Uncover Board Opportunity From Your Own Inbox
By Jocelyn Mangan, CEO of Him For Her and Kate Purmal, COO of Illumyn
Board openings are not posted on LinkedIn. In fact, many board searches are confidential. The majority of open board seats are filled through the personal networks of CEOs, investors, and current board members, which makes it hard to actually find out about open seats or the qualifications boards are seeking to add.
The main reason boardrooms lack diversity is they tend to mirror the composition of the personal networks of those already in the boardroom. Therefore, the key to diversity in the boardroom lies in diversifying candidate pools and the board ecosystem networks from which candidates are recruited.
We see time and time again that when it comes to board openings, it's not only about who you know but also about who knows you. That’s why it’s so important to activate your network as a key step on your board journey. As women and those who are historically underrepresented, we collectively are not top of mind. If we were, the boardroom would look very different.
Activate Your Network
How do you activate your personal and professional network so you become visible and top-of-mind within the board ecosystem? It’s not about slapping on a name tag and mingling at cocktail parties. While attending such events may occasionally lead to connections with individuals who can introduce you to board opportunities, it is not necessarily the most efficient or effective approach. This realization comes as a relief to many, particularly those who are less extroverted or limited in time to dedicate to events.
The most effective and efficient way to activate your network for board opportunities is to proactively outreach to the three key personas who actually put people on boards: CEOs, investors, and board members.
Step 1: Make a List
Go through your LInkedIn network, and professional and personal contacts, and write down the names of everyone you know who fits one or more of the three board ecosystem personas - CEO, investor, board director. Don’t forget about your own company’s board, and any of your peers within your own company who serve on a board. You might also include those who serve on nonprofit boards, as philanthropic board directors are often well networked within the corporate board ecosystem.
Step 2: Summarize Your Board Competencies
With your list complete, the next step is to create a concise summary of your skills in the context of what you will bring to board service. We suggest using the six dimensions we outlined in the previous article to identify which skills to highlight to position yourself for the boardroom. Remember there will be people on your list who have not worked with you for many years, so you’ll need to remind them of your current experience and skill set.
The most common question we get in this step is “Don’t I first need to create a board bio?” The short answer is no. While your board bio can be an effective artifact of your experience, it is not your ticket to entry.
What you can do instead is to summarize in a few bullets your board-relevant expertise and skills to use in your outreach email and in your LInkedIn profile. At Him For Her we summarize the candidates relevant experience and provide a link to their LinkedIn profile. In most cases, that’s all that is required to initiate an introduction.
Step 3: Reach Out
The final step is to reach out to those on your list and let them know that you’re interested in board roles. Remind them of how you can make a unique contribution in the boardroom using the competency list you’ve created. Conclude by asking that they keep you top of mind for board opportunities.
When you activate your network and emphasize your unique contributions to the boardroom, you make strides toward being top of mind for future opportunities. By nurturing your networks, you make it far easier for others to be aware of you and your interests and refer you to opportunities.
EXAMPLES: Below find three examples to illustrate real world outreach - one from me and Kate and one from a woman in the Him For Her network.
Example:
I am reaching out to you because I am seeking a new board opportunity and would like to enlist your support. My background is functionally centered in strategic finance, and operations, with additional deep experience in product management, marketing, business development, and manufacturing.
An ideal fit is a fast-growing small to mid-size private company looking to scale or seeking an M&A exit; or a non- or low-tech company aiming to grow and integrate technology through acquisition. Here is a summary of my relevant experience:
Independent Director Roles (Private companies, M&A Exits)
Versaic Inc.: Acquired by Benevity Inc., one of Canada's first B Corps and a leader in SAAS corporate purpose software, Audit Chair
ABD Insurance: Merged with Newfront to become a leading insuretech commercial insurance brokerage firm, Compensation Committee
Executive Roles:
SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) (Consumer Electronics) SVP and GM Digital Content
U3 Inc. (Private, Mobile & Platform Software): CEO
Amniocure (Private, Stem Cell Therapy): COO
Scale and Acquisition: <10 Million —> $300+ Million —> Public through Acquisition
Palm Inc. (Sr. Dir. Product Management, Developer Network) $0 to $300M, 5 to 300 employees. Acquired by 3Com (NASDAQ: COMS)
U3 Inc. (CEO) Acquired by Fortune 500 SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK)
Versaic acquired by Benevity Inc. (Acquisition Committee Chair)
I would appreciate it if you would keep me top of mind for introductions or board opportunities that you may come across.
Example:
I am reaching out to you because you are connected to the London business community, and I am looking to leverage my board experience in the US to join a board based in London. A London-based board would round out my governance experience with exposure to international practices. Since London is a city I already frequent it will be easy for me to travel to attend board meetings.
My background is functionally centered in product management, technology, design, and marketing. I have executive and leadership experience at notable consumer and marketplace companies including:
CitySearch
Ticketmaster
OpenTable
Snagajob
In these roles, I led multiple acquisitions and integrations of products, brands, and teams. I have worked internationally (London) and led international strategy for expansion outside of the US. I helped grow and scale CitySearch and OpenTable through their respective IPOs, and OpenTable through its ultimate sale to Priceline/Booking.
Currently I am the CEO and founder of Him For Her and illumyn, social impact companies aiming to solve board diversity. Through this work I have become an entrepreneur, had successful fundraising experience and deepened my experience in ESG.
I currently serve on three boards:
Papa Johns International (NASDAQ: PZZA), Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees
Wag Labs (NASDAQ: PET), Lead Director and Compensation Committee Chair
ChowNow, Compensation Committee Chair
I would appreciate any introductions to opportunities that you may come across and appreciate you keeping me top of mind.
Example:
I am reaching out because after 20 years in strategy and p&l leadership roles at big media companies (Warner Bros., NBCU and Disney) and 3 changes of control in the past decade (Discovery, AT&T and Comcast), I'm exploring a portfolio approach to the next phase of my career. I'm seeking to translate my expertise in driving innovation and producing results at the intersection of the entertainment, technology and retail sectors to add value as an advisor and board member, and thought my experience in the area of digital transformation could be of particular value.
My bio is attached. I would love to be on your radar should you come across anything that I might be right for, as I know many opportunities get filled through referrals. If you have general advice for me, or people you think I should reach out to, I would welcome any guidance.
