The Easemakers Podcast

How do you plan for a sabbatical, and how do you balance daily life and operations at home when a family is on the move for months at a time? In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Elise Ciappara, a Senior Travel Designer for Joro shares the growing trend toward sabbaticals, and what it takes to plan for long-term travel.  Subscribe to the Easemakers Podcast to hear from more experts in the pr...

Like many estate managers, John Dickson Anderson loves walking into a chaotic environment and turning it around. In this conversation, he shares how he brings order to chaotic homes, elevates service standards, and creates (and enforces) protocols to keep everyone on the same page. Plus, we talk about the security risks that come with chaos, and why it's so important to ensure that both princ...

Keith Wallace has spent the past 40 years traveling the world, and — as for most private service professionals — no two days have been the same. Through those four decades, the common thread has been protecting people.  In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Keith shares how he went from an entry level job at a hotel to managing global security operations for one of the world's largest ho...

When families move between homes, the details get complicated — especially when it comes to health care. In this conversation, PinnacleCare Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships Rebecca Bux shares tips for private service professionals supporting families who are constantly on the move, from how to get ahead of emergencies to how to make care more seamless between locations. Subscribe to the Ea...

What is the value of mentorship in private service? How do you find the right mentor, and create connections to help you grow in your career? In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, we talk with Andrew Beardsley, a seasoned estate manager who runs his own fractional estate management business, and Natalya Clasen, his mentee who's ten years into an ever-evolving private service career.  Tun...

Whether you're hoping to have Andrea Boccelli sing an aria at a wedding, or to throw a Pitbull dance party, booking talent for a private event may seem like a tall order. In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Empire Entertainment President & CEO J. B. Miller shares what it takes to plan a special event with a celebrity guest. Tune in to hear his tips for bringing a big vision to life...

What's the value of documenting high value assets, and how do you ensure you've captured every detail? In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Founder of Virtual Home Inventory Ken Aaron shares his path from architectural photographer to inventory specialist, and his take on why inventories are a game changer for everything from daily household operations to long-term peace of mind. S...

How do you care for an art collection to help it maintain its value and build the legacy the collector wants to create? The missing piece, says Caroline Sayan, President and CEO of Cadell + Co Americas, is being organized, and documenting every detail from appraisals to personal stories. Tune in to hear Caroline's take on how estate managers and family offices can support collectors and prese...

What should every estate manager know about maintaining cars, and how do you manage a fleet or a collection across properties? Car fiduciary Dave Bentson answers all our automotive questions in this episode of the Easemakers Podcast. Tune in to hear the Founder of Precision Automotive Group share his tips for preserving different types of cars, his advice for private service professionals, his tak...

When your principal says they're thinking about buying a horse, what questions do you need to ask, and what do you need to know?  Jen Shah is a tax director at the CPA and advisory firm Dean Dorton. She specializes in working with equestrian families, and says she's never met a family office that's excited to hear their principals are diving into this unique asset class.  In this co...

What are the risks and benefits of putting luxury assets — from homes to yachts to cars — up for charter?  In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, LVH Global Co-Founder & CEO Hugh Barton shares how the right charter setup can help cover the costs of luxury assets, improve service standards, and fit into an overall wealth preservation strategy.  Tune in to hear his tips for delivering on cli...

What is restorative cleaning, and how does it differ from day to day housekeeping? Emily Dodds has studied the science behind cleaning, and has a passion for using cleaning best practices to help families maintain their homes and all the assets within them. Tune in to hear the founder of Immaculate Collective talk about the principles of restorative cleaning, her tips for finding a cleaning servic...

The right protocols can create peace in a family's everyday life. Aubree Weathers honed her skills managing operations and logistics in the Air Force, and today, she applies what she's learned in private service. As a consultant and the founder of AW Strategies , Aubree helps complex households build processes that work for them.  In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, she shares tip...

How do you reduce turnover and retain your top household staff members?  In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, the team from Critical Path Advisors shares HR best practices for onboarding, benefits, PTO, and more — so you can set your team up for success. Hear from Co-Founder and President Reisa Diamond and Director of Employee Relations Lisandra Gatson on how they work with families and priv...

You have one week to plan a 50th birthday party for 100 people — how do you make it happen? Jessica Goldklang found her calling answering questions just like this, and created Party Crush Events to bring big visions to life on a short timeline. In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, she shares her tips for anyone trying to make the impossible happen at the last minute.  Tune in to hear her key...

Owning a ski home comes with unexpected maintenance challenges — so what should you consider if you're tasked with managing a home in a town like Park City, UT? Paul Benson is the Co-founder and CEO of Engel & Völkers Gestalt Group, and he's watched Park City real estate evolve over the past 20 years. In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, he shares the mistakes people make all t...

To celebrate 100 episodes of the Easemakers Podcast, the Nines team turns the microphone around. Tune in to hear Kristin and Mohamed talk with Jacco de Bruijn and Shelby Boudreau about the founding story of Nines and Easemakers, the evolution of the Easemakers community, and their words of gratitude for the service hearts who make this community special. Thanks to everyone who's been a part o...

How can estate managers make a positive impact on family dynamics and well-being for the families they support? In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, we talk about generational well-being, family dynamics, and continuity with the team from RayLign. Greg Rogers founded RayLign 20 years ago to bring alignment and support services to families across generations. For this conversation, he’s joine...

In private service, no two days are the same — and as time goes on, a role can change drastically. Beth Langley has worked with the same principals for two decades, and her role has continuously evolved over time. In this conversation, she shares her path from personal trainer to estate manager to fractional estate manager and remote personal assistant.  Tune in to hear her tips for setting bounda...

NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, predicted an above-normal hurricane season for 2025, but so far, none of the Atlantic hurricanes that have formed this year have made landfall in the US. With another month to go, President of Aon Private Risk Management Jason Ott shares his advice for mitigating risk during hurricane season. Tune in to hear how to protect assets during fl...

What are the unique challenges of managing a private island?  In a new episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Luciana Nijdam shares what estate managers and the families they support need to know about purchasing, developing and maintaining private islands.  Tune in to hear how managing a private island differs from running a coastal property, tips for finding staff and vendors for remote locations, t...

In 20 years serving on luxury yachts, Chef Adrienne Gang has learned every lesson the hard way, and now, she wants to create calmer waters for her peers.  This October, Adrienne is launching a course with Florida International University called Luxury Culinary Operations: Yacht and Estate Logistics . In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, she shares why continuing education has become her pass...

Managing estate sales comes with a unique set of challenges, from complicated family dynamics to maintaining an empty property. In this conversation, co-founders of the Christie's International Real Estate Group Trusts & Estates Division Leslie Hirsch and Howard Morrel share their tips for estate managers tasked with seeing a property through an estate sale. Tune in to hear what you need...

Are you taking all the right steps to prevent medical emergencies, and to ensure you're prepared in the worst case scenario? In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Emergency Black Bag Founder & Medical Director Christopher Sidford shares what every private service professional should know about medical emergencies, from what to have on-hand at every property to how to prepare your pri...

A strong network of tradespeople and vendors serves as the key to Rachel McGrath's fractional estate management company, RK Estate Management.  In this episode of the Easemakers Podcast, Rachel shares her tips for any private service professional looking to source, vet and work with high quality vendors. Tune in to hear her tips for finding new vendors, building strong relationships, and bala...