The Board Seat Fantasy

At least once a week, someone walks through Arcbound’s digital front door and says the same thing:

“I want a board seat.”

It’s not surprising. For many seasoned leaders, a board role feels like the next chapter. After decades of operating, you want to advise, contribute, and monetize your strategic value. You’re not chasing a vanity title. You want to make a difference, and you want that difference to be compensated.

But here’s the hard truth most don’t want to hear:

There are far more people who think they’re board-ready than there are seats available.And even fewer who’ve built the platform to actually be considered.

Let’s anchor in the data. Executive Advisory reports that only 20,000 board seats open up annually across public and private companies. That’s not many, and competition is steep.

Where Most People Get It Wrong

Most executives believe past experience alone is their ticket in. They assume that a stellar operating history, a few exits, and a polished LinkedIn profile will do the heavy lifting.

But board placement isn’t a meritocracy. It’s a visibility game. It’s about who knows you, how you’re positioned, and whether your value proposition is crystal clear.

Here’s what actually moves the needle:

• A Board-Ready Bio: This isn’t your resume. It’s an executive asset that translates your experience into boardroom value—across governance, oversight, financial acumen, and sector-specific insight.
  

• A Personal Brand Website: Board recruiters Google you. If what they find looks like everyone else, you blend in. If it’s compelling and credible, you stand out.
  

• Strategic Networking: Board seats are filled in watering holes, not job boards. You have to show up where the right conversations are happening, and know how to frame your relevance when they are.
  

Do those three things, consistently and well, and your odds increase exponentially.

A Case in Point: Agnes Budzyn

When Agnes Budzyn joined the board of Soluna Computing, it wasn’t luck. It was a layered strategy.

After her time at BlackRock, she didn’t immediately pivot to board work. She took on operating roles, including Managing Director at ConsenSys, and later launched her own infrastructure fund called Bluedge. These moves built credibility at the intersection of energy, blockchain, and infrastructure—directly aligning with Soluna’s mission.

Along the way, she invested in visibility. She built a sharp narrative, deepened her financial governance experience, and established board-aligned positioning. That, combined with authentic relationships, including early conversations with Soluna’s Dip Patel and CEO John Belizaire—made her not just a candidate, but a clear strategic fit.

Today, she doesn’t just sit on a board. She serves on the audit committee, overseeing risk, financial reporting, and shareholder alignment in a public market context.

Your Next Step Isn’t a Seat. It’s a Strategy.

If you’re serious about board work, start with the assets that make you findable, relevant, and referable.

At Arcbound, we help executives do just that—turning career equity into boardroom presence through thoughtful narrative building and brand infrastructure.

Community Notes

1. If you’re looking to elevate performance in your company, look no further than John Grover and check out his new website. He has taken a very layered approach to recruiting, performance management, and solving team issues. He also is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. Listen to our podcast.
   

2. If you’re curious to learn more about boards, check out Bob Arciniaga and his work at Advisory Board Architects.