On-Demand Expert Guidance
Advisors cost equity and are available quarterly. You need help now, not "let's schedule something for next month."
The problem: expensive, busy, and misaligned
Traditional advisors want 0.25-1% equity plus cash retainers. They're available for a monthly or quarterly call—if they're not traveling, sick, or just too busy with their portfolio of 15 other companies.
You don't need help on their schedule. You need help when you're facing a decision. At 10pm on Sunday. Before the board meeting on Monday. Right now, while the opportunity is hot.
And honestly? Many advisor calls are spent getting them back up to speed on your context. By the time they understand the situation, the call is over. Next month: repeat.
The Board of One solution
Board of One gives you expert guidance on demand. No scheduling, no equity, no getting them up to speed. Your business context is always loaded. Multiple expert perspectives are always available. The guidance you need, when you need it.
Traditional Advisors
- ✗0.25-1% equity + cash retainer
- ✗Monthly or quarterly availability
- ✗Needs context re-sync every call
- ✗One perspective (their background)
- ✗Scheduling friction and delays
- ✗Quality varies by their mood/energy
Board of One
- ✓Fixed monthly cost, no equity
- ✓Available 24/7, instantly
- ✓Context always loaded
- ✓Multiple expert perspectives
- ✓No scheduling, immediate access
- ✓Consistent quality every time
The real cost of advisors
That's £4,000+ per hour of advice at a £10M exit. Plus cash retainers of £500-2,000/month.
Who this is for
Stage
Pre-seed to Series A. When equity is precious and advisors are expensive relative to your resources.
Situation
You've considered advisors but balked at the equity cost. Or you have advisors but can't get time with them when you need it.
Need
Strategic guidance more than networking. You need help thinking through decisions, not introductions to VCs.
When human advisors still make sense
Board of One doesn't replace everything advisors provide. Keep advisors who:
- Open doors—introductions to investors, customers, partners
- Provide credibility—their name on your board signals quality
- Have seen your exact situation—specific pattern-matching from lived experience
- Offer mentorship—emotional support, career guidance, personal development
For strategic analysis, decision frameworks, and thinking through options—that's where Board of One excels. Save your equity for advisors who provide irreplaceable human value.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI really replace human advisors?
Not entirely—and that's not the goal. Human advisors bring relationships, introductions, and pattern-matching from direct experience. What Board of One replaces is the strategic thinking part: frameworks, analysis, and recommendations. The stuff that happens between your quarterly advisor calls. For many founders, that's 80% of what they needed anyway.
What about the relationship and networking value of advisors?
Advisors who provide real relationship value—introductions, references, credibility—are worth keeping. But many advisory relationships are primarily about getting strategic input, and that input comes quarterly at best. Board of One handles the thinking; save your equity for advisors who open doors.
How does this compare to the cost of advisors?
Advisors typically receive 0.25-1% equity for monthly or quarterly calls, plus potential cash retainers of £500-2,000/month. For a company eventually worth £10M, that 0.5% advisor equity costs £50,000. Board of One provides unlimited access to strategic guidance for a fraction of that, without equity dilution.
My advisor has 20 years of industry experience. Can AI match that?
Not the pattern-matching from lived experience—that's valuable and irreplaceable. But Board of One can provide broader perspective (multiple viewpoints, not just one person's lens), deeper consistency (same quality every time, not dependent on their mood or schedule), and immediate availability. Many experienced advisors are great at "I've seen this before" and less great at systematic analysis.
When should I still use human advisors?
For introductions and networking. For industry-specific pattern matching ("I've seen this exact situation 10 times"). For board-level credibility with investors. For emotional support and mentorship. For anything requiring real relationships. These are human strengths. For strategic analysis and decision frameworks—that's where Board of One shines.
How quickly can I get guidance compared to waiting for an advisor call?
Immediately. No scheduling, no waiting for their availability, no "let's discuss next month." When you're facing a decision at 10pm on a Sunday, Board of One is there. When you need to think through something before a Monday meeting, you can do it now.