I've been thinking a lot about the role of advisors as sounding boards. Sounding Board (noun): "a person or group whose reactions to suggested ideas are used as a test of their validity or likely success before they are made public." When advising founders, I aim to be a hyper-relevant sounding board. The more relevant my experience, the more crisp the signal I can offer. A 10x sounding board can show you how you're wrong before it's too late (i.e. while it's still cheap to be wrong). When I'm advising founders, I'm not telling them what they should do. I'm mostly reflecting back observations through my biased lens, and if helpful, offering suggestions. If I'm asked about something where I have no relevant experience, I say I'm the wrong person to ask because I haven't been in that situation before (and usually have someone in mind who is a much better person to ask). Advisors should take the responsibility seriously. If you see a smart move on the board, say it out loud and walk through the rationale on how you got there. If you don't see any good moves, keep digging.
Eduardo Moore
7mo
Great post! The concept of a "10x sounding board" really stands out. In my experience as a Product Director, the right advice at the right time can dramatically change the course of a product, especially when it's from someone who's been in the trenches. It's not just about giving directions but about challenging assumptions and guiding towards smarter, cost-effective decisions. True value comes from advisors who know when to speak up, reflect, and, importantly, when to direct to someone with the right expertise.
Meg Bear
7mo
I would add that it's also important to ask what voices and experiences are missing from their 10x sounding board process. I think a lot of bad decisions happen from well intentioned filter bubbles.
👋 Erica Jenkins
7mo
When you're advising, it's NOT the time to "fake it until you make it". I'd love to swap some notes on your strengths and mine to see about some cross-networking.
Kunal Thadani
7mo
Totally agree being honest with what you know and what you don't know is crucial to 1) build trust with them 2) truly allow the startup to see step function growth from the right advice (even if it's not from you)
Startup founder, acquired by Google, coaching founders and solo PMs. I build products and organizations.
7moToo true. Advisory work can be rewarding but also super challenging. You need to balance your experience with the fact that you might not be their actual customer. I've seen it go both ways - startups not listening to their advisors and listening too much :)