Issue link: http://endeavor.uberflip.com/i/1052573
HIGH-IMPACT STORIES Kyle Green, co-founder and CEO of Handle, was selected into the Endeavor network at the 71st ISP in London, England. Soon after selection, Kyle's first Endeavor Advisory Board was strategically created to provide-in-depth counseling on Handle's growth challenges and business efficiencies. The diverse group included David A. Jones Sr., Co-Founder of Humana; John Willmoth, Founder & Managing Partner at Poplar Ventures; and Arvind Rajan, Co-Founder & CEO of Cricket Health. At Kyle's first Endeavor Advisory Board meeting, Kyle presented concerns about Handle's market-based strategy and questions around funding. The group delved in, ultimately providing advice on properly building a team, creating a repeatable business model, identifying and measuring key metrics, and preparing for a capital raise. These meetings reoccurred quarterly throughout the rest of the year. While official Advisory Board meetings were marked on everyone's calendars every four months, conversations extended far beyond these pre-arranged dates. Kyle frequently met with each board member on his own time. This allowed for deeper mentor sessions focused on each respective board member's area of expertise. David Jones, Sr., an entrepreneur himself who built health insurance giant Humana, provided insights into the healthcare industry in addition to strong overall thought leadership. Arvind Rajan offered similar perspectives in regards to the healthcare industry and scaling a company, but additionally connected Kyle to other key mentors in San Francisco. John Willmoth, with a strong finance background, advised on fundraising. As Handle has evolved over the course of a year, the company's business opportunities have grown rapidly and presented new challenges. As such, Kyle's Endeavor Advisory Board will similarly change to appropriately address Handle's new pain points. However, while Kyle's original Advisory Board members will officially "role off," they will likely continue mentoring Kyle based off of the deep relationships built with him over the year. "The expectation was that I would get good feedback, but my Endeavor Advisory Board has been far more impactful than I initially thought. Everyone has blind spots, areas where you just need more depth of thought. The opportunity to work with and learn from my Endeavor Advisory Board has been invaluable," Kyle reflected. Advisory Boards in Action Strategic Mentorship, Effective Results 42