Board and advisory roles
Most private companies in British Columbia have no board and no one the owner answers to. An advisory board, even a small one meeting quarterly, changes that. Ali Sedighi sits on advisory boards and takes standing adviser roles for owners who want an experienced operator asking hard questions about growth, technology, hiring and the exit. It is the lightest way to work with him, and often the longest.
What you leave with
A quarterly rhythm of honest review with an experienced operator, and better decisions on growth, technology and the exit.
Who it is for
- Owners who have no one to challenge their thinking
- Companies with investors or family shareholders who want independent oversight
- Founders a few years from an exit who want it planned, not improvised
What we deliver
- Quarterly advisory board meetings with a prepared agenda and written follow up
- A monthly call with the owner between meetings
- Review of the annual plan, budget and major hires
- Introductions across Ali's team and network when a problem needs hands
- An annual exit readiness view, with BizSell.ca for valuation when wanted
How it runs
01Agree the role
We define scope, rhythm, confidentiality and whether the role is advisory or a formal board seat. Your lawyer documents any formal appointment.
02Learn the business
Ali spends time with the numbers, the team and the customers before the first meeting.
03Quarterly rhythm
Prepared agenda, pre read, a two to three hour session and written decisions and follow ups.
04Annual review
Each year we review the plan, the structure and the exit timeline, and decide whether the role continues.
Engagement and fees
Advisory Retainer band, $8K to $25K per month depending on rhythm and scope. Formal board appointments are documented by your lawyer. Outcome based, never hourly. Every engagement is scoped after a call and confirmed in writing. See consultations and fees.
What an adviser adds that a consultant does not
A consultant arrives with a project and leaves with an invoice. An adviser stays, knows the history and is still there when the plan meets reality. Ali has founded eight companies since 2007 and runs a team of more than thirty specialists, so the advice comes with the option of hands when you want them.
An adviser also protects you from your own blind spots. Owners rarely hear no. A quarterly meeting where someone prepared asks why is one of the cheapest improvements a private company can make.
Advisory board versus formal board
An advisory board has no legal authority and no fiduciary duties. It advises, and you decide. A formal board seat carries legal duties and is documented by your corporate lawyer. Most owner managed companies in British Columbia are better served by an advisory board at first, because it provides the discipline without the formality.
We are clear about which role we hold, and legal or securities questions, including anything about shareholders and equity, go to your lawyer and registered advisers.
What to prepare and common mistakes
Your last two years of financial statements, the current plan if one exists, your organisation chart and the questions that keep you awake. The first meeting usually sets the agenda for the year.
The common mistake is using the board meeting to present rather than to decide. We keep presentations short and pre read, so the meeting is spent on the two or three decisions that matter. The second mistake is appointing advisers who agree with you. Choose at least one who does not.
Questions about this service
Does Ali sit on the board personally?
Yes. Advisory and board roles are held by Ali himself. Specialists from his team join a specific meeting when a topic needs them, such as a technology review or a finance question alongside your CPA.
How much time does it take from us?
A quarterly meeting of two to three hours with a pre read, a monthly call with the owner and occasional messages between. The preparation is the useful part, because it forces you to write down the plan and the numbers.
Can you help us build a full advisory board?
Yes. We help define the skills the board needs, suggest a structure and rhythm, and introduce candidates from our network. Appointments and any compensation terms are documented by your lawyer.
Is this useful before selling the business?
Very. A few years of board discipline produces the clean reporting, documented systems and management depth that buyers pay for. When the time comes, Ali's BizSell.ca handles valuation and the sale alongside your lawyer and CPA.
Tell us which seat is empty.
A 30-minute call with Ali about the business and the people running it. You leave knowing which role to fill first and whether fractional, outsourced or a hire is the right answer, whether or not we work together.