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PDF Your Board Package
Thankfully I no longer get fedexed binders of board packages from my portfolio companies in advance of a board meeting. Through the modern miracle of email, the board packages show up in my inbox – hopefully a few days (rather than a few hours – or even minutes) before the board meeting. The board packages tend to show up in three different formats – one that is easy to deal with, one that is ok, and one that sucks.
Board of Directors Number of Meetings
As Jim and I continue our Board Meeting series, we've decided to address a question that we are often asked - "How Many Board Meetings Should A VC-backed company have?"
Board Meeting Rules
Following are some board meeting rules that were recently presented to me and my fellow board members by a CEO at one of his first board meetings at a newly funded early stage company. I thought they were brilliant. Feel free to pass them out at your next board meeting.
The "Oh Shit" Board Meeting
Peter Rip has a funny (and painfully familiar) comment about the near-inevitable "Oh shit" moment that comes at the first board meeting of a newly-financed early-stage company:
Advice du Jour: Do Whatever Gets You Tenure
I was recently talking to a CEO friend of mine who is having trouble with his board. He thinks there is a very good chance that he will soon be fired.
Financial Models for Underachievers: Two Years of the Real Numbers of a Startup
My buddy at Redfin, Glenn Kelman, decided he wanted to bare his financial soul so that other entrepreneurs could get greater insight into the witchcraft called financial modeling. In this two-part posting, he reveals his numbers and his lessons. They are eye-opening for most entrepreneurs.

So I Just Wasted 60 Minutes of System Time
This rarely happens to me so when it does, I notice it. And - in my effort to write some of my tricks about work-life balance, I thought I'd call this one out, especially since it was totally my fault.
The Rhythms of My Life
I was in a board meeting yesterday with a company planning a major commercial release of their product “at the end of summer”. We managed to turn this into 8/31/09 at 11:59:59pm pacific time (since I don’t believe you can release something unless there is a time/date stamp associated with it.) As part of this discussion, we spent some time discussing the notion of a daily / weekly / monthly rhythm for both the CEO/CTO as well as the product team.
The 800 Pound Gorilla Problem
I was at a board meeting recently where the board and management was discussing the company’s market position. This is a strong company that leads its market and, as a result, one of the board members stated that we were “the 800 pound gorilla in the market.” In my world view, the market was still relatively small so I suggested that we were the 12 pound gorilla. While this got a chuckle, it was instructive and moved the conversation down an interesting path.
Beware the Hockey Stick in Your Budget
We are deep in budget season as the last board meeting of the year typically includes the 2010 Budget – or at least the “2010 Draft Budget” or “2010 Budget – Draft”. This is also known as “the joy of cramming a spreadsheet into a powerpoint presentation.”

Give Your VCs Assignments
Over the weekend, Mark Suster wrote a great post titled How To Communicate with your Investors between Board Meetings. Mark continues to just tear it up with great advice for entrepreneurs. However, he left out one thing from the post – which is one of my favorite pieces of advice for entrepreneurs. Give your venture capitalists (and board members) assignments Mark alludes to this in many of his suggestions but he never comes out and says it. And, amazingly to me, many entrepreneurs either don’t ever think of this or don’t feel comfortable doing it. They should.
Top 11 Ground Rules for Conducting a Strategic Planning Session
Conducting a good strategic planning session is critical to the success of a solid strategic plan; one that includes specific and measurable goals and objectives, providing a clear direction for the organization. To ensure that the actual planning retreat is as productive as it can be, ground rules should be established and discussed prior to commencement. This article provides a list of 11 ground rules I believe are imperative in managing a successful planning retreat.
Board Member Job Descriptions - Which Roles and Responsibilities Should You Include?
Prior to developing a job description for board members, take time to determine what you expect from them. What roles should they adopt and which tasks, projects, and activities do you want them to be responsible for? This article provides some items you should consider including in board member job descriptions.
Start Every Board Meeting With A Demo
I find three hour “reporting board meetings” where everyone sits around and goes through a 50 page PowerPoint deck to be tedious. When I first started investing in 1994, this was the norm. I put up with it even though it wasn’t my style because (a) I didn’t know better and (b) I didn’t have any better ideas.
Recession - What Recession??
According to the media and the government we are heading into the worst recession for nearly 20 years. But the business people I talk to are not experiencing anything like the gloom and doom that the media dish up every morning on the news. Even if we were, would it really mean much to the average business??
3 Tips to Earning the Big Bucks - The Value of Presentation
The way entrepreneurs present themselves is an important part of how we value them. If you want to earn the big bucks you have to present yourself the right way. You have to create a brand through presentation.

A Strategic Look At Dos and Donts of Board Meeting Minutes From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
Do you serve on a board of directors and experience significant inaccuracies and inconsistencies in board minutes? Do you know that board minutes are really a very important resource to governing boards? Minutes of board meetings provide evidence that a board has exercised care in decision-making. The minutes also substantiate that a board is operating in accordance with its Bylaws and other documents and rules. Although there is recognition that board minutes are important, many organizations continue to have inadequate records of board meetings. Your strategic thinking business coach offers a list of the DO’s and DON’Ts of board meeting minutes.

Other board meeting Related Articles

PDF Your Board Package
Thankfully I no longer get fedexed binders of board packages from my portfolio companies in advance of a board meeting. Through the modern miracle of email, the board packages show up in my inbox – hopefully a few days (rather than a few hours – or even minutes) before the board meeting. The board packages tend to show up in three different formats – one that is easy to deal with, one that is ok, and one that sucks.
Board of Directors Number of Meetings
As Jim and I continue our Board Meeting series, we've decided to address a question that we are often asked - "How Many Board Meetings Should A VC-backed company have?"
Board Meeting Rules
Following are some board meeting rules that were recently presented to me and my fellow board members by a CEO at one of his first board meetings at a newly funded early stage company. I thought they were brilliant. Feel free to pass them out at your next board meeting.
A Strategic Look At Dos and Donts of Board Meeting Minutes From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
Do you serve on a board of directors and experience significant inaccuracies and inconsistencies in board minutes? Do you know that board minutes are really a very important resource to governing boards? Minutes of board meetings provide evidence that a board has exercised care in decision-making. The minutes also substantiate that a board is operating in accordance with its Bylaws and other documents and rules. Although there is recognition that board minutes are important, many organizations continue to have inadequate records of board meetings. Your strategic thinking business coach offers a list of the DO’s and DON’Ts of board meeting minutes.

The "Oh Shit" Board Meeting
Peter Rip has a funny (and painfully familiar) comment about the near-inevitable "Oh shit" moment that comes at the first board meeting of a newly-financed early-stage company:
11 Speaking Tips
A conversation, a sales meeting, a board meeting, an interview, a courtroom case... all are special situations which require you to communicate clearly, drive the action and create the result you want. You can learn skills to engineer the outcome, make the most of your opportunities, gain respect, and advance your career. Here are eleven tips to practice that will help you feel powerful and authentic, and will help you be perceived as a person of authority and trust:

The Board's Role in Fundraising
“Should my board help me raise funds?” The obvious answer is yes, of course they should! Now comes the hard part. Getting the board to actually raise money is a lot tougher than simply saying they should. Many nonprofits, of all sizes and types of mission, overlook the basic steps necessary to engage the board in effective fundraising.

The 800 Pound Gorilla Problem
I was at a board meeting recently where the board and management was discussing the company’s market position. This is a strong company that leads its market and, as a result, one of the board members stated that we were “the 800 pound gorilla in the market.” In my world view, the market was still relatively small so I suggested that we were the 12 pound gorilla. While this got a chuckle, it was instructive and moved the conversation down an interesting path.
Be the CEO of Your Job
Sometimes a person says one sentence that just sticks with you and is so perfect that it defines a whole category of behavior. Mark Pincus, the CEO of Zynga, riffed on the phrase “be the CEO of your job” in a board meeting a year or so ago. It stuck with me and I’ve thought about it many times since.
Nonprofit Board Member Manuals - What Should You Include?
When you have a board of directors, it is always a good idea to have a Board Member Manual. A Manual is a great tool for board members to use when they need quick and easy access to critical information about the organization. It compiles important documents into one binder, so they don't waste time and energy looking for what they need in several files or locations. Does your organization have a manual for its board members?
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