I’d like to reintroduce my services and share a bit about the distinct roles of fractional management and advising consulting in the luxury estate management industry. These two approaches offer unique benefits to estate owners, and understanding their differences can help estate families make informed choices.
Fractional Estate Manager
A fractional estate manager serve luxury homeowners by managing routine tasks and ongoing projects, often working weekly or on a rotational basis within a fixed geographic area. Typically small business owners themselves, fractional managers handle various aspects of estate operations, supervising staff and overseeing projects. However, they work independently, maintaining their own schedules and business practices, and are usually engaged on a 1099 basis rather than as employees. Although fractional managers may advise on best practices and assist with policy and procedure development, their primary role is operational, focusing on the day-to-day functioning of the estate as an independent contractor. They serve an essential function in the estate management industry, taking care of primary residences, secondary homes, and vacation properties, ensuring the upkeep and standards are to the owner’s satisfaction! I have many respected colleagues in this field and highly recommend them and others! Christopher M. Milu, Latricia Friend, Evelya Z Rivera
Advising Consultant
In contrast, an advising consultant provides a higher-level, third-party assessment of estate operations with a focus on optimizing all aspects of service and management. As an advisor, I navigate various objectives with estate owners and staff. Some aspects of my work include setting culture and values standards, drafting policy manuals and other deliverables to assist in the estate's function, establishing performance indicators, and providing specialized staff training tailored to each estate’s unique requirements. From food and beverage service to guest relations and scheduling, I ensure each staff member understands and embodies the household’s standards of excellence. My role includes advising on organizational structure, optimizing service standards within budgetary, staffing, and time constraints, and creating communication frameworks that empower harmonious household operations. Tapestry Associates, LLC as an example is a well-respected advising firm. I recommend them highly in this arena, as well as many others whom I am proud to call colleagues in the estate management advising space.
Additionally, I facilitate crucial conversations to resolve staff conflicts, support hiring and firing processes in partnership with placement agencies and serve as the owner’s representative to ensure every placement aligns with the family’s needs. Agents love my insider perspective into the inner workings of the family’s staffing needs, and through my objective assessment of daily operation and in-home assessment, I can help agents make a better placement as well as owners ultimately be happier with their placements because I assist with the hiring process. Through my unbiased opinion on the staffing structure needed for a family and the residence itself, I am able to hone in on the variables needed for a successful placement because of my comprehensive in-home assessment.
Since 2010, my consulting practice has taken me to 40 states and numerous estates of all sizes and styles. My mission has always been to leave each family and staff team with the tools and framework to foster a well-coordinated, respectful, and high-performing household. I value both the fractional manager and consulting models, as they each bring value in different ways, and I am fortunate to have friends and colleagues in both areas. However, my passion lies in advising consulting, where I can help shape the service environment more deeply through onsite evaluation and bespoke solutions.
Typically, I spend a week at a time with each client in residence, tackling specific areas of focus while remaining available for any acute needs that arise. I facilitate group discussions and team training and tailor one-on-one conversations to address situations within our objective as I see the service week unfold. I am on site 40-60 hours per week when I am with an estate, and I often encourage the staff and owners to host a social function for training purposes so I can assist as a tutor while I am onsite. My consulting services extend across the U.S. and beyond – wherever my passport can take me! Estate and domestic placement agencies, as well as single-family and multi-family offices are my best referral sources, and I am proud to offer a referral thank-you upon contract initiation.
Please reach out if you know of an estate that could benefit from advising services or would like to schedule a complimentary consultation. With over 25 years in the industry and more than 15 years as a consultant, I look forward to bringing my expertise to those who need it most. Please contact me at Luxury Lifestyle Logistics to set up a complimentary consultation to discuss your unique needs.