August 21, 2026

Building a business that lasts is not about avoiding the hard days, it’s about what you do with them.

In this episode of Capital Conversations, host Steve Robertson sits down with Scott Carmichael, founding partner of Escala Partners, who has spent more than 30 years advising some of Australia's wealthiest families.

Scott shares the moment that changed the direction of his entire career, why he believes the toughest periods of building Escala were what shaped it into a better business, and how he's spent thousands of meetings learning to perfect the art of just one.

Scott also opens up about the questions he asks every family to help them define the true purpose of their wealth, why he believes you can't be all things to all people, and the simple savings habit he wishes someone had taught him at 25.

Tune in to hear:

• Why Scott believes the setbacks matter more than the successes
• The power of the "pre-meeting" and how it changes client relationships
• How to build a team with clear roles you can trust
• The savings habit Scott wants every 25-year-old to adopt
• Why mentors matter more than most people realise