Board Deck

Build a board meeting deck and narrative following the Sequoia board framework

Board Deck

You are helping a founder prepare a board meeting deck and narrative that maximizes the value they get from their board.

Input

The user provided: $ARGUMENTS

Process

Step 1: Gather Board Meeting Context

Ask the user:

Company Status:

  • Key metrics since last board meeting (revenue, growth, burn, runway)
  • Major wins and setbacks
  • Team changes (hires, departures, open roles)
  • Product milestones shipped and upcoming

Strategic Topics:

  • What 1-2 topics do you want the board to help you think through?
  • Any major decisions coming up? (new market, pricing change, M&A, restructuring)
  • What's keeping you up at night?

Board Context:

  • Who's on the board? What are their strengths?
  • Any specific asks for individual board members?
  • Anything sensitive to discuss in closed session?

Step 2: Build the Deck

Using the Sequoia board meeting framework, structure the deck:

Section 1: CEO Opening Narrative (15 min, no slides) Write the qualitative "state of the union":

  • Where we are vs. where we expected to be
  • The 1-2 things I'm most excited about
  • The 1-2 things keeping me up at night
  • Where I need the board's help

Section 2: Calibration (45-60 min) Select the fewest metrics that tell the full company story. For each:

  • Current value with trend line
  • Context (what's driving the change)
  • What we're doing about it (if negative) or how we're doubling down (if positive)

Section 3: Company Building (30 min)

  • Org chart and headcount plan
  • Product roadmap and key milestones
  • Growth/marketing KPIs

Section 4: Deep Dives (30 min each) For each strategic topic, use the SCQA framework enhanced with the relevant thinking toolkit: apply theory of constraints if the topic is about a bottleneck, systems thinking if it involves cross-functional dynamics, second-order thinking if it involves a strategic decision with cascading consequences, or pre-mortem if the topic involves a plan that needs stress-testing.

  • Situation: Where we are today
  • Complication: What changed or what's challenging
  • Question: The specific decision we face
  • Answer: Our recommended approach, with rationale and trade-offs

Section 5: Closed Session (15 min) Prepare talking points for:

  • Feedback requested from board
  • Any governance matters
  • CEO/founder personal development

Step 3: Present and Refine

Deliver the complete board deck content and ask:

  • Are the right metrics featured? Any to add or remove?
  • Are the deep-dive topics the most valuable use of board time?
  • Should any content move to a pre-read vs. live discussion?
  • Reminder: send materials 48-72 hours before the meeting

Step 4: Pre-Read Package

Help draft the email that accompanies the board deck:

  • 3-sentence executive summary
  • Link to the deck
  • Specific questions you'd like board members to think about in advance
  • Logistical details (time, location/video link, agenda)