Advisor’s Corner: Javier Soltero on Board Meetings

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  Dana OshiroPart-time Partner
  Heavybit

On Feb. 4th Heavybit Advisor Javier Soltero gave a talk on Board Room Process. The talk was so well received that we’ve invited him to offer a few words of wisdom for other entrepreneurs running their first board meeting.

I’ve been in a lot of board meetings, and I’ve seen it all. There are several blog posts and resources out there for running a good board meeting, but in my experience it comes down to three basic rules:

1. Always Wear a Blazer
Even if you’re the only one wearing it. Why? Because it may be just enough of a break from your normal routine to help you set a more serious, focused tone for the meeting.

2. Never Do Board Meetings on Fridays
In the unlikely event that you have a lingering issue after a board meeting, you don’t want that hanging over your team heads over the weekend. You need the ability to follow up with everyone (board members & execs) and clarify/rectify anything that came out of the meeting.

3. Always Meet in Your Offices
Board members need to see the company in action, get a sense for the culture, and get to know the faces of the people who are working their ass off to make the company a success. Meeting offsite prevents this, and also takes you away from your home turf.

That’s it. Follow these simple rules and you’re on your way to a healthy board.

– Javier Soltero