TAG: Board
Reverse Diligence: Research Your New Boardmember(S)
TheFunded.com Advice
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-04-02
Tags: Preparation Due Diligence Board
Prior to accepting capitla from any fund that will require board representation, one should be sure to spend some time doing background checks on the new boardmember(s). Find out what industry they came from (finance, technology, consulting etc.), check out the quality of their other portfolio investments, and be sure to interview CEO's of those portfolio companies to find out how the investor has contributed (or not) to the BOD. Chances are that you will be stuck with your boardmembers for some time, and it's good to know who you are getting into bed with prior to making any decisions.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyAnatomy of the 5 Page Board Packet
TheFunded.com Advice
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-04-05
Tags: Operations Board Meetings
So, I have wavered between "War and Peace" and the one page agenda for Board meetings. I stand somewhere in the middle. In my humble opinion, less is more, and here is what I recommend: (1) Agenda Page, (2) Minutes, (3) Dashboard, (4) Budget vs Actual, and (5) Business Discussion Points. Throw a cap table and financial back-up in a couple appendices (and make sure to update your cumulative dividends). Members, read on...
PRIVATE: Members Only (569 Characters)Stack Your Board with People Your Investor Can't Argue With
TheFunded.com Advice
Posted by RichieBlueEyes on 2008-03-05
Tags: Operations Board
You should always be in control of your own board. There is a simple way to do this, stack your board with people that are beyond reproach that are in your corner. Yes, you need to be well connected to pull this off but if do, you could end up with at least an even say on the board. Most entrepreneurs get board members from referrals, I say, get your friends! Don't get 100 board members, just a few that no one can tell you to get rid of...After-all you just gave them free stock...so they'll probably back you at least for the first year. However, don't get rubber stamp people that won't do anything. Make sure to get people that actually will be active.
PRIVATE: Members Only (149 Characters)Start Ups Grumble about Directors Too Busy to Help
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-07-29
Tags: Operations Board Article
Board of Advisors Compensation
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-05-28
Tags: Operations Board Compensation
Board Member Value? and How to Call Them on It.
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2009-10-26
Tags: Negotiation Board Value
CFO on the Board
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-12-27
Tags: Operations Board Governance CFO
Board Composition
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-12-19
Tags: Operations Governance Board
Founders Board Seats
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2008-12-04
Tags: Negotiation Board Governance
The Post Funding Experience
TheFunded.com Advice
Posted by Alroy on 2008-04-20
Tags: Operations Board
There are a lot of postings here about getting the initial term sheet and getting the VC on board. However, just like marriages, many of these courting periods can be quite different from the month to month evolving operations and business that we face a year or two down the road. Remember that often these VCs will sit on your board, and direct your business in different ways and depending on your dilution can dictate how operational decisions should be made. Thus, it is important to get an early feel from your VC dialogue, especially how they would respond if the actual business is less than the wonderful picture we sometimes paint in our pitches.
Even with the best of intentions, it is possible and even probable that the world does not quite turn out the way that we have carefully planned. Having VCs with real operational experience could actually prove to be useful in this setting. However, having attorneys or other less experienced associates on the board can be disastrous as they can and will send the management team on useless exercises to appease their ignorance and waste valuable time and resources that could be focused on the real business issues.
It is also important to set realistic expectations on how a business will evolve as this can determine the tone of the ongoing dialogue. I was involved with a CEO who promised rosy but unlikely-to-happen scenarios and thus the board was often in an antagonistic and negative stance with the whole management team.
While we all need to be as careful and realistic as possible with the expectations that we set, we also need to be careful about the kind of people we let on our boards as this can become a regular drag and distraction that we do not need when we are building a business.
PRIVATE: Members OnlyBoard Seat Equity?
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-06-22
Tags: Equity Board
Board Seats in a Seed Round
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-05-29
Tags: Seed Board
What is the Proper Way to Transfer a Board Seat?
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-05-19
Tags: Board
Frequency of Board Meetings
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-04-06
Tags: Meetings Board
Running an Advisory Board Meeting
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-03-30
Tags: Meetings Advisory Board
Structure for a Board of Advisors
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-03-24
Tags: Structure Board
Best Practice Board Meeting Template/Ppt?
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-03-04
Tags: Presentation Meetings Board
Removing a Venture Partner From Your Board
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2011-02-21
Tags: Partners Board
How to Be a Board Member
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-06-29
Tags: Operations Board
Eir to Board to Investor
TheFunded.com Discussion
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-06-27
Tags: Operations EIR Board Investor
Don't Let a Venture Capitalist De Flower Your Startup Without Making a Commitment
TheFunded.com Advice
Posted by ammosov on 2010-06-06
Tags: Negotiation Terms Board
Basically, never let a VC to skip taking a board seat because this means they might be an evidence they want an option to dump the startup or do a Round A on miserable terms.
PRIVATE: Members Only