Startup Boards : A Field Guide to Building and Leading an Effective Board of Directors (Edition 2) (Hardcover)

"Startup Boards was originally written for a small, core audience of startup CEOs. This edition expands that core base to include a much larger audience of readers and a much larger base of organizations with any type of board. Readers involved in a local library board, large-scale nonprofit board, or company board will find valuable information and insights. Existing board members will learn how to be more effective. People seeking board positions will learn how to search and find roles. Investors will have a resource to share with their investment companies to ensure that the board is highly effective. Students will have an introduction to this critical resource before they embark on their entrepreneurial journey. Startup Boards is written in a conversational, inviting tone, accessible to extremely busy people who need to understand the basics of board governance, how to recruit and train board members, and how to handle issues that arise. The book is divided into multiple sections covering a breadth of topics, from forming a board to exiting--whether selling a company, going public, or going bankrupt. Sidebars and text boxes provide additional ideas and tips from well-known entrepreneurs and investors like Fred Wilson, Will Herman, Reid Hoffman, Tony Hsieh, and others. The new edition includes content on building a board (composition, evolution of the board, recruiting and retaining members, onboarding, evaluation) and getting a board role (preparing for a board role, interviewing, making an impact, giving difficult feedback). New quantitative measures of boards across multiple industries and company size will be added to illustrate key points"-- A comprehensive guide on creating, growing, and leveraging a board of directors written for CEOs, board members, and people seeking board roles. The first time many founders see the inside of a board room is when they step in to lead their board. But how do boards work? How should they be structured, managed, and leveraged so that startups can grow, avoid pitfalls, and get the best out of their boards? Authors Brad Feld, Mahendra Ramsinghani, and Matt Blumberg have collectively served on hundreds of startup and scaleup boards over the past 30 years, attended thousands of board meetings, encountered multiple personalities and situations, and seen the good, bad, and ugly of boards. In Startup Boards: A Field Guide to Building and Leading an Effective Board of Directors, the authors provide seasoned advice and guidance to CEOs, board members, investors, and anyone aspiring to serve on a board. This comprehensive book covers a wide range of topics with relevant tips, tactics, and best practices, including: Board fundamentals such as the board's purpose, legal characteristics, and roles and functions of board members; Creating a board including size, composition, roles of VCs and independent directors, what to look for in a director, and how to recruit directors; Compensating, onboarding, removing directors, and suggestions on building a diverse board; Preparing for and running board meetings; The board's role in transactions including selling a company, buying a company, going public, and going out of business; Advice for independent and aspiring directors. Startup Boards draws on the authors' experience and includes stories from board members, startup founders, executives, and investors. Any CEO, board member, investor, or executive interested in creating an active, involved, and engaged board should read this book--and keep it handy for reference.