A measured guide to qualifying, approaching, and engaging private capital platforms
I’ll be attending Money20/20 Europe in Amsterdam, June 3–5. If you're in-market and would like to discuss capital strategy, LP alignment, or strategic partnerships, feel free to reach out.
In the meantime, I want to offer a more grounded take on a topic that’s often treated superficially: engaging with family offices.
Family offices are frequently discussed, rarely understood, and often approached inefficiently. While there's no universal playbook, there is a more professional, structured way to navigate these relationships—especially if you're seeking capital in today’s environment.
Family offices are not a homogeneous category. Some resemble institutional asset managers with CIOs, investment committees, and defined mandates. Others are opportunistic, relationship-led, and driven by the principal’s judgment.
They operate at different speeds. They vary in transparency. And critically—they change priorities. What was appealing in 2022 may be out of scope in 2025. Your approach needs to reflect that fluidity.
It’s fine to begin with a shared spreadsheet, PitchBook output, or a friend’s introduction. But that’s not diligence. It's just a dataset.
Take the time to verify who’s actively deploying capital, whether they invest directly or through funds, and if their allocation strategy intersects with your company, asset class, or geography.
Review past transactions. Look at board appointments. Study their public commitments. If they’ve invested in adjacent sectors, that’s often more telling than generic strategy language on a website.
A 15-minute diligence exercise can save you months of misalignment.
Unless there’s a compelling reason to go cross-border, focus locally. Proximity still matters—particularly when the principal or CIO is personally involved.
If they’ve never done business in your region or vertical, it’s unlikely they’ll begin with a new relationship in a volatile macro environment.
Most outreach fails because it’s directed at the wrong person. The patriarch or founder is rarely the decision-maker. Look for the investment lead, the CIO, or a Principal with sourcing responsibility.
When in doubt, check who’s speaking at conferences, joining boards, or listed in fund documents.
Avoid lengthy intros or vague positioning.
State who you are, reference something they’ve done or backed, and briefly explain why you’re reaching out. Don’t attach a deck. Don’t ask for a meeting. Ask if they’re open to a brief exchange based on potential alignment.
That level of restraint is often what gets the reply.
A short coffee, an early breakfast, or a side conversation at a conference is often more effective than a formal pitch. Be concise. Make it easy for them to say yes to an initial conversation.
You’re not closing a transaction—you’re opening a dialogue.
Many LP-facing events promise access but deliver noise. The right ones can be useful—but always ask for references. Speak to a founder or manager who’s actually raised from someone they met there.
Avoid repeat attendees who never allocate. Your time is too valuable.
Working with family offices can be a valuable source of aligned, flexible capital—particularly for firms at an inflection point.
But capital is not deployed because of an Excel sheet or a cold message. It’s the result of credibility, context, and consistent follow-through.
If you're currently raising or rethinking how you engage LPs in this cycle, I’d be happy to have a more structured conversation. We advise both founders and funds on capital strategy, investor qualification, and direct engagement—particularly where discretion and clarity matter.
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