The “Missing Piece” in Private Service: The Estate Operations Consultant

Edited by Becca Berkenstadt

The Risks You Can’t See

In luxury homes, the biggest risks are rarely the ones you can see. They’re the ones hiding in the gaps — uninsured contractors, disgruntled employees, and no plan when the lights go out.

These cracks can lead to lawsuits, financial loss, or damaged reputations. And the truth is, Estate Managers are already overwhelmed with the daily operations of multimillion-dollar households. Risk mitigation often gets pushed aside…until it’s too late.

Introducing the Estate Operations Consultant

As a former landscape contractor, private service vendor, and Estate Manager, I’ve spent my career helping high-net-worth families and private service professionals manage and improve their homes to meet five-star hotel expectations.

And today, I want to introduce you to the “missing piece” in private service: the Estate Operations Consultant.

Why an Estate Operations Consultant?

Homeowners expect one thing above all else: protection. They assume their Estate Manager is on top of every detail. But no single person can run day-to-day operations and proactively safeguard against every possible risk.

That’s where my role comes in — not to replace the Estate Manager, but to support them. I step in to review vulnerabilities and build systems that protect both the homeowner and the professional running the estate.

The Three Foundations of Risk Mitigation

Risk mitigation for luxury households breaks down into three critical foundations:

1. Operations

Everything behind the scenes — contractor agreements, vendor vetting, insurance coverage, and compliance documentation. One missing certificate of insurance can cost hundreds of thousands if something goes wrong.

2. People

Household staff are the lifeblood of an estate. But without clearly defined roles and documented expectations, you’re exposed to confidentiality breaches, wrongful termination claims, and costly disputes.

3. Emergencies

Fires, storms, outages, accidents — luxury homes aren’t immune. Without a plan, staff and principals are left vulnerable. I’ve seen properties risk injury, lawsuits, and unnecessary stress simply because no one had rehearsed a response.

A Proven Solution: Estate Operations Consulting

This is the work I’ve been doing behind the scenes for years — helping families and their Estate Managers close the gaps that put luxury homes at risk. I’ve now packaged this into a formal set of consulting services, allowing more households to benefit from the same proven systems.

We begin with a Household Assessment — a comprehensive review of your primary residence operations, staffing structures, and risk exposure. This includes site inspections, staff interviews, and document analysis. The outcome is a clear, prioritized action plan crafted for household managers, principals, and family office leaders.

From there, many clients continue with Advisory Retainer Services — ongoing monthly support where I serve as the Estate Operations Consultant. In this role, I partner with your household team to implement changes, monitor progress, and ensure risks stay under control.

This isn’t theory, and it isn’t a generic checklist.

It’s the same proactive, expert-led process I’ve refined through years of estate management and consulting. For homeowners, it delivers confidence and protection. For Estate Managers, it provides structure and professionalism that builds lasting trust with principals.

Protect What Matters Most

If you’re ready to protect your home, your staff, and your legacy, schedule a Discovery Call today. Together, we’ll build the systems that keep your home running like a business — and give you true peace of mind.

Together, we’ll protect what matters most.