For many financial professionals, the traditional path through investment banking or asset management firms represents the expected career trajectory. But for investment professional and CFA charterholder Levi Pettit, it was the unique environment of a family office that truly shaped his investment philosophy and approach to client relationships.
Pettit’s introduction to this world came through a college internship that opened his eyes to possibilities he hadn’t previously considered. “I had an internship with a family office, which I really didn’t understand what a family office was at the time, and I really kind of fell in love with it,” Pettit recalls.
What struck him immediately was the distinctive culture. “I love this culture. It’s small, it’s tight-knit. You have a direct line of communication to who’s the most important people in the company,” he explains. This early exposure planted a seed that would later flourish into a career direction.
From Banking to Family Office: A Career Evolution
Before fully immersing himself in the family office environment, Pettit gained valuable experience in commercial banking, which he maintains was instrumental to his later success. “I thought commercial banking is extremely helpful because it taught me how businesses and individuals use debt for their businesses, what banks look for when businesses come to banks to get lending and debt, and what’s going to matter the most,” he notes.
This foundation in credit analysis and debt structures would prove invaluable when an unexpected opportunity arose through a routine lunch with a former boss from his oil and gas internship. During this meeting, Pettit learned that his former employer was diversifying into private investments through a family office structure.
“He was like, ‘Well, we kind of are starting a family office. I’ve been in this oil and gas space for a while. I’m making some money. I want to diversify away from oil and gas. We’re doing some private deals on the side,'” Pettit recounts. Recognizing this as his chance to return to the environment he had enjoyed during his internship, Pettit expressed interest in helping build the operation.
That conversation led to over four years as an investment associate at the first-generation, single-family office, where Pettit’s financial experience expanded significantly beyond traditional investments.
The World of Alternative Investments
What made the family office experience particularly valuable was the exposure to alternative investment strategies not typically accessible in most financial institutions.
“The family office space is really attractive, and what I realized is how these high net worth individuals looked at investment opportunities, not just on the public side between stocks and bonds, but on the private side as well,” Pettit explains.
His responsibilities centered on evaluating and managing these alternative assets. “My role at the family office was generally on the private side, dealing more with alternative investments, private equity, venture capital, commercial real estate. We would do everything from direct investing, as well as allocating some investing in funds,” he details.
This comprehensive experience provided insights into how sophisticated investors diversify beyond traditional asset classes—knowledge that has shaped his approach to portfolio construction and risk management.
The Benefits of a Direct Communication Culture
Beyond the investment strategies themselves, Pettit valued the straightforward communication style that characterized the family office environment. The contrast with larger corporate settings was stark and refreshing.
“It really had to do just a lot with not being in a huge corporate setting where there’s office politics involved,” Pettit reflects. “There’s politics in anything, but it never felt like I had to talk to a boss who had to talk to their boss, who had talk to somebody else’s boss.”
This culture of transparency extended throughout the organization. “If I wanted to talk to something, I could be completely open and honest to even the managing partner about what was going on, and always felt like I could provide open and honest feedback,” he says.
The clarity of purpose in a family office also appealed to Pettit. “There was a clear vision from the family with goals, and that was our mission was to carry out that vision,” he explains. This alignment of objectives simplified decision-making and created a more focused work environment.
Translating the Family Office Approach to Client Relationships
The family office experience fundamentally altered how Pettit approaches financial relationships. The personal touch characteristic of family offices—where each client’s unique needs and goals drive investment decisions—has become central to his professional philosophy.
“One, it’s very important that there’s 100% transparency. They feel like they’re being prioritized. They feel the value that’s coming to them, and it’s truly a certain level of service that they feel like they’re not getting anywhere else,” Pettit explains about his approach to client relationships.
He frames this distinction through an analogy: “I saw this in a book not too long ago. The difference between service and hospitality, service is black and white, hospitality is colorful. So what I would strive to do is provide a service that’s colorful.”
This personalized approach stems directly from his family office experience, where each investment decision was tailored to specific family goals rather than conforming to standardized models.
Leveraging Alternative Investment Knowledge
The expertise Pettit gained in evaluating private equity, venture capital, and real estate deals during his family office tenure has become a differentiator in his approach to wealth management.
“One unique aspect of family offices is they do a lot of alternative investing… more so than the traditional investor who may be trying to save for retirement or their kids’ college,” Pettit notes. “Really understanding how to use alternative investments in portfolios at the household level was really, really key.”
This specialized knowledge allows him to offer clients access to investment opportunities they might not otherwise encounter. “If my clients are interested in private deals, I want to make sure that they have that opportunity and I’m presenting them unique opportunities that they may not be able to find on their own,” he explains.
For Pettit, the lessons learned during his time in the family office environment continue to shape his approach to finance and client service. The emphasis on personalized attention, transparent communication, and sophisticated investment strategies represents the foundation upon which he builds client relationships today—proving that sometimes the most valuable career experiences come from the less traditional paths.