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The Benefits of Bringing in an Advisory Board

Whether you have a startup or an established business, outside expertise can help you grow.

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By Christopher Hann

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Board believer: Cynthia Kocialski says you need help.
Board believer: Cynthia Kocialski says you need help.
Photo© Gabriela Hasbun

I'm starting a new business. Do I need an advisory board?

Short answer: Absolutely. Silicon Valley startup guru Cynthia Kocialski says just about every company can benefit from retaining a group of advisors with pertinent expertise in the company's product, service or industry. The sooner, in fact, the better.

"They should establish them right out of the chute," says Kocialski, who has started three companies, advised others and written Startup From the Ground Up: Practical Insights for Transforming an Idea into a Business. "Early on, they simply don't have the resources to hire every possible job function that they need."

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