What We Do
There are three major components to how we help families.
First, we take the time to understand what is really important to our clients by conducting a focused and detailed interview utilizing penetrating questions that help clients clarify their feelings, objectives, family dynamics, and their current state.
Second, we design a workable and understandable plan that addresses all of their issues. We help them negotiate and prioritize those issues so we can develop a time-sensitive action plan that includes composing a family significance statement and creating appropriate entities and structures, primarily a family foundation and family enterprise holding company (family office) to implement the plan.
Finally, we implement the plan, then monitor, maintain and manage all of the activities and entities to include the family enterprise holding company and family foundation. We conduct family meetings and retreats so we can mentor and train all members of the family in the proper stewardship of the family legacy.
Over 80 Years of Combined Experience
Family Incorporated Since 1994
Kip Kolson | President, Author, and Speaker
Certified Kingdom Advisors™
Contact us or click on the book cover to learn how you can obtain a copy of Kip’s book, You Can Have it All; Wealth, Wisdom, and Purpose–Strategies for Creating a Lasting Legacy and Strong Family
Kip Kolson entered the financial services industry in 1967. His experience includes tenures in banking, commercial real estate development, and financial planning at a leading business and personal financial planning corporation as well as ownership of his own real estate company, and now his own family wealth leadership company. As Vice President and head of real estate at Bank of America’s Newport Center office, Kip managed the office’s real estate loan portfolio. From there, he became Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for an independently owned commercial real estate development and management company. Kip had oversight of the company’s asset management including lines of credit, financial projections and budgeting, compensation and employee benefits as well as their risk management and project management. As one of the development partners, his activities included buying undeveloped land, land planning, hiring architects, engineers and contractors, arranging construction and permanent financing, negotiating legal structures and partnership relationships, supervising the construction of projects, contracting with brokers and marketing personnel and negotiating leases and sales contracts, and managing tenant and physical plant assets. Kip started his own company as owner of Kolson Investment Property Advisors. It was during these six years as an owner, that he developed a better understanding of the wants and needs of the average business owner and its employees. Feeling a need to have a greater impact on helping others, Kip decided to pursue his financial planning career with IDS Financial Services, but knew he needed to associate with an independent firm to achieve his goal of being a client advocate. In 1992, he joined Advantage Financial Advisory Group, the predecessor of Family Wealth Leadership, and over time acquired the firm. As owner and president, he guides all aspects of the firm to ensure it achieves its mission of optimizing a family’s true wealth in order to prepare the next generation to be responsible stewards and to leave a legacy for future generations. Kip served three years in the US Army as a first lieutenant in an armor battalion in Germany and received his Honorable Discharge in December 1970 prior to working at Bank of America.
Kip was a Registered Principal with the FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Association) having passed the Series 7, 51, 63 and 24 securities qualification exams; however, he has given these up in favor of being a fee only Independent Advisor Representative under Family Wealth Leadership’s RIA. Additionally, he holds Life and Disability Insurance, Indexed and Fixed annuity licenses, as well as a Real Estate Broker’s license for the state of California.
Kip has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agri-Business from Arizona State University. He also has Associate of Arts Degrees in Banking and Real Estate from Saddleback College. Kip has furthered his education by completing numerous courses in banking, lending and insurance as well as courses in investment, financial, and business and estate planning, and annually satisfies the requirement for industry continuing education.
Certified professional member of the Kingdom Advisors. California State University-Fullerton’s Center for Family Business. Keiretsu Angel Capital Forum. Graduate of Preparing Heirs Institute.
Kevin Kolson | Vice President
Certified Financial Planner™
Certified Exit Planning Advisors™
Kevin Kolson joined Family Wealth Leadership in 2004. He assists in directing the Wealth Management and Planning process to assist client families to achieve their goals and objectives and to help create a family legacy that spans multiple generations. Further, Kevin manages the development and oversight of the client’s investment portfolios.
Prior to joining Family Wealth Leadership, Kevin spent six years as a senior associate for a leading business valuation firm in Irvine, California, where he gained valuable experience he is able to apply to meeting the needs of the firm’s business clients. These include valuing the securities of both privately and publicly held small and middle market companies in a wide array of industries for a variety of purposes including estate and gift tax, fairness and solvency opinions, transactions, ESOPs, litigation and financial reporting. Kevin also performed complex valuations assignments involving intellectual property, the allocation of value between tangible and intangible assets; and the valuation of stock options.
Kevin was licensed with the FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Association) having passed the Series 7, 63 and 65 securities qualification exams; however, he has given these up, but maintains the Series 65 licenses as a fee-only Investment Advisor Representative of Family Wealth Leadership. Additionally, Kevin is licensed with the state of California for life insurance and variable annuities.
Kevin has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Finance with additional focus on financial planning from California State University, Fullerton and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CERTIFIED EXIT PLANNING ADVISOR™ certifications, and annually satisfies the requirement for CFP and CEPA and industry continuing education.
Objectives
It must be understood that running an effective and efficient family is the same as running a business–the family enterprise. Like any business, six critical elements must be in place to be successful. They are sales and marketing; production; distribution; administration and operations; finance, accounting, and tax; and human resources. The following are examples of some of the objectives that must be achieved if the enterprise is to fulfill its purpose.
The Plan
- Have a viable and clear purpose and mission
- Add value to the world
- Have a well defined and well designed plan
- Execute the plan effectively and timely
- Constantly strive to improve operations
- Seek new opportunities and be able to adapt to changing situations
- Analyze the risks and rewards and make informed decisions
- Employ, educate and train qualified personnel
- Empower individuals to take action and be decisive
- Encourage social responsibility
- Be profitable and increase the value of the enterprise
- Be ongoing
- Provide for an orderly and timely succession to qualified leaders who can carry on the mission
Strategy
Advise and guide the family in the development of a family mission statement and a plan that will effectively develop their abilities to attain significance. Assemble and coordinate a highly qualified team of professionals with the abilities needed to design and implement a plan that will lead to significance.Educate them on scriptural principles and creative solutions for properly utilizing the resources that have temporarily been entrusted to them.
The Solution
- Identify family values, objectives, a mission and a vision that will allow the family to gain clarity of purpose.
- Advise and guide the family in the development of a family mission statement and a plan that will effectively develop their abilities to attain significance.
- Assemble and coordinate a highly qualified team of professionals with the abilities needed to design and implement a plan that will lead to significance.
- Educate them on scriptural principles and creative solutions for properly utilizing the resources that have temporarily been entrusted to them, in order to make inspired decisions that result in good stewardship.
- Encourage and assist them to act immediately to implement solutions to help achieve the desired results.
- Provide ongoing accountability, encouragement and management that will foster confidence in their decisions and the results.
- Set a personal example of the above.