiration and Insights online magazine. There’s a short video clip embedded in the piece as well.

Financial literacy is a lifelong education.

Read this short piece published in Talking Trends online magazine on June 6, 2022, in which is embedded a short video clip, about the importance of consistent teaching of financial literacy at every age.

Families often think that they’ve communicated much more (or sometimes much less) than they actually have about their wealth to their children.

Please read this short article in Talking Trends online magazine published on May 19, 2022.  There’s a brief video clip embedded in the piece as well.

Done right, allowances are a great way to teach children not only the difference between wants and needs, but also rudimentary budgeting skills and the satisfaction that comes with the responsibility of giving back.

Read this short piece published in Impact online magazine on April 21, 2022 in which is embedded a short video clip.

Read my thoughts on how to protect your family’s assets and still avoid World War III in this short article, published in Talking Trends online magazine on March 9, 2022.

Watch a short video clip here.

I spoke at a virtual meeting of the Tacoma Estate Planning Council on January 11, 2022. Many groups now enjoy virtual access to speakers that they otherwise could not, without the outlay to reimburse travel expenses. If you are planning a virtual event, let’s hop on a call and explore whether I might be a good speaker for your event!

Please read this short article in Point of View online magazine published on February 15, 2022 with the story behind why I call my talk, A Hard Look at the Soft Issues, as told to the Tacoma Estate Planning Council.  There’s a brief video clip embedded in the piece as well.

Some of you may know that I spent the 4^th quarter of 2021 recovering from multiple stress fractures in my hip and sacrum sustained while running my first-ever half-marathon in mid-September. For those interested, I did finish, and even medaled! Fortunately, I was able to avoid surgery, but only with being zero-weight bearing for 6 weeks, followed by 10% weight bearing for the better part of another month, then partial (50%) weight bearing, etc. The good news is that I’ve finally turned the corner, and believe that in the coming weeks I will be able to discard my crutches completely.

As you might imagine, I’ve had plenty of time to think and reflect during my convalescence, and the start of a new year seems like an ideal opportunity to share some of my lessons learned. They are not new year resolutions per se, more like past year reflections:

Practice random acts of kindness: This injury, and my resultant time sitting in a wheelchair, and then walking with crutches, has taught me enormous empathy for those for whom physical disability is not a temporary condition. Every crack in the sidewalk or uneven paving at curb ramps is potentially hazardous. It has also taught me overwhelming appreciation for the kindness of strangers. New Yorkers get a bad rap for their attitude, but special thanks to the airport wheelchair staff, the construction worker who came down off his scaffolding to move a pylon for me to pass in my wheelchair, and countless nameless bystanders who opened doors for me and offered other random acts of kindness.

“Health is the greatest gift” (Buddha): The pandemic has taught us all that the old maxim, “When you have your health, you have everything. When you do not have your health, nothing else matters at all,” is indeed true. Too many people worldwide lost their lives or suffered debilitating symptoms from the coronavirus. Compared to them, I know I shouldn’t complain. I may not have been able to walk unassisted, but I was able to breathe comfortably, spend time safely with friends and family, and even travel a bit.

Sleep Matters: For about a month during my convalescence, I couldn’t sleep at night. I got cranky, irritable and even lost my usual upbeat optimism. Thankfully, the issue seems to have resolved, but I’ve learned how important getting enough sleep is to my positive attitude and overall sense of well-being.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: The little annoyances of life are just that, little annoyances. Countless small tasks and projects of life were put on the back burner while I was unable to focus on them. Other details became primary concerns, like managing doctor appointments, X-rays, MRIs, physical therapy, etc. Most of those small tasks are still undone, and I can focus on them with a clear head and the realization that they didn’t need to be accomplished urgently.

Double Down on Priorities: I cannot begin to express my overwhelming gratitude to my amazing husband who became my primary caregiver, in addition to my lifelong sun, moon and stars. A public ‘Thank You’ is the very least I can do. I am so grateful to my family and my family-by-choice for their love, caring and support during this time and always. You are my priority.

Life is Too Short: This last one is really the corollary to and outgrowth of the other 5 on my list, but it bears repeating. Life IS too short. My wonderful husband reminds me of that all the time while encouraging me to spend more time on the things that give life pleasure and meaning.

Wishing you and those you love a healthy, safe, happy and meaningful 2022!

Published by Impact online magazine, January 10, 2022.

 

I spoke at my second in-person LIVE conference since Covid, at Opal Group’s excellent Family Office & Private Wealth Forum West in beautiful Napa, CA on October 20-22, 2021, where I presented on Family Governance, and also hosted a private closed-door session for families and family offices on governance and succession planning.

Please read this short article in Talking Trends online magazine published on December 6, 2021 about my comments on Communication in Family Governance from my panel presentation on Family Governance. There’s a brief video clip embedded in the piece as well.

I spoke at my second in-person LIVE conference since Covid, at Opal Group’s excellent Family Office & Private Wealth Forum West in beautiful Napa, CA on October 20-22, 2021, where I presented on Family Governance, and also hosted a private closed-door session for families and family offices on governance and succession planning.

Please read this short article in Impact online magazine published on November 10, 2021 about my comments on Family Constitutions from my panel presentation on Family Governance. There’s a brief video clip embedded in the piece as well.

Christa Dowling, International Cultural Communication Advisor, interviewed Susan. To learn more about what makes Susan tick, read an extract of their conversation here, published October 6, 2021. Also read a synopsis in Point of View online magazine published October 12, 2021 here.

Family meetings are an important component of the family governance structure to reinforce the family’s mission, vision and values.

Watch this short clip of my Opal Family Governance presentation on the who, what, when, where, why and how of family meetings. Read a short piece about it as published in Insights for Leaders online magazine on September 14, 2021.

Read Susan’s views on the 3 critical stages of planning for a transition at the top in Leadership Succession Planning in a Family Business as published in Inspiration And Insights online magazine on August 1, 2021 or watch a short clip here.

Read my views on when and how to have the tough conversation about family wealth, in The ‘My Kids Have No Idea About Our Wealth’ Dilemma as published in Insights for Leaders on April 21, 2021.

I was honored to collaborate on an important topic with Brett Dearing of Cerity Partners. Our co-authored article, Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: Acquiring the best talent is good for business was published in the March 2021 issue of Trusts & Estates magazine’s Family Business Report. Read a short article about it HERE in Talking Trends online magazine on May 11, 2021, or if you are a subscriber click here to read the article, or click here to see a PDF copy of the article.

Read tips on how to prepare your children to handle money from a young age, in Practical Suggestions for Preparing the Next Generation of Wealth as published in Insights for Leaders on January 11, 2021.

Read Susan’s views on how the events of 2020 along with the political climate can impact families in Current Events Present Challenges to Family Governance as published in Point of View online magazine on December 4, 2020.

As we all know, our nation is so divided now. Be it at Thanksgiving dinner or any other gathering, the possibility of angry differing points of view is now more likely than ever. With the ongoing pandemic, social distancing, and other safety protocols, families are being forced to rethink family meetings. In light of these obstacles, the need for families to communicate about their goals, values, hopes, and dreams is more crucial than ever. Read Susan’s latest interview, Directly Address the New Tensions at the Holiday Dinner Table, published in Insights for Leaders on November 19, 2020.

Read Susan’s thoughts on Facilitated Family Meetings, as published in Impact Magazine on October 7, 2020.