Startup Boards That Actually Drive Results with Breen Sullivan of The Fourth Effect
Early-stage startup advisory and fiduciary boards are often set up… incorrectly. One secret weapon to supercharge growth - and avoid huge mistakes - might just be hiding in plain sight: strategic advisory and governing boards.
SXSW
I promised all the SXSW things, so here they are. This week's episode was filmed there and I even guested on another podcast (see below), so if you feel like you've missed it, well... this will be as close to going as possible.
New Episode: The Fourth Effect
Early-stage startup advisory and fiduciary boards are often set up… incorrectly. One secret weapon to supercharge growth - and avoid huge mistakes - might just be hiding in plain sight: strategic advisory and governing boards. And no, ChatGPT did not use those hyphens, I did.
I spoke with Breen Sullivan, founder of The Fourth Effect, at SXSW 2025. The Fourth Effect is revolutionizing how startups and experienced executives connect.
She delves into:
- Why most startups are missing out on a goldmine of expertise and growth potential
- The surprising way corporate executives can break into the startup world (and why they should)
- How to build a board that actually adds value (hint: it's not just about big names)
- The strategic moves that can help founders maintain control as they scale
If you’re a founder looking to build strategic advisory relationships, or an executive wanting to break into the board ecosystem, this episode offers invaluable insights on maximizing these relationships for mutual benefit.
Ready to level up your board game (cough)? Check out the episode below 👇🏻
Bonus: SXSW Pod Appearance - CRAFTED
I ended up meeting Dan Blumberg, host of the CRAFTED podcast, where he sat down with me and we traded some post-conference thoughts and I shared:
- my theory that we’re in AI’s “fart app” era
- why AI itself is already commoditized
- the state on a B2B creator right now based on what we learned at the conference
Dan Blumberg
Upcoming Events
Here's what's coming up, and do subscribe to our events calendar here.
May 27-30: Web Summit Vancouver, its inaugural conference in a new location. We'll be hosting a soirée - limited spots, check it out here.
June 23-27: Toronto Tech Week, where we'll have some announcements coming up soon.
July 9-11: Startupfest in Montréal.
September 24-25: ALL IN, Canada's largest AI conference in Montréal, where I'll be hosting the All In Talks stage again.