Working with affluent families is something that I've heavily focused on throughout the past 20-years and it's a role that I've very much enjoyed. Initially working in a personal and family security capacity, I would grow over time to increase my service offering and began to see that families I worked with, came to rely on much more than me just keeping them safe, as important as that is. I've personally taken far more satisfaction from working with families than I have with other type of clientele, and that is in no way meant as a negative slant on celebrities and business leaders, I've just felt that it was an area that I could really add value.
Throughout the early part of my career, I worked primarily with a number of A list celebrities as well as a several notable business leaders, again in a personal security capacity. The job was enjoyable for sure, but the high profile nature and dealing with some of the issues that can come from that towards these individuals, was something I never enjoyed. I was relied upon heavily by those I was working with, and formed some great relationships with my principals, but dealing with the often-aggressive paparazzi, overly excited fans, and even some disturbing stalkers, or Persons of Interest (POI's), was not something I was fond of. This, I feel, is one of the reasons why I've felt more comfortable working with high value people and families who have and enjoy a lower profile, and who just want to be as normal as possible.
Make no mistake though, the risks to people and families of vast wealth are ever real, and to a certain degree they can be far greater than those of fame or leaders of big companies, and what I've learned over the years is that some individuals and families of wealth don't fully understand the risks that they may face, and this is where I've helped them, to understand and implement low profile measures that can give provide them with peace of mind. Not everyone wants to have personal security in their lives, I fully understand that, but there are measures that we should all take, regardless of wealth, to better our personal security, but the greater the wealth, the more measures that need to be implemented, and it's all about ensuring that the right information and education is provided, to make families more aware of any potential impact.
This article is not intended to solely focus on the personal and family security piece, but it is an important area that high value people should take seriously, and with the right information, they can be proactive rather than reactive, to help them better protect themselves and their families. What this article is focused on is how we as a company are able to understand the sensitive and unique needs of high-net-worth families, and because we understand it, we are able to provide tailored support that is productive and beneficial to those we serve. Of course, each family is different in what they want, need, and are looking for, but having a trusted partner that you can call on, and one that 'just get it', goes a long way in terms of raising the bar and delivering a level of excellence for those who invest in a reliable partner rather hiring just a service.
There are too many service providers who are purely focused on what they can make and gain from those of wealth, I've seen it as an individual, we've seen it as a company, and some of our clients have seen it. For some it's simply an opportunity to make as much as they can, but they don't particularly care too much about the quality of work, the interaction with the client, or the opportunity for repeat business. There are of course some, staff, vendors, and companies, who go above and beyond and have a positive impact on those who require support, whether it's the hiring of a personal chef, a security individual or team, a maintenance project at the residence, or something travel related in lands far away, but what we've learned in speaking and working with many high net worth families, is that this can often be a challenge to them.
Some families rely on lifestyle management companies, where they may hold a membership, to help them source personnel or a specific service provider, others may speak with friends or business colleagues for guidance or recommendations, and there are some who will contact a local staffing agency that they may have come across online, which can often be a roll of the dice outcome. Regardless of where the support comes from though, the common denominator for almost everyone we've spoken to and worked with, is the trust factor, and this is something that can be extremely difficult for many. Is this individual or company reliable? Do the contractors at my home have criminal backgrounds? Is the driver we are using on our visit to Paris, professional, safe, and discreet? The list, questions, and concerns, go on.
I know of some families who have all kinds of support staff and companies at their disposal, and I've been to some homes, primarily large scale and in the $25m - $50m range, where there are many staff members on property and within the home itself, and although this may indeed be needed, it can be a lot of people who to a certain degree, are an unknown commodity. It's also an opportunity for a lot of eyes to see what you have, what assets are around, what paintings are on the wall, and what vases and other valuable items you have in the home, in other words, it can be an opportunity for some to see exactly what you and your family are all about in terms of your wealth, and that is where you need to look at the bigger picture of the 'what if'. This isn't just about your personal and family security, it's about having a partner who has your back and leaves no stone unturned in terms of the support you are looking for, and the service and people you expect to have.
We are also not just focusing on residential matters in the United States here, as they things could also apply to overseas properties which again is something we are familiar with. When you reach a certain net worth, then the real estate portfolio generally grows, and we've worked with some families who have multiple homes across the world, whether elsewhere in the US or in The Caribbean and throughout Europe. Generally, this can often be a challenge as the family may not be at these additional homes too often, they may have house managers or staff who are working occasionally and even full time, the family may have state of the art camera and alarm systems with sensors throughout the house in their absence. This is all well and good, but who manages this? Who has access to this? And importantly, who is choosing the staff at these homes?
I worked with one family many years ago for almost 3-years where I was able to really gain a good understanding of how they wanted to live their life. With a net worth of around $750m, they'd grown concerned about their personal well-being and, with two young children, had contacted me with a view to implementing some protocols for their residence and their family. As it happened, and with the family gaining a good understanding of me, my background, and my experience, they asked that I come and work for them full time. This wasn't something I was looking for as I had several clients at the time, but I recognized the importance of this role and also what I could learn from it, and I accepted the offer and moved from Los Angeles to The Hamptons in New York.
It was a unique and enjoyable project, and I'd work with the family both at home and during their international travel. They had a nice primary residence in The Hamptons and a small home in Europe, they enjoyed flying private, they had three nice cars, and they may visit a Caribbean island each year, but it wasn't excessive or extravagant. They were a family who wanted to make sure they were hiring the right people, their security was taken care of by a professional, and their travel matters were more aligned in terms of what they needed and who they used. At the time the family were members of an exclusive lifestyle management company and were paying a significant amount of money for that privilege, but after only a few months of working with them, they realized that I was the one delivering on everything they needed; A driver in London, a luxury hotel in Rome, sourcing a private jet to fly to The Caribbean, vetting contractors for their residence, or arranging activities for their children during a trip. I became their one stop shop for everything.
This really is where the idea for TS Eight started to form, but the execution of the company and our service offering would come much later. It was in sitting down with this family on a regular basis to discuss their needs, wants, likes, dislikes, fears, hopes, and their expectations, and then me going out there and just making things happen for them. I built on this, traveled the world with other clients, families of lesser and greater wealth than this family, I built a network and provided a service that added real value to those I was working with, and then, once I knew I was at that point of exceptional experience and knowledge, the conversations started with my Brother Gary who himself had been supporting high value people and companies. It was time to bring our collective experiences and our highly regarded network together and roll out a service offering that was dependable for those looking for discreet but effective support globally.
We have a genuine passion for what we do and who we do it for, and that is a defining difference between us and other companies. We have experience that goes way beyond what others say they have, and we have a unique understanding of what our clients are looking for. Our methodology of 'assess, plan, provide', enables our family clients to tap into a wealth of support that they can enjoy and count on, and it allows us to tailor solutions that are welcomed by those who call on us. We do not simply offer a service that a family does not need, we are there as a reliable resource, and if we can't do something then we'll say that, and this is something that our clients respect and appreciate,
because when we say we can do something, they know better than anyone that we will do it well, on behalf of them and for them.
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If you would like to learn more about what we do or have any questions, please contact us by emailing
theteam@ts-eight.com or by calling us at (+1) 212 252 2108 (New York), (+44) (0) 203 885 1438 (London), or
(+971) (0) 52 726 4101 (Abu Dhabi). We are a consulting, project management, and logistics coordination company that specializes in providing exclusive global support for high value people and Fortune 100 companies and we would be delighted to speak with you further about how we can help you, your family, or your company.
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