🤖 #27: Vivian's Deeptech Insider: My CEO Board Lessons

Hello and welcome to #27 edition of the fortnightly Vivian’s Deeptech Insider.

Can I be honest with you?

When I first stepped into my CEO role and joined my own board, I played it really safe.

I spent hours perfecting my board papers, reporting diligently, nodding along in meetings, and trying my best to keep investors happy — even if it was a small board (mainly just me and my investors).

I thought that’s just how boards worked.

What I didn’t realise at the time was how much I was underutilising one of my most valuable assets.

Instead of leading with my vision, I was running the business through their lens — constantly reacting to feedback, tweaking plans, and chasing approvals.

Sound familiar?

I wasn’t aligning our roadmap, growth strategy, or even exit thinking with them. I wasn’t using my board as a genuine lever for growth. And, honestly, I wasn’t asking nearly enough of them.

That mindset shift didn’t come quickly or easily.

It took experience, some hard lessons, and a few painful missteps — like chasing 18–24 month Pharma deals that nearly ate my startup runway alive 😅

Eventually, I found Board Advisors who challenged me, pushed me, and helped me get clear on what truly mattered.

Here’s what I wish I’d known from the start:

• Shift your perspective. Your board isn’t your boss — they’re part of your team, and most want to be real strategic allies.

• Use your board as a growth catalyst. Design meetings around impactful conversations, not just updates or reports.

• Align your board to your 1–3 year plan. Ask yourself — do they have the skills, insights, and networks to open the right doors for your growth?

• Come prepared with clear asks. Don’t leave your board guessing how they can add value — spell it out.

• Remember, most boards are underutilised. It’s not because they don’t want to help — they’re just waiting for you to use them well.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed by juggling too many priorities, or unsure how to unlock real value from your board — you’re definitely not alone.

Now, some of you might not even have a proper board yet — and that’s actually good timing.

Because building your board from scratch means you get to design it as a true asset for your growth — choosing the right people who can challenge you, open doors, and help you shape your strategy with clarity and ambition.

The truth is, most founders don’t get access to this kind of strategic push early enough.

I certainly didn’t, until one of our investors introduced me to my own board advisors.

That moment changed everything.

Now, this is exactly what I help founders with.

It’s about guiding you as a strategic thought-partner and helping you build the muscle that transforms your boardroom into an engine for clarity, momentum, and aligned ambition.

If this resonates, and you’re ready to shift how you work with your board, that’s exactly the kind of founder I work with.

I’ll leave you another quote:

"You don’t hire smart people to tell them what to do. You hire smart people so they can tell you what to do." — Steve Jobs

That’s why surrounding yourself with the right network is everything.

If you want to explore what this could look like for your business, just hit reply with “Details,” and I’ll share more.

Speak soon,

Vivian

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