Category Archives: Surrounding yourself with talent

Whenever there are outside shareholders, and when there is a product in release, there is a chance, no matter how slight, of a lawsuit against members of the board as well as against the corporation itself.  Even if such a … Continue reading →

Expect a board member to give a meeting a month, emails and phone calls between.  Urgent issues require more of all. Board members are usually busy people, often running other companies or serving on multiple boards.  Early stage boards usually … Continue reading →

Give one percent equity to each outside board member vesting over four years of service. Many early stage CEOs and board members have asked for some guidance regarding pay and time commitments for board members.  Here is my best advice, … Continue reading →

Plan 10% of your time for board relations. Most all leaders new to the CEO position underestimate this time requirement.  It is good for the company when the CEO shares concerns, threats and opportunities with the board.  The rule of … Continue reading →

I first heard this in a governance seminar for a non-profit higher educational board upon which I sit, years ago.  It made an impact and stuck with me through the years.  I have repeated it often to boards deliberating action … Continue reading →

Perhaps this is the natural conclusion from the several insights previously explored.  While the CEO and management offers the vision, strategies and tactics as well as the proposed budget, it is the board that controls with its votes the execution … Continue reading →

No board member should be grandfathered, guaranteed a board seat forever. Practically speaking, this is an impossible goal.  We have investigated the restrictions imposed by investment documents and the obvious need to keep continuity on the board with the retention … Continue reading →

In my last insight, I described the CEO who stacked the board with two friends, making a majority for control purposes and relegating the investor representatives to insignificance.  There were no outside board members with industry experience, no members the … Continue reading →

Start-ups with one founder rarely have or need a board of directors.  In fact, such a board would seem out of place in a one person company.  As soon as any outside money is ingested into the corporation, others have … Continue reading →