How Family Offices Can Navigate Market Turbulence

Navigating Market Turbulence: Enventure’s Perspective on How Savvy Investors Are Finding Safe Havens

By Enventure | As told to Marcus Baram

Last week’s dramatic tariff escalation — including a 145% duty on Chinese imports — sent global markets into a tailspin. Equities plunged, bonds seesawed, and even cryptocurrencies weren’t spared. As headlines predicted economic chaos and uncertainty loomed large, many wealth managers found themselves doing something unusual: reaching out on a weekend.

Dagny Maidman, executive managing director at Cresset Capital, was one of them. On Sunday, April 6, while most of the world was doomscrolling news alerts, she was busy drafting client communications.

“It’s best to reach out and say ‘I’m here for you,’ and not to avoid or be too hands-off,” said Maidman. “You want to slow people down and remind them of how their portfolios were built to weather this.”

That proactive communication has become the norm among family offices and their advisors, who have spent the past week guiding clients through heightened volatility. Even after President Trump’s temporary pause on tariffs for countries outside of China, investor sentiment remained shaky. Prominent voices like Stanley Druckenmiller and Leon Cooperman have already warned of a possible recession.

Ankit Shrivastava on Long-Term Vision and Strategic Positioning

Enventure founder and CEO Ankit Shrivastava recently spoke with Marcus Baram to offer perspective from the private equity front lines. Working closely with family offices, Ankit emphasized the importance of taking a measured, long-term view.

“They’re not necessarily looking for short-term gains; they are patient capital,” said Shrivastava. “Our job is to help them see through these turbulent moments — to separate the noise from the signal — and look for opportunities they have to diversify and navigate through this process.”

In times like these, Ankit explained, it's vital to revisit portfolio positioning. Diversification becomes more than a buzzword; it becomes a necessity. With tariffs reshaping global trade, investors should seek companies less exposed to China. That includes firms in health care, specialized manufacturing, and clean energy technologies — industries that are not only resilient but also foundational to future growth.

He also advised family offices to cast their eyes beyond U.S. borders. “Europe and India are showing improved economic outlooks, and now may be a great time to consider international diversification,” he noted.

Resisting the Urge to React

According to Shrivastava, there’s a risk in making hasty decisions amid the chaos. “Spend two or three weeks right now before having concrete discussions about specifics,” he said. “Give the markets — and yourself — room to breathe.”

That sentiment was echoed by others in the industry. “You never want to hear the captain come over the intercom and go, ‘I’ve got good news and bad news,’” quipped Jason Britton, founder and CIO of Reflection Asset Management. In other words: don’t panic if your advisor isn’t reacting dramatically — that’s a good sign.

Britton further urged family offices to maintain perspective, pointing out that thoughtful asset planning and location strategies can create more value than trying to time short-term market moves.

A Time for Disciplined Calm

Maidman often reminds clients to avoid the three risk factors that can unravel wealth: leverage, illiquidity, and concentration. “We usually work to make sure that we don’t have any of those — and certainly not more than one,” she said. To illustrate, she uses the metaphor of a houseboat built to withstand violent waves. “Even though you’ve got these gargantuan waves, we’ve built a portfolio to keep it together.”

Ultimately, investors need discipline. That means sticking to a well-thought-out investment strategy, staying diversified, and maintaining open lines of communication with trusted advisors.

“No one knows how the tariff policies will ultimately play out,” said Scott Welch, CIO of Certuity. “If you are appropriately diversified and have in place a portfolio designed to meet your long-term objective, then stay the course and do not overreact.”

Ankit agrees. “These are the moments when smart investors stay calm, look for opportunity, and trust the framework they’ve built,” he said.

Because when markets get rough — and headlines grow louder — it’s not about avoiding the storm. It’s about navigating through it with clarity, strategy, and confidence.

For the original article by Marcus Baram, click here.