Estate management is like any other career – to get to the top you must work tirelessly to cultivate new skills and hone those you already have. If you’re planning on working for UHNW individuals, this likely includes formal education such as business, butler, or culinary school, as well as years of experience. It also requires the meticulous attention to detail as you make sure every moment of their lives run smoothly – from ensuring their homes are stocked with their favorite foods to planning vacations and black-tie events. Perhaps most importantly, you are their representative in the outside world, acting with the utmost discretion and decorum at all times. That said, there are incredible perks to managing the lives of UHNW individuals can far outweigh any challenges.
You Will See the World – For the UHNW individual, the world is literally a playground. They travel to obscure locations most people never see except on a computer screen, from the crystal-clear waters of Nvar, Croatia to the snow-capped mountains of St. Mortiz, and stay in places where every imaginable luxury is served up twenty-four hours a day. You too may be on call for your principals around the clock, but you will still have time to enjoy the sun, ski slopes, and quite possibly see a few movie stars.
Continuous Learning – Most UHNW individuals have worked incredibly hard for their wealth, whether they started out with nothing and invented the next life-changing technology, or inherited a family business and built it into an empire. They also play hard, with a wide range of cultural and intellectual pursuits. As you build a relationship with your principals and become a trusted member of their inner circle, their interests become your interests – and part of your job as well. They may even put you in charge of the care, sale, and acquisition of their assets, meaning you will become an aficionado of wine, art, equestrianism, and whatever else they’re involved with. You will also learn about the finest foods, clothes, and vehicles – and get to experience it all.
Grow Your Own Wealth – When you are spending time around some of the savviest businesspeople in the world, there is no doubt some of it will rub off on you. Just as they entrust you their most valuable possessions, they may also impart some excellent advice on investing. Given that an experienced estate manager makes a six-figure salary (and, if they live with the principal, also have low personal overhead), you have a real opportunity to build a healthy nest egg of your own.
Managing the lives of UHNW individuals is not just a job, it is a lifestyle – and a demanding one, at that. In fact, once you step into their world, you may find yourself having to give up much of your own. However, if you have the organizational skills, the stamina, and a passion for learning, you will be in for an endless adventure that only a select few ever get to experience.
