Exclusive contribution for The Executive Magazine by Adam Caller, Founder and CEO of Tutors International

The preparation gap in elite education

I’ve met young people who speak three languages, play polo and the cello, and have offers from top universities. On paper, they’re everything their parents could hope for. However, in reality, it quickly becomes clear that they’re not prepared for the demands and responsibilities of inheriting the family business, wealth, or household. They don’t know how to challenge a service provider, or spot a poorly constructed contract, or lead a high-stakes conversation.

They’re often very bright, articulate children, but they’re inexperienced. No one’s shown them how to do all these things, and with exceptional wealth often comes insulation. Daily friction is smoothed away by well-meaning parents, staff and systems. But where there’s friction, there’s learning. Family offices see this knowledge gap first-hand, and we’re seeing an increasing demand for highly personalised education that picks up where schooling stops.

Beyond academics: practical wealth management skills

Even the best schools are focussed on academic performance, and while some offer an impressive range of extra-curricular clubs, they rarely address the practicalities of life as a future wealth-holder. Such as knowing how assets are structured and protected; making decisions around budgets, inflation, and investments; safeguarding a personal brand; handling difficult conversations; or emotional regulation under pressure.

In a recent tutoring placement, we worked with a 17-year-old preparing for his first formal introduction to a family business board. His tutor had private equity experience and would role-play meetings, translate jargon, and help build confidence through rehearsal. The feedback from the family office was one of genuine satisfaction, and it fosters trust across the generations. This is the kind of personalised, highly tailored education that private tutoring can offer and that schools simply can’t.

The mentor advantage in private tutoring

For children born into wealth, there are pressures most peers will never understand. Their name is often known before they enter the room. People expect them to be exceptional, and mistakes are amplified. There’s a fine line between privacy and isolation.

That’s where tutors offer far more than teachers. When people think of private tutoring, they often imagine a bit of weekend support for subjects their children are struggling with. But that’s one end of the tutoring scale. It can also be a powerful, flexible, long-term solution that goes far beyond academics.

For example, we specialise in recruiting highly experienced educators with expertise across GCSE, IB, A-levels, college prep and more – but they are also mentors, role models and trusted adult figures. Many of our clients describe them as a cross between a teacher, a coach, and a confidant, and that type of relationship is important for high-pressure, high-visibility children.

The best tutoring relationships develop over time through consistency, relevance and trust. Tutors can build emotional and practical maturity in line with each child’s needs and interests – not brought in to ‘remedy’ a young person. Specialist tutors bring a level of specialism most schools can’t offer. They can bring valuable peripatetic expertise where it’s needed most – a financial coach, a communications consultant, a classical scholar… whatever best supports the child’s growth and readiness for their future.

Building leadership through personalised education

One-to-one teaching is how every top violinist and tennis player got to where they are. Why should the next generation of family leaders be any different?

The best educational outcomes come from focussed, sustained attention that is tailored to the student’s needs, strengths and pace. A tutor looks at where that student needs to get to, where they are now, and maps a steady path to get them there. Using all the resources at their disposal they’ll introduce responsibilities, ideas, and reinforcement that align with the student’s interests and the family’s lifestyle. That might mean involving a student in planning a family trip, balancing a budget, or researching philanthropic options for a new charitable arm.

Tutors guide the process but don’t take over. The aim is gradual independence – both practical and emotional. Leadership in a family context often comes down to clarity under high pressure. How do your children respond to conflict, uncertainty, or disappointment? These are the moments that aren’t covered in standard curricula, but can offer some of the richest learning opportunities.

Family legacy needs more than good intentions

The families we work with can range from those with two staff to 200 but there’s a common question: How do we prepare our children for the future?

Many families spend years preparing their assets for succession. Far fewer invest that same energy preparing their successors to inherit those assets.

Private tutoring offers a way to start early to build maturity, capability and calm confidence gradually, before it’s urgently needed. So that when a young person chairs that first meeting, signs that first contract, or speaks at that first family gathering, they feel ready. Not coached or rehearsed but truly ready.

About the author: Adam Caller is the founder and CEO of Tutors International, the world’s leading provider of bespoke private tuition for ultra-high-net-worth families. With a background in education and decades of experience in elite tutoring, Adam is a vocal advocate for personalised, one-to-one learning. He launched Tutors International in 1999, combining rigorous academic excellence with a meticulous matching process that ensures tutors are perfectly aligned with each family’s values, lifestyle, and educational goals. Adam is widely regarded as a thought leader in private education and is regularly featured in international media.