How Your Board Can Help You Through Challenging Times

If you’re running a business right now, you’ll know just how tough things are. Economic uncertainty, global trade tensions and instability through conflict, affordability pressures on your customers, and increasing complexity around social responsibility and inclusion. It’s a lot to navigate. Add in the usual growing pains of a scaling business, and it can feel overwhelming.

I’ve been working with several founder clients recently who are going through exactly this kind of turbulence. And time and again, I’m reminded just how valuable a strong board can be in these moments.

Perspective from the battlefield

Most experienced board members have seen a lot in their careers... recessions, crises, restructuring, rapid growth, sharp contraction, leadership transitions, and everything in between. We’re old enough (and let’s be honest, maybe a bit battle-scarred) to recognise the signs of a shift before it becomes a crisis. That experience brings perspective. Not panic. Not knee-jerk reactions. But a steady hand to help you weather the storm.

A safe space to think

There are conversations you can’t always have with your team. As the founder or CEO, you’re expected to show confidence, clarity, and calm, even when you’re not feeling any of those things inside. A good board gives you the space to be honest. To explore worst-case scenarios. To vent, if you need to. And then to work through the options logically, without judgement.

Clarity and focus in the fog

When everything feels uncertain, one of the most important things a board can do is help you get clear. Clear on what matters. Clear on what’s possible. Clear on where to focus your energy. We help you step back, reassess your goals, and prioritise ruthlessly. We can interrogate the data and challenge assumptions, helping you make decisions based on facts, not fear.

Navigating tough decisions

Sometimes, things have to change. And those decisions can be incredibly hard. Whether it’s cutting back staff, pulling out of certain markets, shifting your product roadmap, or pivoting to a new customer segment, we help you weigh up the implications and think through the human and commercial impact. We’re not there to sugar-coat. But we are there to support you through it.

Managing your financial runway

In challenging times, managing cash becomes critical. A good board will help you model different scenarios, scrutinise your burn rate, and explore all your financial options - whether that’s raising new capital, renegotiating terms, securing grants, or making tough cuts to extend your runway. We can also bring in external experts, contacts and resources to help, when needed.

Balancing urgency with calm

Perhaps most importantly, your board brings a different emotional energy to the table. We’re not in the thick of the day-to-day, so we’re able to hold the big picture. To stay calm when things feel chaotic. To remind you that this, too, shall pass.

We’re not just there to give advice, we’re there to walk alongside you.

You are not alone

If you’re a founder feeling the weight of uncertainty right now, know this: you’re not alone. And you don’t have to do it all yourself. Lean into your board. Use us as a sounding board, a strategic partner, a source of strength. That’s what we’re here for.