--- title: Become a Startup Board Advisor date: 2025-06-16T11:33:00+01:00 author: Ashley Dutton canonical_url: "https://www.connectd.com/advisors" section: Pages --- ### Expand your expertise & experience Advisory roles offer a powerful way to step beyond your sector and engage with future-focused businesses in areas like climate tech, fintech, AI, and more. As a board advisor, you’ll guide through insight, not execution - gaining broad exposure to new industries while applying your strategic thinking. It’s a unique opportunity to build a diverse, high-impact portfolio that reflects your curiosity, adaptability, and leadership. ### Boost your credibility, accelerate your career Taking on an external advisory role signals ambition, strategic thinking, and leadership beyond your day job. You'll gain fresh perspectives, build boardroom confidence, and develop skills that elevate your executive presence. Whether you're eyeing a C-suite move or looking to lead more effectively now, advisory experience shows initiative - and gives you the edge when it matters most. ### Stay at the table, on your terms Board advisory roles let you move beyond the daily pressure of executive life while staying engaged at the highest level. You’ll guide strategy, offer insight, and support founders - without managing teams or firefighting operations. It’s a chance to apply your expertise with perspective, not pace. Whether you're winding down or simply craving more balance, advisory work offers meaningful impact without the time constraints that come with full-time exec positions. ### Training and mentorship Complete our CPD-accredited Academy to learn how to apply your expertise in fractional positions. Throughout your journey, access 1-to-1 mentorship from seasoned portfolio professionals to refine your approach and navigate the nuances of fractional leadership. 01 ### Gain experience Get the hands-on experience you need with a guaranteed role at a startup or scaleup. This allows you to apply your skills in a fast-paced environment, building the proof and real-world case studies needed to validate your fractional services. 02 ### Grow your portfolio Leverage your experience to secure paid fractional, advisory, and NED roles through our global network. Gain full access to a consistent stream of opportunities and a curated community designed to support your long-term career evolution. 03 - Build confidence, experience and expertise during a 6 month advisory placement - Create lasting connections within the startup ecosystem, laying the foundation for further engagements - Placement opportunities across over 100 sectors including emerging and disruptive industries - Learn the fundamental skills, behaviours and attitudes of a board advisor across this 8 module programme - Earn up to 30 CPD-accredited points upon completion of the course - Curated by industry-leading specialists, educational materials will give you the foundations to succeed - Work with expert mentors spanning over 60 sectors, matched to your skills and goals - Benefit from impartial insights and confidential conversations in dedicated one-to-one sessions - Our flexible mentoring approach means you can enjoy support that fits around your schedule - Join our engaged fractional community to create connections and build your reputation - Upskill through webinars, roundtable discussions, and thought-leadership sessions - Stay up to date with the latest advisory trends and industry insights ![](/uploads/Images/Placement.jpg) ![](/uploads/Images/Academy_Card.jpg) ![](/uploads/Images/Mentorship-Community.svg) ![](/uploads/Images/Events.jpg) ## Your learning academy ### Research and Due-Diligence - #### Developing strategic research skills Hone your research abilities to provide insightful, strategic advisory guidance. - #### Understanding advisory roles in startups: Grasp the unique dynamics and impact of advisory roles within startups. ### Developing a Board Advisor CV - #### Effective oversight and guidance Learn to provide impactful oversight and strategic guidance as an advisor. - #### Translating specialised skills into advisory Convert your executive specialisms into valuable, actionable advisory insights. ### Board Advisor as a Mentor - #### Clarifying Roles and Expectations Define clear boundaries and mutual expectations for successful advisory relationships. - #### Doing VS Advising Understand the crucial difference between execution and providing expert counsel. ### Leveraging your Network - #### Using your network for business development Activate your connections to drive new business opportunities and growth. - #### Develop and expand business networks Strategies to strategically build and broaden your high-value professional network. ### Securing paid roles - #### Your Board Advisory Brand Cultivate a compelling personal brand specifically for board advisory positions. - #### Interview Strategies Master effective interview techniques to secure desirable paid advisory roles. ## Connections facilitated With members in 80+ countries, our platform brings together the world’s most ambitious startups with expert fractional executives, preparing them to join the ranks of household names like Google, Meta, Shopify, and more. ![](/uploads/Logos/Microsoft_Logo.svg) ![](/uploads/Logos/Chase_Logo.svg) ![](/uploads/Logos/Shopify.png) ![](/uploads/Logos/Exxon_Mobil.png) ![](/uploads/Logos/Google.png) ![](/uploads/Logos/Meta.png) ![](/uploads/Logos/Goldman_Sachs.png) ![](/uploads/Logos/Informa.png) ### Non-Exec Director Transition into high-level governance and strategic oversight. Use your advisory and executive experience to provide the independent challenge and rigorous board leadership needed to protect long-term shareholder value. ### Board Advisor Offer targeted mentorship and strategic guidance without fiduciary risk. Leverage your industry-specific network and insights to help founders navigate growth hurdles as a trusted external advisor. ### Fractional CMO Help shape the growth of startups and scaleups. Provide strategic support and develop marketing strategies that align customer acquisition with a growing businesses’s long-term commercial objectives. ### Fractional COO Become the integrator for high-growth ventures. Apply your operational expertise to implement the systems and team structures required to turn a founder’s vision into a functioning, scalable business. ### Fractional CTO Lead technical evolution from the top down. Provide the architectural oversight and product roadmaps needed to ensure a startup’s tech stack is scalable, secure, and ready for institutional investment. ### Fractional CFO Bring financial rigour to the early-stage ecosystem. Manage burn rates and lead fundraising rounds to build sustainable financial foundations for companies looking to scale rapidly. ### Fractional CIO Master internal digital transformation. Optimise data strategies and technology infrastructure to ensure a company’s internal operations drive a distinct and sustainable competitive advantage. ### Fractional CHRO Shape the future of high-performing startup cultures. Lead organisational design and people strategies that allow scaling companies to attract and retain top-tier talent as they grow. ### Fractional CISO Define the security standards for the modern enterprise. Establish the robust cybersecurity frameworks and compliance benchmarks needed to protect assets and build resilience against evolving digital threats. [ Apply today ](https://custom-connectd-form.vercel.app/ben-p2/ned-rr-direct) ## Meet your renowned mentors ![](/uploads/Images/_720x720_crop_center-center_90_none/MT.webp) ### Manoj Thacker Mentor ![](/uploads/Images/_720x720_crop_center-center_90_none/Martin-Clay.jpg) ### Martin Clay Mentor ![](/uploads/Images/_720x720_crop_center-center_90_none/Lenna-Lou-300x300.jpeg) ### Lenna Lou Mentor ![](/uploads/Images/_720x720_crop_center-center_90_none/Tania-Songini-1.png) ### Tania Songini Mentor ![](/uploads/Images/_720x720_crop_center-center_90_none/c-PersonalPaulCrick__paul.crickphilaskewphotography49_1694452468304.jpeg) ### Paul Crick Mentor ![](/uploads/Images/_720x720_crop_center-center_90_none/65df93d56212e8ac8f846a6e_1_JnnD8IWoN-ompspaXPPe5A.webp) ### Brian Fitzpatrick Mentor [ Fractional Executive ](https://www.connectd.com/executive) Board Advisors [ Non-Executives ](https://www.connectd.com/non-execs) ## Connect with more than 4,000 engaged startups and build your experience Previous Slide Next Slide ## Frequently asked questions ### What experience do you need to become a fractional leader? There’s no hard and fast rule to this, but if you’ve have around 10+ years experience in a senior leadership role, you will likely have lots to offer as a fractional executive. If you feel you can deliver high-impact results without the support of a large corporate structure, you have the necessary experience. ### What skills or qualifications do you need? There aren’t any specific qualifications required, but many aspiring fractionals undertake a training course like the one offered here by Connectd. This provides the knowledge, experience and mentorship to seamlessly make the transition to a fractional executive and build a successful portfolio career. ### Can I pursue fractional roles while still in full-time employment? Yes, most of our members hold a full-time position. This programme allows them to plan for their future and transition into a portfolio role, when they are ready to finish full-time employment. ### What is a vesting period and how will I be compensated as a fractional employee? Companies, especially startups or early-stage ventures, often compensate fractional employees with equity rather than cash. This approach helps conserve capital while aligning interests, offering a stake in the company’s future success in exchange for expertise, guidance, or part-time leadership. To manage risk and ensure continued contribution, this equity is typically granted over a vesting period, meaning it is earned incrementally over time or upon meeting certain performance milestones. A time based agreement might be that a certain amount of shares will vest over an agreed period (commonly between three and five years), whereas performance milestones will typically be measured on key metrics (for example when a revenue target or profitability is met). ### How can Connectd guarantee my role? We provide a guaranteed pro bono placement for every member who finishes the online Academy for a particular pathway (Fractional C-suite, Advisor or NED). This Academy provides the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake the placement, which in turn provides you with the practical, hands-on experience of working with a dynamic company, building your skills and competencies and allowing the company to access your expertise. We have hundreds of high-growth companies, in over 100 sectors, actively seeking the talent they need to drive success. The Connectd platform intelligently matches fractional talent with companies looking for their specific skills and experience, meaning you will have access to a number of highly relevant placement opportunities. What’s more, once your pro bono placement comes to an end, you can continue to work with the startup if agreeable to both parties, providing the opportunity to negotiate your remuneration as you move forward in the engagement. ### How does the Academy work? Is it recognised by an official provider? The Connectd Academy offers on-demand video content alongside practical follow-up exercises designed to help you build a successful fractional career at your own pace. Simply log in to the platform to access a wide range of modules covering both hard and soft skills. All content is created and curated by subject matter experts and is fully CPD-accredited, allowing you to leverage your learning outcomes as you expand your fractional portfolio. ### How long is a reasonable time to transition into a fractional portfolio career? Building a diverse and rewarding fractional portfolio can take several years, primarily due to the need for hands-on experience across the three to four core roles that typically define a successful fractional career. Our Transition to Portfolio programme is designed to support this journey while you remain in full-time corporate employment. Through the Connectd platform, you'll gain practical experience across these roles by working with a range of partner organisations within the Connectd community - accelerating your development, delivering lasting value to companies, and advancing your career trajectory. ### What's the difference between Fractional Leadership, Board Advisory and NED? Fractional leaders are experienced professionals who work on a part-time basis in a senior leadership role (for example, a CFO or Head of Marketing). They are responsible for day-to-day leadership and execution in their area of expertise and will typically be embedded in the management team. Board advisors provide - often highly targeted - advice to a company or leadership team, as well as mentoring, offering broader guidance and leveraging industry connections. Unlike non-executives, board advisors have no legal or fiduciary responsibilities. Non-executive directors are formal board members but are not part of the executive management team. They provide oversight, governance and strategic direction, offering an independent and impartial perspective to constructively challenge the executive team. Non-execs must execute legal and fiduciary duties under corporate governance laws. ## Read our guides to learn more [ For Fractional### Building a varied fractional career: how to blend fractional c-suite, advisory and non-executive roles Learn how to build a fractional portfolio of varied and rewarding roles ![](/uploads/Images/_876x552_crop_center-center_90_none/Blog-image_23_1030-x-690-@118dpi.jpg) ](https://www.connectd.com/article/building-a-varied-fractional-career-how-to-blend-fractional-c-suite-advisory-and-non-executive-roles) [ For Fractional### Non Executive Director vs Board Advisors: 3 Key Differences When entering a portfolio career, it can be difficult to know whether board advisory or NED roles best suit your career aspirations. ![](/uploads/Images/_876x552_crop_center-center_90_none/Blog-image_20_1030-x-690-@118dpi.jpg) ](https://www.connectd.com/article/three-differences-between-non-executive-directors-neds-and-advisors) [ For Fractional### 8 tips for first-time board advisors If you’re a first-time board advisor, start here. ![](/uploads/Images/_876x552_crop_center-center_90_none/Blog-image_15_1030-x-690-@118dpi.jpg) ](https://www.connectd.com/article/8-tips-for-first-time-board-advisors) [ Go to the Knowledge Hub ](/learn) ## Ambition needs expertise. Bring yours. Ready to get started? [ Book a Call ](https://www.connectd.com/agents/uk-ned-rr-direct) ![](/dist/images/blob-red.png) ![](/dist/images/blob-red.png) ![](/dist/images/blob-red.png)