The 3 I’s: The Foundation of Exceptional Family Office Advice

Independence: Unbiased advice puts you first

For athletes entering a new stage of wealth, independence in financial advice is foundational. However, true independence is rare among the familiar large banks, insurance companies, and investment houses. These organizations are built to serve shareholders above all, answering to millions of investors before considering the client. When they offer recommendations, they are limited by a preset menu of options, designed to favor profitability rather than prioritizing what is actually best for you.

As Jeff Locke explains, this structure means, “Their number one responsibility is profit for the company. Number two responsibility is advice to you.” For an elite athlete with $50 million or $60 million on the line, that’s a compromise you simply cannot afford.

Independent advice means recommendations aren’t designed to fit what’s easiest for a corporate balance sheet. It means your Family Office doesn’t operate from a rigid “menu”—but instead draws on every option, inside or outside the box, always evaluating what best advances your family’s unique priorities. When your advisor is unencumbered by outside influence, every strategy, every investment, and every bit of planning centers around your specific circumstances.

This is the cornerstone of trust. Independence gives you access to the full range of best-in-class solutions, allowing planning and investments that aren’t bound by the hidden motives of institutional shareholders. You receive advice and investment options that are tailored to fit your life's path, like a bespoke strategy crafted exclusively for your unique narrative and future aspirations.

An independent Family Office can provide this flexibility and fidelity by being accountable only to you. You are the priority—not a distant boardroom or stockholder meeting. When independence guides the advisory compass, the direction is always set by what best aligns with your vision and values, not by the prevailing winds of an earnings report. Independent advisors have the freedom to explore multiple avenues with transparency, whether it’s accessing unique investment vehicles or structuring finances that reflect your long-term goals.

Integration: No silos, no missed details—just coordinated results

The second pillar is integration. For families of professional athletes, wealth doesn’t reside in a handful of disconnected accounts—it’s a tightly woven system, where every decision sends ripples across taxes, investments, philanthropy, estate planning, business ventures, and more. “No decision you make is isolated. There aren't silos where this doesn’t matter over here and this doesn’t affect that—everything affects each other,” says Zach Miller.

When your professionals—CPAs, attorneys, and investment managers—work independently in silos, the result is costly inefficiency. Drawing from first-hand experience, Zach shares how a lack of coordination between his financial advisor and CPA once meant, “I paid $2 million more in taxes than I didn’t have to because they weren’t together. They weren’t working as one.”

This kind of disconnect is more than regrettable—it’s avoidable. A Family Office should operate as your coordinated coaching staff and all-star roster, ensuring every expert is not only top of their field but synchronized and aligned. Integration means assembling the equivalent of an elite team all executing the same playbook, communicating openly, and focusing on winning together for your family.

In a well-integrated system, no element is left floating. Your investment strategies are informed by tax implications, your philanthropy is considered in estate planning, and your personal values are mirrored in every action. Each key player on your team not only excels in their field but understands and strengthens their coworkers' efforts for unified outcomes. The key is not merely assembling the right team but ensuring that each part communicates effectively, creating a financial ecosystem where every element is interconnected and optimized for your benefit.

Your Family Office should act as a seamless network—each decision component improving the other and every minor detail under professional scrutiny. With integration, you maximize opportunities, minimize risks, and reinforce the cords that weave every aspect of your financial world together. Well-integrated plans do not promise perfect foresight, but they do ensure preparedness and agility in adapting to life's inevitable changes—constantly tuned and responsive to the personal and financial scenarios you encounter.

Individualization: A custom-tailored approach for every aspect of your life

The third pillar, individualization, is about recognizing and honoring what’s distinct about you and your family. Professional athletes live at an intersection where the stakes are high and the details matter. A generic plan—off the rack, so to speak—simply does not fit.

Sam Acho illustrates this point with a personal story from Italy. While in Milan, his father urged him to invest in a suit. Sam, standing at 6’3” and 260 pounds, hesitated—off-the-rack options rarely did him justice. But Italy offered something different: a master tailor. “He’d measure my body, a master tailor, didn’t speak a lick of English, and came back a few days later with a suit that fit like a glove. Not only did I look different, not only did I feel different, but the way that I presented to the world was different,” Sam reflects.

Financial planning at the highest level demands this same craftsmanship. An individualized Family Office plan takes the time to understand your exact measurements—your career, charitable aims, life goals, and family vision—so that every detail is built around what you need, not what fits the average client.

“That's what you deserve… because the things you get back in return, what you can afford, actually supports you in ways that matter.” Sam’s words reinforce the notion that an individualized plan isn’t just about numbers. It’s about supporting the real-life actions, movements, and moments that define your legacy, now and for generations to come. Every bespoke decision—whether an investment strategy, philanthropic engagement, or estate arrangement—is intentionally designed to synchronize with who you are and what you value.

The art of individualization doesn’t simply custom-fit finite resources to your life; it transforms how you utilize those resources to fulfill your broader aspirations. Your goals are the blueprint, and your Family Office is the architect, constructing a financial fortitude that not only withstands time but actively advances your life's work and passion.

Conclusion

Navigating the complexity of elite wealth demands more than generic solutions or off-the-shelf products. Independent, integrated, and individualized advice is the foundation for families who expect more—for those prioritizing their legacy, values, and purpose at every stage. With the right Family Office, you gain a dedicated team that puts your interests first, works together toward your vision, and ensures every decision is made with your unique story in mind.

The 3 I’s form a compass that not only guides but also empowers decision-making, ensuring every step, every partnership, and every opportunity fully aligns with your intent and life’s path. When expertly combined, these pillars secure wealth and the means to perpetuate success, service, and significance across generations. Independent guidance liberates choices tailored to you, integrated thought strengthens those choices with a combined force, and individualized care delivers not just results, but a legacy realized.