The Founder’s Guide to Unlocking Advisory Gold

Eighteen months ago, I made one of the most pivotal decisions of my CEO journey: forming an Advisory Board of seasoned industry leaders for Waterhouse Brands. Their mentorship has been transformational — fueling our growth with insight you simply can’t Google.

But here’s the truth: if you’re going to bring on serious advisors, you need to be serious about how you engage them. These relationships don’t thrive on coffee chats—they thrive on clarity, coachability, and a mutual commitment to growth.

Why Advisors Say Yes

Yes, compensation matters. But what really draws high-impact advisors? The intellectual thrill of solving real business problems. The satisfaction of mentorship. Staying close to innovation —without getting pulled into the day-to-day.

Advisory roles also expand their networks and surface emerging trends. Sometimes, they open the door to future investment opportunities. And almost always, they offer a flexible way to stay professionally engaged. But one thing is constant: great advisors want to feel their contributions count.

To deliver on that, founders need to create the right conditions. Here’s what that looks like:

1. Clarity on Value Proposition and Market Fit

Advisors aren’t here to guess. They want real insight into how your business solves real problems. That means sharing client feedback, competitive analysis, and market validation. The stronger your information-sharing, the sharper their guidance. 

2. Structured Engagement with Strategic Influence

Your advisors are busy people. Respect their time—and your own—by providing clear context and a framework for meaningful engagement. We anchor our strategy sessions in the EOS Vision/Traction Organizer, sharing key metrics and details about our business roadmap and marketing plans to ground the discussion. This gives our advisors visibility into where we’re going, the levers we are pulling to drive business growth and how we’re tracking, so their input is both focused and actionable.

3. A Role in Building Enterprise Value

Many advisors want to help move the business beyond founder-dependence. That requires transparency—about financials, compensation models, and your end game. It also requires candid conversations about the team composition.  Having advisory perspective on our strengths and the organizational gaps that must be filled often leads to productive conversations about prioritizing and pruning roles.

4. Cultural Alignment and Shared Values

Your advisors represent more than expertise—they become extensions of your brand. When values align, their advocacy is natural and powerful. Be upfront about your leadership style, your cultural ethos, and your strategic north star.  The more they know about what your company does and your ways of working, the more authentic their referrals will be. 

5. Commitment to Action

Nothing kills momentum like inaction. Advisors want to see their guidance tested, implemented, and evolved. Share your progress. Own the outcomes. When they see you listening and moving, they lean in.  When you don’t, the best advisors will call you out. 

Recently, I was rehashing a leadership challenge with one of our advisors. He said, “I’ve been telling you for 18 months; if this issue is keeping you up at night, fix it. Otherwise, shut the f*ck up.” #Truthbomb. That’s the kind of candor you get when you create space for it!

Finally, whether your advisors are compensated through equity, retainers, or performance-based models, the most successful relationships are mutual. When you create the right environment, you unlock more than advice—you unlock energy, vision, and growth. For Waterhouse Brands, this dynamic has been nothing short of catalytic.