Enclave: The Origin Story

Enclave is a highly curated community of Rising Generation peers dedicated to supporting one another to achieve their goals. This is the story of how it came to be.

Our Founders

Jake Knight

I grew up in an entrepreneurial household. I lived through the experience of significant wealth creation, starting at the age of five or six. I watched my father build a fantastic business that he took public. This lived experience played a major role in my formative years.. I remember feeling the sense of being viewed differently in the community because of the wealth. Seeing my father published in the newspaper or seeing his net worth made public didn't help that feeling. As a teenager, the feelings were really confusing to navigate.  

I eventually started working for the company my father co-founded. I married and started a family, and life started moving fast. In my 20s, as I was trying to build my career and as a first-time father, I hit a rough patch and dealt with some personal challenges. I was depressed and overwhelmed with the sense that I would never be able to live up to what my father created.  The workplace also brought its own set of unique dynamics, as the perception was that I was getting promoted or earning more money because of my last name instead of being judged by my merit.  

Over the years, I have realized that my experience isn't all that unique. Before that revelation, I lived most of my life thinking or feeling that I was the only one going through it or the only one who had.

Some elements of my life are still challenging and sticky to navigate, and the wealth amplifies that. While building Enclave, I have witnessed and connected with many people facing similar challenges. The stories and dynamics are different. Yet, we aren't alone. Ultimately, this is just one part of our life. And through sharing my experiences and hearing about other people's views and experiences I have a fresh perspective on how to better navigate the challenges. 

When Marc and I first met, we served on a large firm's Next Gen client advisory board. We realized we loved the connection and conversation around breakfast, lunch, and dinner with our peers. And we wished there was more of that. When those periods ended, everybody was disappointed because we had to go and listen to presentations and be talked at. We wanted less programming and more conversation and connection. So we built it!

Marc Hodulich

I remember standing in a beautiful condo, overlooking New York City. It felt like a long way from my 500 square foot, third-floor walkup apartment. In a moment when I should have been so excited, I experienced a rush of imposter syndrome. See, I married into a family of significant wealth, and I remember thinking that I may never be able to afford this type of lifestyle for myself. That feeling of dread lit a fire in me. I was more determined than ever to build my own wealth to prove that I didn't just marry a rich girl.  

I've been blessed to be in this family for 17 years. I have a close relationship with my in-laws, and my wife and I are happily married. And despite this, certain things take place in a family of wealth that I haven't seen in other families. 

There are many circumstances in my life that I wish I would have handled better with my in-laws; I should have been more grateful and patient. There are certain things where I should have understood where they were coming from. And I want to share those with a younger generation so they don't make those mistakes. Through Enclave, I'll be able to do that a lot more on a go-forward basis. 

Jake has helped me more than he knows. And he's supported me in some situations and helped me grow, so it'd be a disservice not to put him in a position where he could do that with dozens or hundreds of others.

What 

Enclave is a place where you're seen, heard, and understood for who you are and not for what you've inherited or will inherit. From the beginning of our journey of starting Enclave, we were determined to do things differently. We wanted to be independent and create an environment that was unencumbered by sponsors and wealth advisory firms. We're building this for our community, and the trust we can establish will be the most crucial element of this endeavor because there is no ulterior motive. 

Through our deep conversations that we’ve had, and being able to share the intimate details of our lives, it was clear there was a need in the space. We've looked for communities like this and in various business groups or by going to banking conferences, and it's not there. There's often a hidden agenda, or more of a focus on the mechanics of wealth. 

Enclave is focused on the human element.  

This journey started with our friendship, realizing the benefits that we were having on each other, and being able to discuss topics that we had yet to discuss. We couldn't discuss them with childhood best friends or business partners, as talking about the challenges you face in families of wealth is taboo.

We decided right from the start that we would care the most and do things differently, and there were to be no assholes in the community. When we started developing the Enclave concept, we began with our ideals and what success would look like in building a peer-to-peer network. 

To be clear, this is not a not-for-profit, but the goal isn't to create a company to sell to Goldman Sachs or Northern Trust. We are building something for us by us. And the important thing is that we have the same impact on our members as we have had on each other. 

How 

Last year, we realized that we could talk about this and dream about building something, or we could...pick a date, pick a location, sign a contract, and start marching toward it!  

It was great validation to understand other people's needs and wants. We're not connected with any investment bank, management firm, or consulting group. It's a gentleman who married into wealth and another who grew up around it who have found genuine connection and understanding in each other. 

We want to be outside when we host events, like our first gathering of the community we hosted in Tucson in the fall of 2023. We want nature to be our silent partner. We want to foster a genuine connection. We want to build bonds, have experiences with others, and cut through the BS. It's really about identifying with who you are. And continuing to work on yourself and do so in a safe space without judgment. It's about people coming together at a common time for a common purpose. It's not just about getting together once a year. True community is doing it every time of the year!

We are also focused on developing the individual self and the human behind the language used by the industry to identify individuals who will inherit or have inherited money. If it's significant wealth, you're called a Rising Gen or a Next Gen. We plan to redefine and perhaps even start the conversation to adjust the current industry language and terminology to represent a more holistic view of the individual. 

One of the overall goals in creating this community is to redefine the terms. Enclave is about the individual, and wealth is only one thing that makes up our experiences, stories, and potential for impact.

Why

We are committed to maintaining the authenticity of what brought us together and ensuring that is something we consider when inviting new members and getting other people into this community. We want them to have that same desire and commitment to sharing and contributing to others, as well as a commitment to lifelong learning. Someone who's got it all figured out and doesn't want to share their experience isn't beneficial. The authenticity and the vulnerability that we've shared with each other is something we really want to inspire others to do as well.

Who

Enclave is built for individuals who come from or have married into families with significant wealth. We've chosen ultra-high net worth, a term from the industry that means $30 million or more in family assets. That's a qualifying factor. But more importantly, it's for individuals who are looking to grow. It's individuals who are humble, who are kind, who are engaged in life, who are really looking to take their unique experience and go out into the world and contribute in a more meaningful way.

We can have a positive ripple effect out into the world. The group we brought together in our first gathering was exceptional. They are incredible human beings doing great things and come from all different walks of life, which goes against what society would believe about this particular group of people. 

This community is collaborative, not competitive. There are so many amazing thought leaders, subject matter experts, therapists, and consultants who have amazing skill sets to bring to our community. We want to foster this collaborative environment where we can work with those who wrote the book on this. Kristin Keffler, who wrote 'The Myth of the Silver Spoon’, attended our first event and is integral to what we're building. We want to recognize and work with best-in-class thinkers who have lived experience.

Head to joinenclave.com to learn more. And, if you have questions, please reach out. If you're booking a call, you're most likely talking to Jake or Marc. We hope that our mission resonates and that you join us.

Check out The Enclave Origin Story on the Enclave Podcast.