Disclaimer: This article is written by Bruce Sheppard in a personal capacity. It does not constitute financial advice, and he is not a licensed financial adviser. Please seek independent financial advice before making any investment decisions. Global markets are rattled. Trump’s trade policies have introduced a level of uncertainty not seen in years, and for […]

Business owners are asking the same questions heading into 2026: Are we at the bottom? Is it safe to invest yet? When will things turn around? After years of treading water, just trying to stay afloat, the frustration of not knowing when to make a move is wearing thin. Here’s what Bruce thinks is happening. […]

The June 2024 wealth report is out, revealing both predictable patterns and surprising trends. We’ve endured three tough years, household debt is rising, our love affair with property continues, and wealth compounds over time. But dig deeper and you’ll find unexpected revelations about education returns, capital flight, intergenerational wealth transfers and demographic shifts that should […]

We’re a year out from a general election and heading into local body elections as a dry run for next year. None of this bodes well. A note from the team: The views shared in this piece are the personal opinions of Bruce Sheppard and don’t necessarily reflect the position of others within Gilligan Sheppard. […]

There’s a revolution happening in the job market right now. Not the usual economic cycle bullshit, but something fundamental. The core requirement for staying relevant isn’t education or training anymore. It’s creativity, lateral thinking, and imagination, because now we have to outsmart Artificial Intelligence (AI). And to use AI effectively, you have to be really […]

Most family business founders put off succession decisions, with their teams and their families. We all believe in our immortality, until we don’t or we are terminated by events beyond our control. This article is not focused on business succession but rather on the thorny issues of family wealth and family business ownership succession. Firstly, […]

Children in Family Office environments have the unique advantage of growing up with considerable financial resources at their disposal. However, with this privilege comes the responsibility of managing wealth wisely and understanding the legalities surrounding relationship property. In many of the families we work with, financial management often falls into the hands of an individual. [...]

Is it because we are paranoid, insecure, embarrassed, or awkward? Or is it that we don’t want to be judged or thought of as offensive or ostentatious? Perhaps our family values and traditions have made wealth a subject to be discussed behind closed doors. Or maybe we just like a little privacy regarding our personal […]

It feels like the right time of year to sit back and reflect on what’s been happening, and what’s to come. When I am trusted to take care of administration on behalf of another person or family, I never take it for granted and it’s something I hold in great esteem. I’m feeling very privileged […]

The suite of professionals, or what Bruce likes to call them, The Circle of Wagons. The Circle of Wagons Definition: to gather a group of people together to protect them from being attacked. Back in the day of wagons, animals and Indians, they moved wagons during the day in single file. When night approached, they […]