In this episode, Alex Bridgeman is joined by Aaron Perrine and Chris Hendriksen to explore how boards can become a true competitive advantage for entrepreneurs. The conversation dives into the evolving role of boards within the ETA ecosystem, highlighting the growing demand for strong governance as the space expands. Drawing from recent industry discussions and their own experience, Aaron and Chris break down what separates high-performing boards from dysfunctional ones. They also share practical frameworks for building, managing, and evolving boards to better support CEOs over time.
They discuss:
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Why board quality and CEO relationships are declining and how to fix it
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What a high-performing board actually feels like in practice
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How to think about board composition, roles, and timing during formation
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The importance of trust, chemistry, and engagement between CEOs and directors
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Why board evolution, feedback, and executive sessions are critical for long-term success
Links:
Boardroom Toolkit
Pacific Lake Partners
Trilogy Search Partners
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:02:11) - Conference feedback and the state of Boards
(00:07:19) - What are your goals for the next year regarding Boards?
(00:12:36) - What does a well functioning board look like?
(00:18:00) - How can Searchers effectively form a board?
(00:25:27) - Best practices for forming a Board
(00:35:34) - What are the personal reasons that you'd be excited to join a board?
(00:43:20) - Recruiting new board members
(00:45:57) - Closing thoughts
