This week we spoke with Tim Brown, an advisor to the family office of billionaire Philip Anschutz, whose diversified holdings include ownership of more than 70 entertainment venues worldwide plus ownership stakes in the NHLs LA Kings and MLS's LA Galaxy.

Brown spent most of his career building businesses and communities, and ended up becoming an operating partner for the Anschutz family (he was also previously married to one of Philip Anschutz’s daughters), before chairing the YPO Investing Network, the peer investing community within YPO.

Aside from consulting work, his focus is on the Somos22 and the Fortaleza family office networks that he co-founded, each having a slightly different focus. 

“Somos22 exists to create trusted environments where meaningful relationships begin. Fortaleza is the deeper layer, an invitation-only community where those relationships compound over years through peer learning, shared experiences, and a high level of trust. Together, they're designed to help family offices become less transactional and more relational.”

Members are principals, CEOs, CIOs, executive directors, or senior professionals serving single-family offices, but all united by a single thread.

“What they have in common is curiosity, generosity, and a desire to learn from peers rather than simply expand a network.”

Brown was initially surprised by just how hungry family offices are for genuine peer relationships. 

“Despite having access to virtually every advisor imaginable, many still feel isolated when facing the decisions that matter most. Creating environments where people can speak candidly has proven even more valuable than I expected.”

It’s often isolation that leads families to over-rely on advisors or make important decisions without the benefit of peer perspective, he adds.

“It can create unnecessary anxiety because families assume they're the only ones facing a particular challenge. Simply hearing another family say, ‘We went through that too,’ often changes the quality of the conversation and the confidence behind the eventual decision.”

Brown also notes that despite being excellent in certain areas, many advisors fall short when it comes to lived experience. 

“Most advisors focus on solving technical problems. Family offices often need help navigating human ones. Governance, succession, family dynamics, trust, and decision-making are rarely solved through expertise alone. The best peer conversations happen because someone else has actually lived through the same challenge and can speak from experience rather than theory.”

The issue of family offices having great advisors but few trusted peers is what led to forming Somos22 and Fortaleza. 

“We help solve that by creating environments where authentic relationships can develop over time, allowing members to share experiences, exchange ideas, and learn from one another in ways that are difficult to replicate through traditional conferences or networking events.”

And when it comes to these peer discussions, Brown says investment is rarely a priority. 

“Members are far more interested in how other families make decisions. They're curious about governance, next-generation engagement, hiring CEOs and CIOs, building family offices, compensation, direct investing, AI, philanthropy, and what has or hasn't worked in practice. The conversation is often less about ‘what did you buy?’ and more about ‘how did you decide?’”

Brown says AI is probably the topic creating most anxiety with members, but it’s not the only one.

“Artificial intelligence is certainly one area, but I think the deeper question is how families preserve judgment in a world where information is becoming abundant. Members are asking what capabilities should remain deeply human, how to prepare the next generation, and how to ensure institutional knowledge isn't lost as leadership transitions occur.”

He believes that while much of the wealthtech focus is on investments, this might not be where the most value will come.

“The next wave of innovation won't simply be better investment products or better technology. It will come from helping families make better decisions together. Governance, communication, relationship intelligence, and trusted peer learning remain significantly underdeveloped compared to investment management.”

Regardless of which areas evolves quickest, Brown firmly believes that peer networks will remain essential in creating the environments where trusted relationships can compound and help families make better decisions together.

“Technology will make information increasingly abundant, but trust will remain scarce.”