Board & Advisor Templates

Load this file for board updates, meeting prep, advisor asks, and governance communications.

Board Update — Monthly (Pre-Board Meeting)

Subject: [Company] Board Update — [Month Year]

Hi [Board Member Names],

Here is the [Month] update ahead of our [meeting on Date / async review].

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HEADLINE
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[1–2 sentence summary of the month — the most important thing to know]

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KEY METRICS
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MRR:          $X  (↑/↓ X% MoM | target was $X)
ARR:          $X
Customers:    X   (↑ X new | ↓ X churned)
Churn:        X%
Runway:       X months at current burn
Net Burn:     $X/month

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HIGHLIGHTS
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• [Win 1 — specific]
• [Win 2 — specific]
• [Win 3 — specific]

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MISSES / CHALLENGES
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• [Miss 1 — what happened + why + what we're doing]
• [Challenge 1 — honest, not defensive]

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DECISIONS NEEDED
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• [Item requiring board input or approval — specific]

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ASKS
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• [Specific ask — intro to X / feedback on Y / connection to Z]

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NEXT MONTH PRIORITIES
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1. [Priority 1]
2. [Priority 2]
3. [Priority 3]

Full financials and cap table attached. Let me know if you have questions.

[Founder Name]

Board Meeting Agenda

BOARD MEETING AGENDA
[Company Name] | [Date] | [Time] | [Location / Video link]

Attendees: [List names and roles]

1. CALL TO ORDER + PREVIOUS MINUTES (5 min)
   • Approve minutes from [last meeting date]

2. CEO UPDATE (15 min) — [Founder]
   • Business performance vs. plan
   • Key wins and misses
   • Market / competitive landscape update

3. FINANCIAL REVIEW (10 min) — [CFO / Founder]
   • P&L vs. budget
   • Cash position and runway
   • Burn rate and key variance

4. DISCUSSION ITEMS (20 min)
   • [Item 1: e.g., "Pricing strategy change — seeking input"]
   • [Item 2: e.g., "Fundraising timeline — seeking approval to begin"]

5. DECISIONS REQUIRED (10 min)
   • [Formal vote or decision item — state clearly what approval is needed]

6. BOARD ASKS (5 min)
   • [Specific requests for connections, advice, or introductions]

7. NEXT MEETING
   • [Date, time, location]

8. ADJOURN

Pre-reads due by: [Date, 48–72 hours before the meeting]

Board Deck — Section Outline

BOARD DECK STRUCTURE (10–12 slides)

Slide 1:  Agenda + key decisions needed
Slide 2:  Scorecard — KPIs vs. targets (traffic light format: green / yellow / red)
Slide 3:  Revenue and growth trend (chart)
Slide 4:  Unit economics update (CAC, LTV, payback)
Slide 5:  Burn and runway (cash flow chart + table)
Slide 6:  Highlights — what went well
Slide 7:  Misses — what didn't, why, and what changes
Slide 8:  Discussion item 1 (slide with decision framework)
Slide 9:  Discussion item 2 (if applicable)
Slide 10: Priorities for next period (OKRs or sprint goals)
Slide 11: Asks from the board
Appendix: Full P&L, cap table, pipeline, headcount plan

Advisor Ask — Intro Request

Subject: Quick ask — intro to [Name] at [Company]

Hi [Advisor Name],

I could use your help with something specific.

I'm trying to connect with [Name] at [Company] because [specific reason — e.g.,
"they've been through a similar go-to-market motion" / "they're a potential customer"
/ "they know our target market well"].

Do you know them well enough for an intro? I'll draft the blurb if that helps.

Here's context for the intro:
"[Company] helps [ICP] [outcome]. [Traction signal]. [Founder name] is looking
to connect with [Name] to [specific ask — not a pitch]."

No pressure if this isn't a strong connection — I'll find another path.

[Name]

Advisor Ask — Feedback on Specific Problem

Subject: 20 minutes? — [Specific problem I'm trying to solve]

Hi [Advisor Name],

I'm working through a problem and could really use your perspective.

THE SITUATION
[2–3 sentences: context on what's happening]

THE DECISION I'M FACING
[What you're trying to decide — specific, not vague]

MY CURRENT THINKING
Option A: [X] — pros/cons
Option B: [Y] — pros/cons

THE QUESTION FOR YOU
[What specifically do you want from them — their recommendation, their experience,
a sanity check, a specific contact]

Would you have 20 minutes in the next week?

[Name]

Advisor Check-In (Quarterly)

Subject: [Company] — quarterly advisor update

Hi [Advisor Name],

Quick quarterly update + a couple of asks:

WHERE WE ARE
[3 bullet points: key metrics, biggest win, current focus]

SINCE WE LAST TALKED
• [Progress on thing you discussed]
• [New development worth knowing]

ASKS THIS QUARTER
• [Specific ask 1]
• [Specific ask 2 — keep to max 2]

Let me know if you'd like to connect for a deeper conversation.

Thank you for everything so far — [specific thing they helped with].

[Name]

Adding a New Advisor — First Ask

Subject: Would you be open to advising [Company]?

Hi [Name],

I'll be direct: I've been following your work on [specific topic] and think you're
exactly the kind of person I'd want advising [Company].

WHAT WE DO
[One sentence. Don't over-explain.]

WHY I'M ASKING YOU SPECIFICALLY
[1–2 sentences: what gap they fill, what you'd use them for — be specific.
Flattery alone doesn't land; a clear use case does.]

WHAT I'M PROPOSING
• [X hours/month — probably 1–2] of informal advising
• Occasional intro requests and specific questions
• Standard advisor equity: [X]% vesting over [18–24 months]

No formal obligations. If it's not a fit after a few months, no hard feelings.

Would you be open to a 30-minute call to explore it?

[Name]
[Title], [Company]
[Website] | [LinkedIn]

Board Observer Rights — Investor Communication

Subject: Board observer access — [Company]

Hi [Name],

Following your investment, I'd like to extend board observer rights as discussed.

WHAT THIS MEANS
• You'll receive board materials 48–72 hours before each meeting
• You're welcome to attend board meetings in observer capacity
• You won't have voting rights, per our agreement

NEXT MEETING
Date: [Date] | Time: [Time] | [Location / Video link]
I'll add you to the recurring invite.

BOARD MATERIALS
I'll send monthly updates by the [5th] of each month.

Questions? Reply here.

[Name]

Governance — Written Consent (Simple)

WRITTEN CONSENT IN LIEU OF MEETING
[Company Name]

Action: [What is being approved — e.g., "Authorization to issue X shares of common stock"]

The undersigned, constituting [all members of the Board / a quorum of the Board]
of [Company Name], hereby consent to and approve the following resolution:

RESOLVED, that [specific action approved, with all key terms].

This consent may be signed in counterparts and transmitted by email.

[Board Member 1] _____________________ Date: _________
[Board Member 2] _____________________ Date: _________
[Board Member 3] _____________________ Date: _________