The growth of a financial influencer : Obediah Ayton? Obediah Ayton is a trust manager at Ayton Family Office Trust and a consultant at Tennor Holding B.V., a specialist in family office business, AI driven accounting services, finance and accounting. Obediah Ayton on what happens when a Family Office takes the VC model: Investment Firms: Family offices are increasingly part of syndicates for deals, and strong introductions can occasionally come to them from other institutional investment firms (private equity, venture capital, or hedge funds). Seek out the Largest Offices: Family offices don’t invest more than 5 to 10% of their net worth into venture capital; the differential goes to traditional private equity and hedge funds, direct stock and bond portfolios, and real estate. This implies that for entrepreneurs seeking funding, larger family offices ($2 to $10 billion in net worth) are better places to start the search relative to smaller, niche families who may be in wait for the “perfect deal” but usually follow other professional institutions. Family Office Summits (Run by Families, Not events companies): Time is money and deciding as to which events to spend your time on is as essential as any monetary transaction.
Many of these Family offices may prove to have much higher and longer-term vested interest in the businesses they invest in compared to an institutional investor. In many cases, based on the experience of the principals behind the family office, they will seek to take a more hands-on involvement in the businesses they fund, acting as mentors and not merely benefactors.
Obediah Ayton on how to raise money from family offices: Biggest advice: – To let the Family Office understand that you’re interests are aligned with theirs. That you’re in this for the long term, not just a few transactions. Even if they’re great deals. Intelligence is a commodity. Integrity is not. To do: Listen. Add value at all times. Ask about their goals and objectives. Be authentic. Ask about what they are currently looking for. Do what you say you’re going to do. “Trusting is hard. Knowing whom to trust, even harder.”
Obediah Ayton Family Trust organizes golf networking events. Ayton Family Golf Networking is an opportunity for keen golfers and high level business men and women to connect over organised round tables and a round of golf. Who will be there? Business Owners, Family Offices, Private Investment Companies, International Business Moguls, Sovereign Wealth Funds, Entrepreneurs & industry professionals from across the UK. Why participate? The Ayton Family brings together the world’s leading experts geared toward identifying actionable strategies for generating returns in a low-rate, high volatility market. Facilitated by the Ayton family office, the golf day will provide a full day of private peer-to-peer conversation, networking and cross-border thought leadership designed to make you think about what to look out for and how to work together. Playing golf: Our attendees are business owners with one common goal; building new business opportunities and playing more golf. Members range from entrepreneurs to multinational billion dollar businesses.
Obediah Ayton on the new definition of a billionaire is not the net worth but in achieving change in a billion lives: We have seen family offices become much more engaged in discussions about sustainable and impact investing over the last 12 months. This is no longer seen as a ‘side project’ or preoccupation of the Next Gen, but a priority for the family as a whole. Many products are now recognised by family offices as fully-fledged investment tools that can generate good returns. New technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptocurrency, blockchain and even gaming have made their way onto the family office radar and into their budgets.
Right now is a great time to build close relationships with Family Offices for future capital raises! To capitalize on this favorable change in the tide, it would be worthwhile to (re)start your outreach to this notoriously hidden family wealth. Just because the offices are hidden does not mean they are unreachable. The relationships with single and multi family offices can be cultivated through diligent, persistent, and intelligent outreach. Below are a few methods to begin your family office outreach: Have a Proactive and Diversified Outreach: The most effective outreach strategy requires both persistent and proactive outreach. Even for the specialized Family Offices Group, building relationships still requires a variety of different channels and techniques. Currently, you can use a variety of tactics — probably around 30 different strategies — to attract family offices. Speak at conferences, writing articles, publish newsletters, maintain a website, run an association, offer a training platform — and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Find additional details at Obediah Ayton.