Step 01 of 04
Who you are
right now.
right now.
The starting point. We assess where you are — not where you think you should be.
Board readiness is not about perfection. It's about positioning. Many women who are ready don't know they're ready. Many who aren't yet know exactly what they need to do. Both are valuable starting points.
What kind of board do you want to join?
Public company (Fortune 500)
Public company (mid-cap)
Private equity portfolio
Family-owned business
Scale-up / Growth company
Nonprofit / Foundation
Advisory board first
International board
Step 02 of 04
Rate your
8 dimensions.
8 dimensions.
Boards look for specific expertise. Be honest — 1 is emerging, 5 is board-ready. The gaps are as important as the strengths.
The board member profile: You don't need to score 5 on everything. You need 2-3 clear strengths that make you genuinely irreplaceable — and awareness of your gaps so you can build a narrative around them.
Dimension 01
Financial Acumen
Reading financial statements, understanding capital allocation, asking the right financial questions in the boardroom.
1 = I'm not a finance person · 5 = I can read a 10-K in my sleep
Dimension 02
Governance & Risk
Understanding fiduciary duty, board committees, risk oversight, audit, compensation structures.
1 = New to governance · 5 = I could chair an audit committee
Dimension 03
Industry Expertise
Deep, distinctive expertise in your sector that a board cannot find elsewhere. The thing only you know.
1 = Generalist background · 5 = I am THE person in this field
Dimension 04
CEO / C-Suite Relationships
Your ability to engage at the highest level — advising, challenging, and supporting senior leadership without being operational.
1 = I report to the C-suite · 5 = I advise CEOs as a peer
Dimension 05
ESG & Purpose
Understanding of sustainability, DEI, social impact, and how boards increasingly integrate purpose into strategy.
1 = Limited exposure · 5 = I lead ESG strategy or advocacy
Dimension 06
Digital & AI Literacy
Understanding of technology strategy, digital transformation, AI implications, and cybersecurity at a board level.
1 = I use tech but don't advise on it · 5 = I drive digital strategy
Dimension 07
Board Network Access
Your proximity to people who sit on boards, nominate board members, or can sponsor your candidacy.
1 = I don't know board members · 5 = I'm in the room where it happens
Dimension 08
External Visibility
Your public presence — speaking, media, thought leadership, LinkedIn — that makes you findable and credible to search firms and boards.
1 = I'm invisible externally · 5 = I'm regularly sought out as an expert
Step 03 of 04
Your network.
Your access.
Your access.
Boards are filled by cooptation. The network IS the strategy.
The uncomfortable truth: 80% of board appointments come from personal referrals. Not headhunters. Not LinkedIn. A man who knows a man who knows a board. The game is rigged — and knowing this is the first step to playing it differently.
Names, companies, or just roles — whatever you're comfortable noting
In 1-2 sentences — what do you uniquely bring that a board cannot find from a standard search?
Step 04 of 04
The story
you tell.
you tell.
Board members don't hire for CVs. They coopt for narratives. What's yours?
The board narrative is different from the executive narrative. As an executive, you talk about what you've done. As a board candidate, you talk about what you help others do — how you ask the right questions, challenge strategy, and provide oversight. It's a completely different register.
Or just describe how you currently introduce yourself in board contexts
This reveals your board thinking. What are the strategic questions you'd probe?
Are you worried about being invited as a quota vs. for your expertise? How do you address this?
You're about to get: Your Board Readiness Score on 8 dimensions · Which boards you're ready for NOW · Your gap analysis and 90-day action plan · The 10 network moves to make · Your board bio rewritten · How to avoid being the token woman · The insider guide to the nomination process.
Your Board Intelligence Report
Here's where
you stand.
you stand.
Board Readiness Score
Calculating your readiness...
Based on 8 dimensions of board readiness
—
/ 100
Boards You Can Target Right Now
🧠 The Honest Assessment No Sugar-Coating
Writing your honest assessment...
📋 Your Gap Analysis What to Build
Analyzing your gaps...
🗓️ Your 90-Day Board Action Plan Step by Step
Building your 90-day plan...
🔗 The 10 Network Moves Your Access Strategy
Mapping your network strategy...
✍️ Your Board Bio Ready to Use
Writing your board-specific bio...
♀️ The Token Woman Strategy How to Own the Room
Building your strategy...
🗝️ The Insider Guide How Nominations Really Work
Writing the insider guide...
Your board seat is a matter of when, not if. 🖤
Save this report. Re-read "The 10 Network Moves" every month.
The boards don't lack women. They lack the right introduction. Now you have the strategy.
The boards don't lack women. They lack the right introduction. Now you have the strategy.