A well-constructed advisory board can open doors, sharpen strategy, and accelerate commercial traction. A poorly constructed one is just a list of names on a website. Here’s the difference.
I’ve been on several advisory boards, and I’ve seen the full spectrum — from arrangements that genuinely shaped company direction to ones where the company never reached out after the initial conversation. The difference almost always comes down to how clearly the company understood what they needed before they started recruiting advisors.
Start with the gaps, not the names
The most common mistake is building an advisory board around prestige rather than gaps. A well-known academic in soil science is great — but if your actual bottleneck is US distribution into the specialty crop market, that advisor doesn’t move the needle. Before you approach anyone, map your three most critical commercial gaps for the next 18 months and recruit specifically to fill them.
For most early-stage AgTech companies, the gaps that matter most are: genuine grower credibility (an operator who your target customers will actually listen to), market access (someone with active relationships in your target dealer or distribution network), and commercial experience in your specific technology category.
Structure the relationship to get value out of it
Equity-only advisory arrangements with no defined engagement expectations almost always go dormant. The advisors who add the most value are the ones given specific asks — make an introduction to three irrigation dealers in Arizona, review this pricing model before we take it to market, join this customer call and give us your read.
Quarterly check-ins with a clear agenda are worth more than an annual dinner. And advisors who are doing actual work will tell you when they’re not the right person for something — which is itself valuable.
For AgTech companies specifically
The most valuable advisor I consistently see AgTech companies undervalue is an experienced grower in their target market. Not a retired farmer with a nostalgic view of agriculture, but an active operator who is currently making decisions about technology adoption, managing water and input costs, and navigating the specific pressures of the crop and region you’re targeting. That person will make your product better and your sales conversations shorter.
Ready to grow?
I work with a small number of AgTech companies as a commercial advisor — with a focus on US market strategy, positioning, and go-to-market. If that’s relevant, let’s talk.
