Most advisory boards are collections of impressive names who never show up. You waste equity on people who ghost your meetings and contribute nothing. This briefing shows you how to recruit advisors who actually engage, structure meetings that drive real decisions, and compensate without burning equity on empty promises.
Too many founders treat advisory boards like LinkedIn endorsements written in equity. They chase big names, hand out advisor shares to impress investors, and end up with a roster of people who never answer emails. The board looks credible in pitch decks, but when you need actual guidance on a supplier dispute, a regulatory shift, or a critical hiring decision, no one responds. You've traded real ownership for fake credibility, and your business suffers for it.
The problem isn't that advisors are lazy. It's that you never structured the relationship for success. You didn't clarify expectations, set meeting rhythms, or create accountability mechanisms. You assumed goodwill would translate into engagement, and it didn't. Now you're stuck with equity holders who contribute nothing, and you're reluctant to recruit new advisors because you've already given away too much. Meanwhile, decisions get made without the outside perspective you actually need.
This briefing teaches you how to build an advisory board that functions like a strategic asset, not a vanity project. You'll learn how to identify advisors based on what your business actually needs, structure engagement so people show up prepared, and compensate in ways that align incentives without wasting equity. Whether you're building your first board or trying to salvage one that's gone silent, this session gives you the framework to turn advisory relationships into competitive advantage.
John Cobb has built and walked away from advisory boards across multiple ventures and jurisdictions. He's served as an advisor and board member for organizations operating in fragile markets where credibility and judgment matter more than credentials. This briefing draws from both perspectives: what actually works when building boards, and what destroys them.
John doesn't teach theory. He teaches systems that survive contact with real founders, real constraints, and real advisors who have other priorities.
This briefing is available as a private session for accelerators, investment groups, founder networks, and leadership teams. John tailors the content to your audience's stage, industry focus, and specific advisory challenges. Sessions can be delivered in-person or virtually, with time for Q&A and scenario discussion based on real situations your group is facing.
Private briefings work well for cohorts preparing to recruit advisors, investor networks evaluating portfolio governance, or organizations reassessing their own advisory structures. The session can be configured as a standalone workshop or integrated into a broader governance or fundraising curriculum.
If your network would benefit from structured guidance on building boards that actually function, contact us to discuss format, scheduling, and pricing. Group rates available for organizations booking multiple briefings.
Available Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese