What does “success” really mean for your family? And how do you build toward it—together?

In our webinar, Defining Family Success: Crafting a Vision for Multigenerational Growth and Thriving, Pathstone’s Jim Coutré and Hannah Kanstroom invited families to pause, reflect, and co-create a shared vision of success. Whether you’re just beginning to think about legacy planning or refining your family’s long-term strategy, this conversation offered powerful tools and perspectives to help families move forward with intention.

If you missed the live session, you can watch the full recording here.

Three Takeaways to Remember:

1. There’s no one right way to do this—just that doing it matters.
   Every family is unique. Communication styles, values, and cultures differ, which means your process will too. The key is to engage in the work. Simply articulating your family’s purpose and vision brings clarity, alignment, and direction.
2. Co-creation is where the magic happens.
   This isn’t about one person writing a statement and sharing it top-down. Vision-setting is most powerful when each family member’s voice is included. A shared vision becomes a container for individual dreams—and it’s in that space where connection deepens.
3. Vision is only meaningful when it leads to action.
   Once you have your vision, ask: how do we live this out? In moments of uncertainty, your shared purpose becomes your guide. It shapes how you invest, how you make decisions, and how you show up for each other.

Highlights from the Conversation:

• Meeting the moment. Taking time to pause and reflect—especially during transitions—helps families regain a sense of control, reduce fear, and increase agency.
• Why vision matters. Without a shared purpose, wealth alone can lead to secrecy and mistrust. A well-articulated vision supports emotional safety, transparency, and honest dialogue.
• Success, redefined. It’s not about rigid rules or control. It’s about clarifying what matters most and creating space to explore what success really looks like for your family.
• From silence to conversation. Families tend to fill in the blanks when there’s no open communication. Creating a culture of dialogue helps prevent misunderstandings and builds lasting trust.
• Story spotlight. Jim shared how a patriarch initially planned to divide assets equally—but after witnessing the joy and connection at a multigenerational family event, he realized the greater goal was togetherness, not separation. That shift sparked a new, shared family vision rooted in love, support, and connection.

Tactics for Getting Started:

There’s no set playbook, but here are some guiding steps shared during the session:

1. Start the conversation. Whether it’s at the dinner table or in a more structured setting, find ways to ask open-ended questions. Give space to explore the “why” behind your family’s goals.
2. Build a shared narrative. Reflect on your family’s successes, challenges, and hopes. Capture stories, support shared causes, and translate values into tangible actions—like mentoring programs or meaningful traditions.
3. Write it down. Make your vision part of daily life. It’s not just about words on paper—it’s about creating guiding principles (e.g., “We listen before we respond”) that are lived and practiced.
4. Practice and prepare. Intergenerational communication takes work. Consider coaching, workshops, or peer group engagements to help everyone grow into the process.
5. Revisit and adapt. Revisit your vision regularly. Has something changed? Does it still reflect who you are and where you’re going? Reflect and adapt—together.

A Few Audience Questions We Loved:

Q: When should we start involving the next generation?
As early as possible. Kids want to feel important and have opinions. Starting young fosters a culture of collaboration and inclusion.

Q: What if the conversation doesn’t go well?
Conflict can feel tough, but working through it is what creates stronger understanding. It takes time, practice, and sometimes outside support—but it’s worth it.

Q: How often should we meet as a family to do this work?
More is better, especially at the beginning. Consider a big annual meeting, plus periodic check-ins. Just be mindful—if it starts to feel like a chore, scale back. The goal is meaningful engagement, not burnout.

Q: We’ve documented our mission and values—but now our kids are growing up. What’s next?
Revisit the vision with them. You can share the original framework and invite them to build on it. Ownership is key—let the next generation shape the path forward.

Want to continue the conversation on multigenerational growth?

We’d love to hear from you! Contact us to get connected with our Wealth Planning team and start a conversation about your family’s goals and vision for the future.

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