From Newsletter to Wealth Manager: The Rivkin Story
When Shannon Rivkin joined his father's financial services business at the age of 21, he was answering phones and selling a weekly stock market report. More than two decades later, he chairs one of Australia's most recognisable private wealth brands — one built not on corporate polish, but on the kind of loyalty that spans generations.
Speaking on the Eussen podcast, Shannon traced the origins of Rivkin Private Wealth to 1997, when his father launched a simple newsletter aimed at bringing the sharemarket within reach of ordinary Australians. Delivered by post and fax at a time when the internet was still in its infancy, the publication carved out a following by making finance feel accessible rather than intimidating.
\"Dad was very good at making people feel comfortable,\" Shannon recalled. \"It was like a chat every week.\"
The elder Rivkin built that relationship through seminars, radio appearances, and a genuine passion for the stock market that, by Shannon's account, bordered on obsession. \"His one true love — probably even above his family,\" Shannon said, with candour. \"He lived and breathed it.\"
Growing up as one of five children, Shannon and his brother Dion were the only two drawn into the business. Shannon describes it as a combination of learned behaviour and something closer to instinct. \"I go home thinking about the world of finance. It eats up my thoughts at all times.\"
Following his father's death in 2005, Shannon took over management of the family's assets — and began investing the way his father always had: across property, private equity, and equities. When clients started asking why they couldn't access the same diversified opportunities, the answer became the business's next chapter. By around 2010, Rivkin began a gradual pivot toward holistic wealth management, eventually offering tailored portfolios across multiple asset classes with flexible entry points and no lock-up periods.
\"Now we can have that more all-encompassing, holistic conversation about everything,\" Shannon explained. \"What is your full asset pool? What are your goals for the future?\"
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