In this episode, Bill Clendenen, Charlie Talbot, and Michael Burcham build on the foundation of great board design by focusing on how effective board members show up in practice. They explore the mindset, behaviors, and preparation that separate high-impact directors, emphasizing curiosity over judgment, role clarity, and alignment with the strategic plan. The conversation examines what strong board preparation looks like, how directors add value inside and outside the boardroom, and why understanding the CEO’s perspective is critical. Throughout, they highlight how great board members help translate strategy into results, support talent development, and proactively engage to accelerate value creation.

Key Takeaways:

1. Great board members lead with curiosity over judgment and clear role awareness, creating trust and stronger outcomes with management.
2. The most effective boards translate strategy into execution by aligning directors, investors, and CEOs around direction, pace, and results.
3. Preparation anchored in the strategic plan allows boards to stay forward-looking, ask better questions, and focus on what matters most.
4. High-impact directors extend their influence beyond meetings through proactive engagement, talent development, and targeted support for CEOs and teams.

Chapters:

1. 00:00 – Introduction
2. 01:12 – How Great Board Members Show Up
3. 03:11 – Turning Strategy Into Results
4. 09:37 – How Great Boards Prepare
5. 17:03 – Impact Beyond the Boardroom

Listen to our podcasts at:

https://www.shorecp.university/podcasts

You’ll also find other Bigger. Stronger. Faster. episodes, alongside our Microcap Moments and Everyday Heroes series—highlighting the people and stories that make the microcap space unique.

Other ways to connect:

Blog: https://www.shorecp.university/blog

Shore University: https://www.shorecp.university/

Shore Capital Partners: https://www.shorecp.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shore-university

This podcast is the property of Shore Capital Partners LLC. None of the content herein is investment advice, an offer of investment advisory services, or a recommendation or offer relating to any security. See the “Terms of Use” page on the Shore Capital website for other important information.

In this episode, Bill Clendenen, Charlie Talbot, and Michael Burcham explore what makes a great board member and how Shore Capital Partners designs boards to drive value creation. They discuss the purpose of the board, the importance of diverse and relevant operating experience, and why board composition matters as much as strategy. The conversation highlights the role of the Lead Independent Director in supporting CEOs, de-risking execution, and translating between management, the board, and investors. Throughout the discussion, they emphasize that effective boards ask the right questions, stay aligned with the strategic plan, and actively help management build and scale the business.

Key Takeaways:

1. Great boards accelerate value creation by pairing clear strategy with real operating experience to help management grow and reduce risk.
2. Diverse, complementary board composition turns governance into a competitive advantage beyond financial oversight.
3. The Lead Independent Director plays a vital role in aligning management, the board, and investors through trust, context, and ongoing engagement.
4. Effective boards stay aligned with strategy, ask better questions, and actively support the company’s evolution from growth to exit.

Chapters:

1. 00:00 – Introduction
2. 01:20 – The Purpose of a Great Board
3. 09:16 – The Role of the Lead Independent Director
4. 13:11 – How CEOs Should Use Their Board
5. 18:51 – How Boards Evolve Over the Hold Period

Listen to our podcasts at:

https://www.shorecp.university/podcasts

You’ll also find other Bigger. Stronger. Faster. episodes, alongside our Microcap Moments and Everyday Heroes series—highlighting the people and stories that make the microcap space unique.

Other ways to connect:

Blog: https://www.shorecp.university/blog

Shore University: https://www.shorecp.university/

Shore Capital Partners: https://www.shorecp.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shore-university

This podcast is the property of Shore Capital Partners LLC. None of the content herein is investment advice, an offer of investment advisory services, or a recommendation or offer relating to any security. See the “Terms of Use” page on the Shore Capital website for other important information.

In this episode, I talk with Alison Shekman, Chief of Staff at PhaseWell Research and a member of the CXO Fellows Program. Alison shares her journey from consulting into operations and what it has meant to step into an early-stage, acquisition-driven business. She reflects on slowing down to go fast, listening to frontline experts, and creating systems for prioritization. Alison also discusses lessons from the Shore Resource Team and why embracing iteration over perfection has shaped her approach as a CXO.

Key Takeaways:

• Go slow to go fast by taking the time to understand what motivates people and plan for change so it can be implemented more effectively
• Listen first and spend time in the field with the people who know the work best to close knowledge gaps and build credibility
• Create a system for relentless prioritization to bring clarity to the noise and stay aligned with leadership on what matters most
• Call it version one, move forward, and keep iterating rather than waiting for perfection

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 02:57 - Go Slow to Go Fast
• 05:01 - Closing the Knowledge Gap
• 09:35 - The Value of Networks
• 13:03 - Prioritization and Integration
• 19:47 - Lessons for Young Leaders

Listen to our podcasts at:

https://www.shorecp.university/podcasts

You’ll also find other Bigger. Stronger. Faster. episodes, alongside our Microcap Moments and Everyday Heroes series—highlighting the people and stories that make the microcap space unique.

Other ways to connect:

Blog: https://www.shorecp.university/blog

Shore University: https://www.shorecp.university/

Shore Capital Partners: https://www.shorecp.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shore-university

This podcast is the property of Shore Capital Partners LLC. None of the content herein is investment advice, an offer of investment advisory services, or a recommendation or offer relating to any security. See the “Terms of Use” page on the Shore Capital website for other important information.