How to Build a Personal GTM Advisory Board

# Format: Best Practices & Playbooks

# Theme: Leadership & Executive Perspectives

# Challenge: Career Growth

Learn how to create a personal advisory board to accelerate your GTM career growth and decision-making.

December 4, 2025

Joshua Zerkel

Great GTM leaders rarely succeed in isolation. Behind the scenes, they rely on mentors, peers, and trusted advisors to provide perspective, challenge assumptions, and open doors. A personal advisory board formalizes this network, giving leaders a structured way to learn from others.

Unlike a company board, a personal advisory board is informal and self-directed. It is a curated group of people you trust to help you grow, navigate challenges, and spot opportunities you might miss. Building one is a powerful way to accelerate career development and strengthen GTM impact.

Define what you need from your board

The first step is clarity. Are you looking for strategic perspective, role-specific coaching, or introductions to new networks? Leaders at Smartsheet often advise rising managers to define gaps before seeking mentors. By identifying specific needs, you can recruit advisors who bring the right expertise.

Key takeaways:

Clarify whether you need help with strategy, execution, or career growth.

Be specific about the questions you want answered.

Recognize that different advisors fill different roles.

Adjust needs as your career evolves.

Diversify your perspectives

A strong advisory board blends functions and backgrounds. Pair advisors from sales, product, and community to ensure well-rounded input. Diverse perspectives prevent tunnel vision and help leaders anticipate cross-functional challenges.

Key takeaways:

Include advisors from marketing, sales, product, CS, and community.

Seek out people with different career paths and industries.

Balance peers with more experienced mentors.

Avoid over-reliance on a single voice.

Engage regularly and intentionally

Advisory boards only work if you engage them consistently. Have quarterly check-ins with mentors, using structured questions to make the most of time together. Regular engagement builds accountability and momentum.

Key takeaways:

Schedule consistent touchpoints instead of ad hoc calls.

Prepare questions and updates before each conversation.

Treat meetings as two-way relationships, not transactions.

Capture insights and apply them quickly.

Offer value in return

The best advisory relationships are reciprocal. Lululemon’s ambassador program, while brand-led, illustrates the power of mutual value: ambassadors gain visibility while giving feedback and advocacy. In personal advisory boards, offering value might mean sharing your expertise, making introductions, or providing feedback in return.

Key takeaways:

Look for ways to support your advisors as well.

Share resources, insights, or introductions.

Express gratitude consistently.

Treat relationships as partnerships.

Refresh your board as you grow

Needs evolve. What serves you in your early career may not be enough later. Leaders at Snowflake note that advisory relationships often shift as people move from functional management into executive roles. Revisiting and refreshing your board ensures continued relevance.

Key takeaways:

Reevaluate your board annually to ensure alignment with goals.

Add new perspectives as responsibilities expand.

Let relationships evolve naturally instead of forcing them.

Recognize when it’s time to transition advisors out.

Why this matters for GTM leaders

A personal advisory board helps leaders navigate complexity, avoid blind spots, and accelerate growth. By defining needs, diversifying perspectives, engaging intentionally, offering value, and refreshing regularly, GTM leaders create a support system that compounds over time.

No leader grows alone. A personal GTM advisory board turns individual experience into collective wisdom.

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Table Of Contents

How to Build a Personal GTM Advisory Board

Learn how to create a personal advisory board to accelerate your GTM career growth and decision-making.

Define what you need from your board

Diversify your perspectives

Engage regularly and intentionally

Offer value in return

Refresh your board as you grow

Why this matters for GTM leaders

Popular

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