Background

My Expertise

Consulting

After many years of serving in the charitable foundation world, where I worked with families across the country, I began to see a trend:  the healthiest families were the ones that had a generational vision.

They worked hard at relationships and building thriving individuals in every generation.  But they also put in place the right structure—not just estate and financial plans—but things like family meetings, governance documents and role definitions.

That’s where I help.  I coach families who desire a generational family legacy.

We have three main areas of focus:  (1) relational health (2) structure and governance and (3) next generation training.

I do this work through my consulting company 7 Generation Legacy.

I consult directly with families and provide counsel and coaching on their generational plan.  Do you want to be a generational family?

Contact me at bill.high@7generationlegacy.com

 

Background

I graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education.  I was able to teach for a short time, which has proved invaluable.  From there, I entered the University of Kansas School of Law where I was a Patricia Harris Roberts Fellow.

I practiced law with Blackwell Sanders (now Husch Blackwell), one of the largest regional law firms in Kansas City for 12 years.  For more than 20 years I was in the charitable foundation world.  In that work, I was invited to become part of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, and was also recognized as America’s Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers for 2017 as ranked by Philanthropy Media.  I remain Of Counsel with the law firm Sanders Warren & Russell.

 

Family Legacy Coaching

Most people don’t realize that the Family Office world is of relatively recent vintage.  It used to be that people worked until they died.  The uptick of wealth in America led to excess, retirement, 2nd halves and options.  But it also brought major questions:  how much wealth do I need?  How much should I pass on to my children?  Will that wealth ruin them or will it create a curse?

The answers to those questions typically wasn’t found in creating an estate plan, particularly if that estate plan wasn’t coupled with conversation.  Financial plans are great to create the wealth but not as equipped to sustain wealth—true wealth—across the generations.

Family legacy coaching was born out of these questions.

Most families need a guide to help them navigate these questions and to work with children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren. The force and effort that created the financial wealth is different from the counsel to guide it into generations.

And ultimately it broadens the question of wealth to spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional forms of wealth.

Would you like your family to last for 150 years?  Contact me at bill.high@7generationlegacy.com.

Bill addresses a live audience

Capstone Ministries

In addition to direct work with families, our team at Capstone Ministries leads family legacy workshops for families around the country.  Typically, those workshops are hosted by individual families, churches or ministries.  The workshops cover (1) the purpose of family (2) family communication (3) family values (4) family vision (5) family mission and (6) family generosity.

We also have 2 other workshops on Managing Family Conflict and Winning Family Culture.  If you’d like more information on these workshops visit www.capstoneministries.com.

 

My current roles

I co-founded and now serve as Executive Chairman of The Signatry: A Global Christian Foundation, after many years as CEO. With The Signatry, I work to change the way people view and practice generosity, particularly focusing on the intersection of generosity and multi-generational family legacy. I have led the foundation’s efforts from its beginning in 2000 to now sending out over $3 billion in grants.

I coach families on creating a shared purpose and implementing healthy practices that will set up the family for success for generations to come. That's family legacy.

I also work with individual givers, ministries and financial advisors. I specialize in guiding business owners who are looking to sell or transition to the next generation of leadership. I also teach ministries how to work with major donors.

I helped launch Vyne Legacy, as a ministry of The Signatry, to serve families with the toolkit they need to build lasting legacies. Through courses, workshops, and resources, I am part of serving families across the country.

The SignatryThe Signatry

Forbes Nonprofit Council

In 2019 I became an official member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council. The council brings together executives from a wide range of successful organizations to connect, collaborate and share insights from their experience in the nonprofit world.

Forbes Nonprofit Council

My professional career

Prior to starting the foundation in 2000, I worked as a partner with Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi, a large law firm in Kansas City, and later with Sanders Warren Russell & Scheer LLP, where I remain Of Counsel.

In addition to my responsibilities with The Signatry, I have helped found a couple technology companies: iDonate.com, a fundraising software company providing an online solution for nonprofits to market and receive gifts of all kinds; and FamilyArc.com, an online personal and private family legacy platform.

I am also a published author and sought-after conference speaker. I was honored to be named one of America’s Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers for 2017 as ranked by Philanthropy Media.

Bill addresses a live audience

My writings

Some of my recent books include:

I’ve coauthored or contributed to these books:

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