Next generation entrepreneurs who aspire to be investors rather than operating executives may want to pursue the creation of a family-funded (first generation funded, usually) private equity fund. This choice usually coincides with families who have or are on the verge of asset allocation strategies, and are generally supported by existing single or multi – family offices.
Establishing a private equity fund takes more than the initial investment of an eight figure sum of money, although it does take that as a minimum starting point. We will interview the next generation entrepreneur and evaluate his/her strengths. This is not a judgment we make, but a process whereby we learn from the next generation what their strengths and weaknesses are. We will develop educational strategies for those who are open to the suggestion. This interview process also elicits the next generation’s individual interests, preferences and even biases. Taken together, these interactions result in written objectives and a plan of action. This plan will fully comprehend the creation of the fund, staffing plans, recruiting the staff, policies and procedures, investment management, and deal search.
One final word on financial magnitude: The family needs to recognize that the initial dedicated investment, however large it may be, is highly unlikely to be the extent of the commitment. Privacy thus becomes the counterweight to success. Very few family-sponsored private equity funds can achieve the magnitude required to provide real professional careers to non-family members without seeking commitments of capital from outside the family.