3 real-world scenarios that show how the right external perspective can transform your business
A Business Grandpa, an Advisory Board or a Sparring Partner: that’s a smart strategic move, not a status symbol.
If you’re running a software company or a Language Service Provider (LSP), chances are you’ve felt the weight of decision-making loneliness — the kind that keeps you up at night. Whether you’re PE-backed, privately owned by an investor, or a founder-led business trying to scale beyond your own shadow — bringing in external expertise isn’t a sign of weakness.
It’s a smart strategic move.
Yet the title “Advisory Board” often triggers two reactions: eye-rolls (because of bad experiences with pure “talkers”) or confusion (because it’s not always clear what value they actually bring). Sometimes even resistance because employees and managers see it as a competition for their own roles.
I’ve seen all sides. And in this article, I’ll show you how the right setup — tailored to your ownership structure and business maturity — can become a game-changer.
Let’s break this down into three very different but overlapping real-world use cases.
Use Case 1: PE-backed company — structure, pressure and accountability
The Setup: You’re a CEO working in a high-pressure environment. The majority stakeholder is a private equity firm. The minority: your current and former colleagues from top management. The heat is on — results matter, and timelines are tight.
How the Advisory Board helps: This type of board operates almost like a supervisory board, minus the formal authority. Its core task is safeguarding the investor’s interests by validating the operational management’s direction through structured feedback and sharp questioning. But it’s also about strategic benchmarking and supporting the managements direction, „translating“ it into investors language to bridge the knowledge gap.
Where I come in:
- Asking the uncomfortable but necessary questions no one internally wants to raise
- Pressure-testing management plans (e.g. turnaround, restructuring, M&A logic, sales strategy)
- Offering an external lens on how you stack up against the market — from experience, not guesswork, supported by clear facts
- Opening up my own network for targeted needs (e.g. finding interim leaders, validating vendor choices)
- Helping the management and shareholders to align opinions
Why it works: You get not just a sounding board, but a mirror and a compass.
It’s not about giving orders. It’s about clarifying direction.
Use Case 2: investor-owned, industry-newcomer — from blind spots to clear vision
The Setup: A private investor or family office buys 100% of a business — but lacks industry-specific experience. They want results but are wise enough to know they can’t do it alone.
How the Advisory Board helps: Here, the board acts as a mix between a strategy consultant, critical friend, and interim Ops team. Members bring in-market expertise and challenge assumptions. Whenever needed they roll up their own sleeves for key initiatives.
Where I come in:
- Helping to set up a realistic and actionable annual plan with SMART goals and KPIs
- Streamlining the company’s positioning to focus on what it can win at
- Bringing in hands-on sales and tech talent through my network
- Supporting the CEO with decision-making frameworks and operational planning
Why it works: This model bridges the knowledge gap while accelerating learning and action. The investor gains control through confidence — because they’ve built a team they can trust.
Use Case 3: founder-led, industry expert // aka “The Business Grandpa Model”
The Setup: You’re the founder. You know the industry like the back of your hand. But scaling a company — or leading teams, building structure, implement tech strategy, navigating growth? That’s a different game.
How the Advisory Board helps: This is less about governance, more about enablement and empowerment. The board becomes a trusted sparring partner for the CEO and a mentor for rising leaders. There’s strategy, yes — but there’s also sleeves-up involvement in execution.
Where I come in:
- 1-on-1 sparring with the CEO to define and sharpen positioning
- Coaching and challenging the second-line management on execution and accountability
- Aligning strategy with actual market feedback and operational realities
- Building rhythm and traction: from planning to getting real stuff done
- Mentoring (like a Grandpa) high potentials — turning doers into future leaders
Why it works: You’re not alone anymore. You’re still in control — but with someone in your corner who’s not afraid to tell you what you need to hear (not just what you want to hear).
What’s the Common Thread?
Whether it’s pressure from investors, the overwhelming speed of technological development, economical turbulences, or just the complexity of scaling — external sparring works when it’s tailored to your situation and grounded in real-world expertise.
Forget buzzwords. The right advisor brings:
- Strategic distance and operational empathy
- A readiness to get hands-on (not just chit-chatting)
- A network that adds value, not vanity
- And most of all: the courage to ask the hard questions and shakes up old beliefs
Final Thought: Why Work With Me?
I’ve been in your shoes — and next to people like you — across different stages and structures. I’ve been there in the IT industry, in software business and in the translation industry. I don’t do “PowerPoint consultancy”. I work with founders, CEOs, owners and their management teams who want to move the needle, not just talk about it.
Whether you’re looking for:
- A sparring partner to keep you sharp
- A sounding board for your strategy
- A hands-on Advisory Board member who knows how to translate strategy into traction
- Or a Business Grandpa to level up your 2nd-line management or your high potentials…
Let’s talk.
Interested in adding external expertise to your business? Let’s connect and see whether there’s a personal fit. I’m always open for a no-strings-attached conversation.
