Shardul Shah

Well, I'm glad they said that. Good luck. You know, look, I think there's, of course, a merit to it. Like if you think about MailChimp, beautiful business, bootstrap, never raised a single dollar, phenomenal founder, great outcome. On the other hand, in very few strategic moments, I think having a valuable board is terrific. That board member may be an investor or could be an independent, right?

Well, I'm glad they said that. Good luck. You know, look, I think there's, of course, a merit to it. Like if you think about MailChimp, beautiful business, bootstrap, never raised a single dollar, phenomenal founder, great outcome. On the other hand, in very few strategic moments, I think having a valuable board is terrific. That board member may be an investor or could be an independent, right?

But I definitely believe boards are invaluable to businesses that want to dominate categories.

But I definitely believe boards are invaluable to businesses that want to dominate categories.

But I definitely believe boards are invaluable to businesses that want to dominate categories.

Do less. When I started as a board member, I was really excited about being a board member. There's this black box room. What happens? I want to be part of it. There's probably ego and power and influence, all of these ideas that pop into your mind. And then you want to help. And then you try to help everywhere. Right. There are very, very few things that matter.

Do less. When I started as a board member, I was really excited about being a board member. There's this black box room. What happens? I want to be part of it. There's probably ego and power and influence, all of these ideas that pop into your mind. And then you want to help. And then you try to help everywhere. Right. There are very, very few things that matter.

Do less. When I started as a board member, I was really excited about being a board member. There's this black box room. What happens? I want to be part of it. There's probably ego and power and influence, all of these ideas that pop into your mind. And then you want to help. And then you try to help everywhere. Right. There are very, very few things that matter.

One approach I take, which I think can be a useful tool, is to hold up a mirror. Right. So recently we were in a board meeting. Entrepreneur is talking about in a closed session, an executive that he works with. And the board starts going around the table on like what to do when kick the can down the road. And I'm like, hey, I want to hold up a mirror.

One approach I take, which I think can be a useful tool, is to hold up a mirror. Right. So recently we were in a board meeting. Entrepreneur is talking about in a closed session, an executive that he works with. And the board starts going around the table on like what to do when kick the can down the road. And I'm like, hey, I want to hold up a mirror.

One approach I take, which I think can be a useful tool, is to hold up a mirror. Right. So recently we were in a board meeting. Entrepreneur is talking about in a closed session, an executive that he works with. And the board starts going around the table on like what to do when kick the can down the road. And I'm like, hey, I want to hold up a mirror.

I heard you say toxic, irreparable, inevitable. You know your decision. It should be made tomorrow. And we made the decision tomorrow. And I didn't actually contribute perspective. All I did was play back to the entrepreneur what he'd already said. And I think that can be really valuable in asserting high quality decisions, which is a key component of building an important business.

I heard you say toxic, irreparable, inevitable. You know your decision. It should be made tomorrow. And we made the decision tomorrow. And I didn't actually contribute perspective. All I did was play back to the entrepreneur what he'd already said. And I think that can be really valuable in asserting high quality decisions, which is a key component of building an important business.

I heard you say toxic, irreparable, inevitable. You know your decision. It should be made tomorrow. And we made the decision tomorrow. And I didn't actually contribute perspective. All I did was play back to the entrepreneur what he'd already said. And I think that can be really valuable in asserting high quality decisions, which is a key component of building an important business.

Having the courage to say no to big opportunities requires deep relationships with maybe not every board member, but a few board members. And that's a place where, again, if you're positioned as like the first call, if you're getting calls from your founders on weekends, that's a really important role. Helping with decisions on

Having the courage to say no to big opportunities requires deep relationships with maybe not every board member, but a few board members. And that's a place where, again, if you're positioned as like the first call, if you're getting calls from your founders on weekends, that's a really important role. Helping with decisions on

Having the courage to say no to big opportunities requires deep relationships with maybe not every board member, but a few board members. And that's a place where, again, if you're positioned as like the first call, if you're getting calls from your founders on weekends, that's a really important role. Helping with decisions on

hiring executives, not just firing, but hiring executives, where you may have seen a range of sales leaders, or in your case, like the best growth or the best of the best in product, you may be able to create a really nuanced perspective on the performance of an individual, and therefore inform your entrepreneur with perspective that can enable them to make key decisions.

hiring executives, not just firing, but hiring executives, where you may have seen a range of sales leaders, or in your case, like the best growth or the best of the best in product, you may be able to create a really nuanced perspective on the performance of an individual, and therefore inform your entrepreneur with perspective that can enable them to make key decisions.

hiring executives, not just firing, but hiring executives, where you may have seen a range of sales leaders, or in your case, like the best growth or the best of the best in product, you may be able to create a really nuanced perspective on the performance of an individual, and therefore inform your entrepreneur with perspective that can enable them to make key decisions.