All of our Board management articles

People & Culture

When it Comes to These Company Building Blocks, Borrow From Others — Advice From Thumbtack’s CEO

As Thumbtack CEO Marco Zappacosta tells it, sometimes your company is a special flower, and sometimes you should borrow from others. He shares his advice for how to tell the difference.

Management

This Founder Built Startups in 2008, 2016 and 2018. Here’s What He’s Learned About Resiliency

Bob Moore's first brush with life as a founder started in 2008—three days before Lehman Brothers collapsed. Since he cut his teeth as a first-time founder in turbulent times, he's gone on to build two other companies. Here, Moore shares the lessons he's learned along the way.

Must-reads

The 30 Best Pieces of Advice for Entrepreneurs in 2018

We've rounded up 30 of the best insights from the articles we published over the last year. Read on for a time-capsule-like toolkit, full of the best tactical wisdom that seasoned company builders had to offer in 2018.

Management

The Founder’s Guide to Discipline: Lessons from Front’s Mathilde Collin

Front's CEO and co-founder Mathilde Collin shares why a founder’s discipline matters more than vision, unveiling her own best practices and templates for communication, time management, fundraising and team building.

Fundraising

Step-by-Step Fundraising Tactics from the NYC Legend Who Raised $750M

Kevin Ryan has spent decades on both sides of the fundraising table. Here, he provides secrets seldom shared for getting and keeping VCs interested before closing the deal.

Management

First Round Review's 6 Must Reads to Run Fast, Efficient Meetings

We've featured advice from some pretty smart, successful people about how to run better meetings that don't sap energy or waste time. Here's everything they've shared.

Product

The Habit Behind This Founder’s Fast Financings, Product Development and Book Deal

MissionU CEO Adam Braun has a habit that's helped him get term sheets in weeks, launch products and pen a bestseller. Here's an inside look at the practice that guides him.

Management

A Field Guide to Identifying and Integrating Independent Board Members

Amazon veteran Michelle Wilson serves as an independent board member for Pinterest, Okta and Zendesk. From how to find independent board members to when to bring them on, here's what she tells startups that ask about this critical board role.

Fundraising

How Zapier Pulled Off Its One-and-Done Approach to Fundraising

Zapier CEO and Co-founder Wade Foster is a fundraising contrarian. But he doesn't think he should be. He shares how it's possible to approach financing as a boost — not a crutch — and ways to approach key business decisions early on to keep the itch to fundraise at bay.

Management

One Founder, Both Sides of the M&A Table — What All Startups Can Learn from His Experience

Jeff Seibert sold two startups back-to-back, and now regularly advises Twitter on acquisition deals from the inside. Here's what all founders need to know about this process.

Management

Square Defangs Difficult Decisions with this System — Here’s How

Gokul Rajaram shares a framework that he's used at Square and Caviar to make the most difficult decisions, all while assigning ownership, being inclusive and coordinating execution among all stakeholders.

Fundraising

You Aren't Getting the Most Out of Your Investors — This is How to Start

Angel investor Paul Arnold has seen many companies fail to capitalize on the wisdom and resources of their investors. Here's how others have succeeded.