The role of a startup advisor: what they do, what they earn, and how to step in

Connectd is free to join for startups. The only requirement is to complete an onboarding call with a member of our team to get full access to the platform.

After creating an account during your onboarding call, you’ll have instant access to our network of experts. You can filter talent by role, industry, skill set, location, and compensation expectations to help you find the best people for your business. 

There are three core on-platform features which enable you to connect with talent: job postings, expert search and AI recommendations. Our global events also provide opportunities to build relationships with experts.

Our members are located across 40+ countries, with strong representation in the US and UK. This enables you to access global expertise and cross-border collaboration, working with experts remotely if required.

Fractional leadership is part-time executive support with hands-on responsibility. Board advisory provides strategic guidance without formal governance duties. Non-Executive Directors (NED's) sit on the board, offering oversight, governance, and strategic input, but don’t manage day-to-day operations.

Yes, Connectd can help assemble entire boards tailored to your company’s specific needs. Every business is different, and we take into account your stage, sector, goals, and gaps. With over 3,000+ experts in our network—including experienced non-executives, advisors, and fractional leaders—we can build a well-rounded board that brings strategic value. We often support a blend of roles and remuneration types, from pro bono and equity-only arrangements to paid advisory and traditional fractional positions, depending on your requirements and available resources.

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 opportunities; our placement team guarantees that we will find the right pro bono placement for you - and your career progress.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

An interim CMO works full-time with companies on a short-term basis to bridge a gap between hires, or covering a period of leave. 

Whereas a fractional CMO is hired on a part-time contract, usually for an on-going period of time, offering strategic marketing direction.

It depends where you are as a business. Fractional CMOs are ideal for startups and scaleups because they offer senior experience without the long-term commitment or cost. 

If you need strategic marketing support but aren’t ready (and can’t afford) to bring in a full-time CMO, we recommend looking for fractional support. On the other hand, if you’re more established and need a leader whose entire focus will be on your brand, you might want to consider looking for a full-time CMO. 

An interim CFO typically works full-time on a short-term basis to bridge a gap between hires, or support a specific transition. 

Whereas you engage a fractional CFO part-time, usually on an ongoing basis, to provide senior financial leadership and strategic guidance as your business grows.

This depends on your stage of growth. Fractional CFOs are ideal for startups and early-stage scaleups that need senior financial expertise without the long-term cost of a full-time hire.

If you need strategic financial support, but aren’t ready to commit to a permanent CFO, fractional support offers flexibility and immediate impact. As your business matures, a full-time CFO may become the right next step. 

A fractional CFO helps bring clarity to your finances. This can include budgeting, forecasting, cash flow oversight, investor reporting and supporting funding decisions. They focus on helping founders make informed choices, rather than handling routine bookkeeping or admin tasks. 

An executive director is employed by a company full-time and typically specializes in an area of operations such as marketing or human resources.

An independent director, on the other hand, is not an employee. They won’t be involved in the everyday management of your startup, but will focus on governance, strategic oversight and constructive challenge at board level, bringing an impartial and balanced viewpoint to board discussions.

This depends on the workload and personal preference of the independent director you choose. They may sit on multiple boards, provided they can meet their commitments and declare any potential conflicts of interest to maintain impartiality.

There is no fixed time commitment. In practice, it often ranges from a few hours per week to one or two days per month, depending on your needs and the agreed scope.

A board advisor provides strategic guidance and constructive challenge without holding a formal board position or legal responsibilities.

An independent director, by contrast, is a statutory board member with governance duties and fiduciary obligations. Board advisors offer flexibility and insight without formal appointment. 

No. Board advisors are not involved in the day-to-day running of your business. Their role is to step back, provide perspective and help founders and leadership teams think through challenges and make decisions more effectively.

This depends on the advisor’s availability and preferences. Board advisors may support multiple businesses, but they are expected to declare any conflicts of interest and maintain confidentiality to ensure impartial, trusted advice.  

An interim COO typically provides cover for short-term leave or periods between hires, while a fractional COO is hired on an ongoing basis to give strategic guidance and drive growth at startups.

Fractional COOs are often a good choice for startups and scaleups with ambitious growth plans, as they offer affordable access to experienced leadership and strategic insights over short-term periods.

Hiring a full-time COO is a heavier financial commitment that is more typical of established organisations that can afford it.

It depends on your current stage and budget. Startups and scaleups typically choose fractional CTOs to access strategic leadership without the costs of a full-time executive hire. This model provides the flexibility to pivot and scale.

A full-time CTO might be necessary once your technical team grows and your infrastructure requires 24/7 executive-level oversight.

Yes, but their focus is on high-level mentorship and engineering excellence rather than daily admin. A fractional CTO levels up your internal team by implementing professional standards, such as CI/CD and robust QA frameworks, that improve output quality and speed.

They bridge the gap between your technical developers and your commercial goals, ensuring your team is building the right things in the right way.

An interim CIO works full-time with startups or organizations on a short-term basis to bridge the gap between permanent hires. 

Whereas a fractional CIO is hired on a part-time contract, typically for an extended or indefinite period, to provide comprehensive strategic IT support, consultancy, and leadership.

It depends on what level of support your business needs. 

If you’re a startup or scaleup looking for executive-level IT and technology guidance without a long-term commitment, hiring a fractional CIO is a wise decision. If you're more established and need IT leadership day-in-day-out, you might want to consider hiring full-time. 

Fractional CIO services are especially beneficial if you’re working towards specific tech-centric goals or ambitions and don’t have the budget or need to commit to a full-time hire. 

With a fractional specialist, you’ll benefit from flexibility, minimal commitment, and maximum strategic expertise.

It depends on factors such as your cybersecurity vulnerabilities, timeline, and your budget.

Fractional CISOs are quicker to hire, offer you flexibility in terms of the hours they work, are generally less expensive, and often bring advice from various verticals and sectors. Plus, our platform’s members are pre-vetted to deliver insights backed by real-world experience. For these reasons startups are usually better off hiring fractional CISOs.

For larger and more established organizations who need high-level cybersecurity expertise day in day out, a full-time CISO might make more sense. 

Yes. Given Connectd’s short hiring time, alongside the various ways to search for talent and make intros, you can rely on fractional CISO members to make critical decisions fast. With their tried and tested experience of resolving challenges, we encourage you to reach out.

If their results impress, you may wish to extend their involvement on further projects, training and tasks.

An outsourced HR service can handle the essentials like payroll, contracts, and compliance. 

Whereas a fractional CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer) or CPO (Chief People Office) is an experienced and strategic leader who can develop your culture, team structure and talent framework. They are a part-time employee who share the ambition and drive of your founding team.

If you need to scale your organisation effectively rather than just manage administration, the fractional model provides the high-level expertise required to take your business forward. 

An interim CHRO or CPO will work full-time with startups or businesses on a short-term basis to bridge the gap until full-time hires are in place. 

Whereas a fractional expert operates on a part-time contract, often for an indefinite or extended period, to provide deep-dive strategic support and leadership on key HR projects or initiatives. 

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.

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. 

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.

Connectd is built for growing, post-MVP startups with a registered business address that are ready to scale and bring in senior strategic support through fractional executives and advisors. 

We’re not able to support pre-MVP ideas, businesses without a registered address, sole practitioners, consultants or CICs, or organisations looking for junior or purely transactional support. 

Connectd works best where there is traction, ambition and a genuine need for experienced strategic input.

We provide a guaranteed pro bono placement for every member who completes the Academy for their pathway. We work with hundreds of high-growth US companies across 100+ sectors, and our placement team matches your specific skills and experience to a relevant opportunity. Once your placement ends, you can continue with the startup if both sides agree, with the opportunity to negotiate paid terms.

Every applicant goes through the same process: an application, a review of your background and goals, a call or interview with our team, and completion of the CPD-accredited Academy before your guaranteed placement begins. We're checking for specialized expertise and targeted knowledge in a relevant sector, not a specific title or industry. Acceptance is selective

Board advisors are most often paid in equity, 0.25% to 1%, with median pre-seed grants closer to 0.21%, according to Carta's H1 2024 data, vesting over two years with a six-month cliff. Some engagements pay a cash retainer instead, $500 to $1,500 a month at seed stage, and early placements, including Connectd's own, often start pro bono. Time commitment is lighter than expected: Connectd's guaranteed placement averages 4 to 6 hours a month, against a 12 to 15 hour-a-quarter industry benchmark.

Independent director pay works differently, a formal board seat with more fiduciary duty. Per Board Appointments' research, private and startup boards typically pay $1,000 to $3,000 per meeting (sometimes called a day rate), plus 0.1% to 0.5% equity vesting over two to four years. S&P 500 boards pay far more, $336,352 on average in 2025, but that reflects large public companies, not the startup boards Connectd works with.

The Connectd Academy offers on-demand video content and practical exercises to help you build a board advisory career at your own pace. All content is created by subject matter experts and is fully CPD-accredited.

No. Most first-time board advisors come from senior operating or executive backgrounds, not the boardroom. What matters is deep, relevant expertise and the ability to advise rather than execute. A guaranteed pro bono placement gives you your first verifiable track record.

A guaranteed pro bono placement is the answer. It gives you a genuine first board reference and real boardroom experience with a high-growth startup, the same track record boards increasingly accept in place of prior board service, provided it's paired with real operational leadership.

A guaranteed pro bono placement is the answer. It gives you a genuine first board reference and real boardroom experience with a high-growth startup, the same track record boards increasingly accept in place of prior board service, provided it's paired with real operational leadership

A US independent director must meet NYSE and Nasdaq independence standards (Nasdaq's Listing Rule 5605) and carries fiduciary duties of care and loyalty, while a UK non-executive director operates under the Companies Act 2006 and the UK Corporate Governance Code, holding the same legal duties as an executive director. Both are formal board of directors positions with real legal responsibilities. A board advisor holds no board seat and no fiduciary duty in either country, the lower-risk way to build board-level experience first.

Yes, and it's a common route. 59% of new S&P 500 independent directors appointed in 2025 came from retirement rather than an active executive seat, according to Spencer Stuart's 2025 US Board Index. A recently retired executive can't immediately count as an "independent" director of a public company under NYSE and Nasdaq rules, a cooling-off period (typically three years) applies to former executives first. Board advisor roles carry no such restriction, the natural first step while that clock runs.

You're matched with a mentor who holds their own advisory portfolio, based on your specific skills and goals. Sessions are one-to-one, confidential, and impartial, running 180 to 720 minutes depending on your program tier. Mentors focus on four things: building your board-advisory brand, growing your network, maximizing your placement opportunities, and negotiating paid roles once your placement ends.

Startups most often need strategic guidance, an objective outside perspective, and network access they don't have in-house yet, without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. Governance support and fundraising input come up often too, especially as a company nears its first institutional round.

Once your placement ends, you can continue with the startup and negotiate paid terms if both sides want to continue. Board advisor Pascal Kornfuehrer made exactly this move, converting his placement into a paid role within four months.

Connectd works the same way for US members as it does in the UK: you join as an Independent Director, Board Advisor, or Fractional Executive and get matched with startups seeking that expertise.