From the Sidelines to the Table: Finding and Using Your Voice in the Family Enterprise

By Celine Fitzgerald
Inspired by the RisingGen Collective Call – Q3 2025: “Earning Your Influence Before You’re in Charge”

“Are They Just Letting Me Watch… or Am I Welcome to Speak?”

Have you ever found yourself in a meeting with family members, wondering:
Am I here to observe or to participate?
Should I speak up, or just stay quiet until invited?

If you’ve asked yourself these questions, you’re not alone. Many of us in the Rising Generation feel unsure about when (and whether) our voices are welcome - especially when the decisions being made impact our future too.

Echoes of the Past: “Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard”

Does the above quote resonate with you? I remember hearing it quite often as an adolescent amongst my dad’s side of the family. It was common in my family, especially around my grandfather, a powerful wealth creator. As a child, I wasn’t exposed to any conversations about the family business or its legacy.

At age 21, he called me in and revealed that I was a beneficiary. But there was no follow-up, no education, no conversation. Just a revelation that changed my life, with no roadmap to follow for over a decade. Looking back on that moment (almost 18 years ago) I wonder why he wanted to reveal something so monumental and life changing, but allow for no follow up conversation or education. I guess he had never faced a situation like that before, and he didn’t have a roadmap either. 

🗣️ Action Step: Recognize the Silence Is Not Your Fault

If you weren’t taught or told much about your family’s wealth or enterprise, it doesn’t mean you weren’t worthy, it just means the roadmap didn’t exist yet.

Breadcrumbs, Not Blueprints

My story isn’t unique. Most RisingGen family members I’ve met weren’t given the full picture until their 30s, 40s or later. By that point, the person who created the wealth may have already passed or become distant. We’re often left piecing together meaning from fragments: an advisor here, a family story there, a spreadsheet without context.

And without access to the “why” behind the wealth, we’re left guessing what’s expected or what’s possible, especially with regard to any role we can play in our families. 

Why the Silence? It’s Not Always About You

Sometimes the silence isn’t because we’re not trusted—it’s because they’re unsure how to begin.

Parents and grandparents may fear raising entitled children. Or they may sense that we could do things differently (maybe even better). That can be threatening, even if it’s not our intention.

Still, that doesn’t mean we wait forever.

💬 Action Step: Ask, Gently

Initiate small but meaningful conversations.
Example: “I’d love to understand more about how our family built this legacy. Can you share what mattered most to you when you were in my shoes?”

Earning Your Influence Doesn’t Mean Waiting for Permission

It took me a decade after that moment at 21 to feel like I belonged in rooms where decisions were being made. But over time, I stopped waiting for an invitation and started preparing myself:

• I pursued my own education
  
  
• I learned key terminology
  
  
• I showed up to family and advisor meetings—quietly at first
  
  
• I asked better and better questions
  
  
• Eventually, my presence shifted from “tag-along” to “trusted partner”
  
  

📚 Action Step: Start Learning Before You’re Leading

Pick one topic this month to explore—estate plans, investing, philanthropy, family history—and go one layer deeper. The more you learn, the more you’ll be prepared and respected.

Today, I Use My Voice—Even If It Doesn’t Change the Outcome

Now, I speak up. Not because I know everything. Not because my ideas are always implemented. But because I’ve earned a seat at the table—and I take seriously the responsibility of helping shape what G4 and beyond will inherit.

The work isn’t done. But I no longer whisper my questions. I bring my voice—clear, respectful, and ready.

🎯 Final Thought: Influence Doesn’t Come from Inheritance—It Comes from Initiative

If you’re wondering whether your voice belongs in the room, this is your sign: It does.
And the best way to strengthen that voice is to start using it.