Laying Foundations for Generations: A Journey with iPaladin
After 25 years of working in the brokerage and wealth management sector, S.W. was asked to stand up a family office for a long-term client. Equipped with skills acquired over years of raising capital, handling M&A transactions, and managing wealth, S.W. saw an opportunity to merge these capabilities to serve complex family financial ecosystems.
Untangling the Family Office Knot
Starting out, S.W. quickly found challenges. In just a month, “I was faced with getting my hands around what was in place, the entities and investments, who the right control people were, all of the different loans between trusts and operating companies.” He knew he had two choices: hire more people or find efficient tools to make things easier.
Searching for Family Office Software
Searching online, S.W. saw many options for family office software. He noticed that most solutions seemed more attuned to accounting and performance reporting. However, iPaladin stood out as a platform tailored to the very backbone of family office management. It focused on the everyday operations of a family office, like keeping track of documents and ensuring things ran smoothly. A friend also recommended iPaladin, which made S.W. even more interested.
Not Just Another Software, but a Tool Born from Experience
S.W. admits he was a bit skeptical at first. "When you search online, every company says they have the best product. iPaladin was birthed from the real-world challenges of running a family office. It wasn’t just another pretty software; it was a tool molded by the hands-on experiences of its creator, Jill, who once helmed a family office herself." After hearing good things from people he trusts, Scott felt confident to try iPaladin.
Distinguishing Features that Sealed the Deal
S.W. believes that if you’re setting up a family office, you should first focus on building a strong foundation. Once that’s in place, you can think about other things like performance. The key differentiators that mattered to S.W.'s were:
1. Comprehensive Workflows for Compliance. With a multifaceted family setup, maintaining compliance becomes critical. iPaladin simplified the management of the companies, trusts, and intra-family loans, ensuring no lapse occurs, which might cause tax or legal complications.
2. Data Ownership and Security. Using blockchain technology, iPaladin ensures families have full control and ownership of their data. This assurance of security and data integrity was pivotal in S.W.’s decision-making, especially considering the sensitivity of data within wealth family ecosystems.
3. Building on a Solid Foundation. S.W. emphasizes the importance of establishing a robust foundation for a family office designed to last generations. iPaladin serves as this foundation, securing critical documents and facilitating efficient communication among stakeholders.
Transitioning with iPaladin
As an investment professional, S.W. had limited experience in software installation. However, iPaladin’s supportive team and intuitive design ensured a smooth transition. S.W. underscores the platform’s ease of use, crafted with the family office professional in mind.
The Lasting Impact of iPaladin
“iPaladin has dramatically improved my efficiency because I have one source for all of the documentation, information, and workflows that affect me, the family's attorneys, the tax professionals, and CPAs, and even the family members, along with even the operating business managers.” Scott’s goal was to put a tool in place as the foundation of the office to help the family manage their wealth over the next many generations and allow him to run very lean, for a long time.
