Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2010

I recommend that every early-stage startup find three Advisory Board members. Once your company is past the startup stage, you do need a board of directors. What better candidates than your Advisory Board? The more experienced and blunt your board members are, the better. Let’s talk specifics.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Here are some key reasons why I believe every entrepreneur should create a formal Advisory Board or Board of Directors before they ask for funding, or even build their business plan: We all need a bit of reality to balance our passion. Advisory members are Board of Directors candidates.

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Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 26, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Monday, October 26, 2009 A real Customer Advisory Board A reader recently asked on a previous post about the technique of having customers periodically produce a “state of the company&# progress report. One example is having a real Customer Advisory Board.

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SiliconHills

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Ben Dyer, a serial technology entrepreneur and entrepreneur in residence at the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, has joined the advisory board of Enola Labs. It is also in the process […] The post Ben Dyer Joins Austin-based Enola Labs’ Advisory Board appeared first on SiliconHills.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 3, 2017

Many entrepreneurs I know are confused by definition and need for an Advisory Board versus a Board of Directors. By definition, Advisory Boards are voluntary and have no fiduciary responsibility. As an alternative, every CEO needs an Advisory Board to help them grow, which they can ignore or fire at their pleasure.

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Board Effect

OCTOBER 12, 2020

The fact that your board is having a discussion about forming an advisory board is a good indication that it’s time to put the issue on your board’s agenda for discussion. You never know what experiences and perspectives your fellow board members will have on a certain topic once you bring it out into the open.

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Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2022

Member of the Advisory Board. Every young entrepreneur needs an experienced partner for credibility with investors, and as a trusted cohort for strategy and growth discussions. Often the Boomer is more willing to work for equity, and easily convinced to step aside when revenues reach that next threshold.

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SoCal CTO

MAY 13, 2014

In some cases, Founders are building an Advisory Board with the purpose of padding their investor deck. I side more with Mark Suster who says : “advisory boards are an expensive equity proposition for merely introductions.” Investors discount this. And it can hurt you if it’s purely cosmetic.

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SiliconHills

DECEMBER 21, 2020

Hypergiant, based in Austin, has brought on board Abidali Neemuchwala, former Wipro CEO, to its executive advisory board. The post Hypergiant Adds High-Profile Executive Abidali Neemuchwala to its Advisory Board appeared first on SiliconHills. I’ve been so […].

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2022

That’s the function of a good advisory board. Thus I believe every smart investor, potential partner, or critical new hire will look for a properly built advisory board as a key criteria before selection or making a commitment. Keep the advisory board to a manageable size.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2012

If you are an entrepreneur for the first time, or entering a new business area, it’s usually worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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NZ Entrepreneur

APRIL 28, 2019

Here’s how to build a startup advisory board. And while it often seems more involved and complex than it is in reality, setting up an advisory board is something you should look to put in place in the early stages of your entrepreneurial venture. Selecting an advisory board is the tricky part.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2021

No matter how much energy, experience, and passion you have, there is always more you can learn from an Advisory Board of external experts or a mentor. Customers have no tolerance these days for multiple interactions, necessary support requests, poor customer service, or bureaucratic processes. Utilize outside expertise and mentoring.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2010

If you are an entrepreneur for the first time, or entering a new business area, it’s usually worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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Mike Michalowicz

AUGUST 10, 2012

This got me thinking, I need to have a “Heavenly Advisory Board.” I decided to do it, and created a Heavenly Advisory Board. I plan to have an “advisory board” of perhaps ten when I am done. Your Own Heavenly Advisory Board. It’s heaven after all. Why G-Dub ?

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

A properly built advisory board can be a huge strategic advantage to any company. On the other hand, an advisory board put together haphazardly can be the biggest mistake for a company in the early stages of business. How do you avoid the advisory board death spiral? Select the right board member.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2021

A small advisory board of outside people with experience in your domain can give you the unbiased feedback you need, as well as connections for setting up distribution and sales channels. This is not just a product pitch, but must include all elements of your pricing, marketing, distribution and maintenance.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

Investors want board seats and a vote on key decisions. But I suggest that a small advisory board with the right people might give you better guidance (no near-term financial bias), and you can always choose to ignore it if your insights are strong. Pre-defined milestones and deadlines in an uncertain world.

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Berkonomics

DECEMBER 14, 2017

Have you ever thought of creating an advisory board? Usually, you would want to create an advisory board to fill in the critical areas of need not evidenced in the board of directors or within the company itself. How many advisors should you seek for a board? How do you pay an advisory board?

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

Many entrepreneurs I know are confused by the definition and need for an Advisory Board versus a Board of Directors. By definition, Advisory Boards are voluntary and have no fiduciary responsibility. How much are you willing to spend on your board? Legally, Directors are accountable for corporate conduct.

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The Next Web

JULY 12, 2017

Every startup CEO knows that in theory their advisory board is just here to ‘advise’. Here are the four types of people you’ll encounter on every startup advisory board and how to deal with them. Here’s something they might not have told you when you set up your startup to “be your own boss” — everyone has bosses.

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SiliconHills

JUNE 28, 2019

The post Hypergiant Adds Bill Nye, the Science Guy, to its Advisory Board appeared first on SiliconHills. . “We’re not aiming for utopia, but simply a better universe,” Nye says in the video. “This […].

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Jeff Hilimire

JULY 8, 2020

One of the best things we ever did at Spunlogic was to create an advisory board early on. On my most recent podcast , I talk to Blair Brady, CEO of WITH/agency , about the do’s and don’ts of advisory boards. The post Everything I know about advisory boards appeared first on Begin the Begin.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

If you can’t recruit all of these onto your direct team, the next best alternative is to build a first-class Advisory Board of outside people, with the requisite skills and a wealth of experience. Outsourcing any of these critical roles is very expensive, and usually not very effective.

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www.instigatorblog.com

MARCH 2, 2010

The Importance of Advisory Boards for Startup CEOs Tweet When a startup receives financing it will need to setup a Board of Directors. The Board probably existed beforehand, but was made up only of the founders. Mark Macleod spells it out beautifully in his post on Advisory Boards. Why wouldn’t you?

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SoCal CTO

MARCH 9, 2010

In my post, Technology Roles in Startups , I described some of the different ways I engage with startup companies such as CTO Founder , CTO , Part-Time CTO , Acting CTO , Consultant, Advisor and Advisory Board Member. Now, most often technical advisors are part of a broader advisory board. Not enough time.

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Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

Update : After this article was written the Secretary of Defense fired every member of all 40+ defense advisory boards and will start anew. Hopefully the suggestions in this post will help inform how they reconstitute the boards.). What’s an Advisory Board? Different Advisory Boards for Different Times.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2021

Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from peers, your advisory board, and outside experts and mentors. Don’t try to carry all the weight on your own shoulders, as team members are likely closer to the customer, and my have some real insights. Good business leaders collaborate on tough decisions.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

Member of the Advisory Board. Every young entrepreneur needs an experienced partner for credibility with investors, and as a trusted cohort for strategy and growth discussions. Often the Boomer is more willing to work for equity, and easily convinced to step aside when revenues reach that next threshold.

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Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

But having been in the middle of this conversation when I served on one of the Defense Department’s advisory boards, I understand why the Pentagon can’t count. The Defense of Department’s 40-plus advisory boards are staffed by outsiders who can provide independent perspectives and advice. The Road Not Taken.

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2022

I always recommend that a startup create an advisory board of two or three outside experts, who have connections to even more resources. Entrepreneurs often let pride and ego stand in the way of leveling with trusted friends and advisors. The advice you don’t get can’t save your company. Rely on a verbal agreement in business.

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Austin Startup

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

For startup founders, it’s never too early to start thinking about putting together a target market advisory board. The target market advisory board should consist of 2–4 industry veterans who have connections to C-level execs and VPs in your target market. Never discount the power of a warm intro.

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Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

Advisory Board. At one of our initial board meetings we had agreed on the general principle of an advisory board and put together an overall stock budget to compensate advisors. Over the next week we exchanged emails over advisory board stock. I knew he would bring immense value to me and the company.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 29, 2020

Investors want board seats and a vote on key decisions. But I suggest that a small advisory board with the right people might give you better guidance (no near-term financial bias), and you can always choose to ignore it if your insights are strong. Pre-defined milestones and deadlines in an uncertain world.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2019

Image via Flickr by MDGovpics Many entrepreneurs I know are confused by definition and need for an Advisory Board versus a Board of Directors. By definition, Advisory Boards are voluntary and have no fiduciary responsibility. How much are you willing to spend on your board?

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Gust

DECEMBER 3, 2011

And I don’t mean because they lend a credible name to an investor pitch: way too many entrepreneurs look at names on Advisory Board as just a way to expedite a raise. If that’s all you really expect of the Board, you’re cheating yourself as well as the investors before whom you dangled the names. But please do not ignore it.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2022

The best angels you will find are the ones who know you personally, or know a member of your team or advisory board. Find the right investment advisor, or member of your advisory board, and the “match-making” will happen. If you need more, you need VCs or a flock of angels. So how do you find those good angels?

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