Investment professional Levi Pettit discovered his passion for family office work early in his career, appreciating the direct communication and collaborative culture these environments foster. “You have a direct line of communication to the most important people in the company,” says Pettit, who worked as an investment associate at a first-generation, single-family office. This early exposure to the family office model during an internship helped shape his career trajectory and professional values.

Building Strong Professional Relationships

During his tenure, Pettit managed a portfolio of private equity and venture capital investments, learning the importance of transparent communication and relationship building. “It never felt like I had to talk to a boss, who had to talk to their boss,” he explains. “I could be completely open and honest with even the managing partner about what was going on.” This direct communication style, Pettit notes, enables faster decision-making and more efficient portfolio management.

Leveraging Experience for Future Growth

This experience proved invaluable as Pettit, now pursuing his MBA at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, gained insight into how high-net-worth individuals approach investment opportunities. “My role was generally on the private side, dealing more with alternative investments, private equity, venture capital, and commercial real estate,” he notes. “We would do direct investing, as well as allocating some investing in funds.”

The family office environment also provided Pettit with a comprehensive view of wealth management that extends beyond traditional investment strategies. “All family offices, they come in all shapes and sizes. They all do things a little differently,” he explains. “But for me, it was more about there was a clear vision from the family with goals, and that was our mission was to carry out that vision.”

His experience in commercial banking prior to joining the family office also proved beneficial. “I felt like it really served me well when I went to the family office, because most of our deals, we were using some type of debt,” Pettit says. “Me having that credit background from a commercial bank was really helpful in just navigating those conversations with these commercial lenders, senior bankers, things like that.”

For professionals interested in family office work, Pettit emphasizes the importance of understanding both the technical and interpersonal aspects of the role. The ability to maintain strong relationships while delivering solid investment performance creates the foundation for long-term success in this specialized sector of finance.