Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 0:10
Hello, everybody, Andy Jacob here with the DotCom magazine entrepreneur Spotlight Series. And I have a great show today. You know, we sometimes invite guests back for an update on what’s happening at their company. And we had a chance to interview Mr. Martin Rovinski. He, of course, is the CEO and co founder of a great company called Boardsi and we interviewed Martin not too long to go. But we promised to bring him back on the show, and he has new information has some new things that are going on. What he’s doing a Boardsi’s really remarkable. I mean, when we talk about startups, we talk about small to mid sized companies, even you know, enterprise companies, fortune 100 companies, something that always comes into the conversation, as Martin knows better than anybody is your board. And you have to have a great board, you have to put together a board a team, people that really care about you care about your mission, care about your company, and Martin and his team have put together a great company where they help you with your board. The name of it is Boardsi. I Martin, welcome to DotCom magazine entrepreneur Spotlight series.
Martin Rovinski 1:26
Thank you, Andy, thanks for bringing me back on for round two.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 1:29
Martin, it’s great to have you back on the show, you know, you’re doing so many great things. But in the unlikely event that somebody hasn’t heard of Boardsi, let’s pull the lens back to 30,000 feet, let’s tell them what you’re doing. And then we have so many new questions for you.
Martin Rovinski 1:45
Absolutely. So we’d like to call ourselves the corporate matchmakers. And obviously, following the title of the book that are released, which is the corporate matchmaker, that kind of name just stuck with us. And basically, we are in matchmaker except note and love scene. But we are kind of creating love for companies. So what we have is we have a exclusive network of C suite executives. And we have a lot of information about them all their skills and everything. And that helps us when we onboard a company. And that’s everything from like you said a startup to publicly traded company, they could be looking for a board member, they could be looking for a advisor to the board. In any sense. We go through our network and we find a matches. And then we present them to that company. Don’t go through them, they’ll highlight the ones they like, and then we set up interviews for those. And they take it from there.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 2:46
Yeah, so awesome. Of course, Martin, when I brought you on the show the first time, you know, you had some very good customers. Now, I look at your website, and I look at your clients. I mean, you’ve got some of the biggest names in the world right now doing business with you. So congratulations on that. I mean, it’s really, really interesting. Let’s talk about it. Which types of companies reach out, they say, Hey, Martin, we’ve heard what you’re doing. We’re looking for some board members or some strategic advisors. What’s that first conversation sound like when they reach out to you, Martin?
Unknown Speaker 3:20
Basically, exactly how you described it. And it’s companies at all levels, we have definitely climbed up. And you know, it’s thanks to people like you, Andy, I can’t say enough, thank you. Because it’s doing the shows like this, it’s me being able to write articles for Forbes, Fast Company, entrepreneur, and being, you know, highlighted and spotlight like that really has put us on a map. So when we talked last time, which I think it’s been about a year, we have definitely gotten the attention of the bigger companies publicly traded, a lot of companies that are right on the edge of you know, being six months out from going public, and just need that extra push extra help. They need that diversity on their board. So we’re getting a little bit on that higher level. But you know, me personally, I’m passionate for the startups and the mid range companies that are just trying to really peak out or get started, but that’s just the entrepreneur in me. So I get excited when I see a new company with a new product or service that really needs that help. And it really, what I’m proud of seeing is these companies recognize that they need that talent they need, you know, they’re not trying to be self sufficient or take on the world by themselves. But you know, dropping that ego and recognizing that they need help is step number one and help is awesome.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 4:51
Yeah, I love it so much. And you become very passionate about helping entrepreneurs. It’s really great to see when we think about what you’re doing, Martin. We think about the connections or the matchmaking that you’re putting together. You know, let’s talk about it. Because a lot of companies also are looking for funding right now. They’re looking for money to help grow their company. And the first thing that, you know, investors are asking these days is that tell us about your team. And there’s no more solo entrepreneurs. And I mean, every company now needs a team, they need people around them, they need advisors, they need top level board members to help them get from point A to point B. But for the younger entrepreneurs watching the show, Martin, let’s tell them why it’s so important to surround yourself with talented people that give you a maybe a little bit different viewpoint based on their background and experience they then what you have is just a solo entrepreneur.
Martin Rovinski 5:49
Absolutely. No, and you’re right on point. I mean, I’m sure you’ve seen Shark Tank. And for anybody that has watched Shark Tank, that question comes up all the time, you know, before they write a check or commit to it, of course, they’re looking for a name like somebody on the Shark Tank team. But Shark Tank team wants to also know who’s on your board, who’s behind this product. So it looks like a great product. But you can’t do it all. So who’s behind you? So yes, it is very important. And it’s important to surround yourself with people that are like minded, that have higher skill sets that have been there, that have done it. And now they can duplicate it and simplify your process. As an entrepreneur, there’s no need to, you know, for trial and error, why not go with somebody find somebody that can help you along the way that has already done the trials, and they know exactly how to execute and speed up the process? And, you know, just like I used to always tell my kids, who you surround yourself with is who you’re going to become like, so if you want to be successful, surround yourself around successful people, build that team, build that mastermind, and you’re going to be on your way.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 7:00
Yeah, it’s great. And of course, your platform Martin has come a long way. I mean, it’s really remarkable. So you’re always adding top level executives to join what I’m calling your private network. And then you have an executive network, which is, again private, and it’s only available for your search matchups, right? Where executives can be matched to a board position in the platform is very private and only available in a private way. Let’s talk about the platform because it’s garnering so much attention it’s very easy to use. And really people are seeing the benefits of not only going on your platform at boards I to look for talent, but also the talent is coming on the platform to offer their services. So let’s talk about the platform a little bit.
Martin Rovinski 7:48
Yeah, it is. It’s a simple platform for a reason. We basically have a platform that shows exactly all the different opportunities, lists out all the skills, they sign information about the company. And executives basically see that and if they feel like they’re a good fit, they apply and again, or attention on our team. And we review it if it is, you know, according to our team, if it looks like a great match, then we move forward and present into that company. And in addition to that, just so everybody knows, we’re not 100% reliable on the platform, we’re always hands on digging in and helping these companies actually find a talent.
So if an executive hasn’t, you know, logged in or hasn’t applied to a position, but we find them in our network, and we’re like, oh my gosh, this person is perfect for this opportunity, we’ll reach out to the executive and say, hey, we got this opportunity. What do you think about it? And if they say yes, thumbs up, then we present them in front of their company. So we’re always active, there is a human team behind us. It’s not, you know, 100% dependent on technology.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 8:55
Yeah, you dig in your team digs in. I mean, you use the technology, you use your data points. But you also have human interaction with the platform, which is fantastic. You get the best of all worlds. Now, let’s talk about a little bit, Martin, because people are watching the show, maybe they’re a little unsure. Somebody has somewhat of a rhetorical question just so we can get the word out. I mean, when someone is acting as a member of a board, whether it’s a small to midsize company, do they get paid? How does all that work? Because people are probably wondering how that works. And I’m talking to the master, so let’s get into it.
Martin Rovinski 9:33
Absolutely, of course, the company would like to hire them for free and get all the perks and benefits. But it’s not a nonprofit deal. We do have we do work with some nonprofits. And a lot of times we’ll tell the executives that might be a little you know, slim into area of expertise being on a board, that it’s a good idea to join a nonprofit and get some experience. But for the most part, if you join as an advisor If you join as a board member, you will be offered equity. And most of them will offer a pay as well. So, but it’s a combination of both. When it comes to equity, it is definitely invested, you’re not going to get, you know, whatever it may be 3% right off the bat, you might get half over a year vested. And, you know, as time goes on, you’ll get vested more and more. It’s pretty typical for that to happen.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 10:27
Yeah, it’s great. And of course, people that watch the show, they know that I sit on the board of a nonprofit. And, you know, people think about sitting on a board, I mean, it’s work. I mean, you’ve got to think about it and go to those boring meetings. But it’s great work. Because you get to be impactful, you get to almost share your story, your background, your experience in a mentorship type of a way and interact with other people that are like minded in the fact that they want what’s best for the company. Now, Martin, let’s talk about funding. Because sometimes companies are looking for the next stage of funding, they might be looking for some seed capital angel come, you know, angel money, maybe they’re in the venture capitals stage, maybe they’re looking for a series A, series C, whatever they’re looking for, how does Boardsi assist with perhaps funding or matchmaking in that regard?
Martin Rovinski 11:21
So we have a few VC companies that we work with. And some angel companies, and we do refer them some work when the company comes to us. We do some vetting, though, obviously, we don’t want to refer everybody, we want to make sure it’s a company that’s in a position to get funding, actually, we’re working with one right now. And they’ve been struggling. And you know, it’s a great, it’s a software company, great, they’re gonna have an awesome piece of a product, but they don’t even have that software on a beta test level at all. So it’s all here and say, and that’s the reason they’ve been struggling with getting the seed capital or any kind of funding. So, you know, we basically told him, get that to a point where you can demo the product. And then we can introduce you to some of the VC companies that we’ve been working with. So, you know, we do give some companies some basic advice and helping them to get to that level. And of course, at same time, we asked do you need help, from a human point of view, to get to that point, because we got some great engineers that have been there and done that, and maybe they can speed up the process for you. So you know, bring on an advisor while you’re at it.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 12:40
I love it. Of course, you know, you have this great background and experience 25 years of sea level experience, you must have started when you were five years old, yeah, and this is a SAS base, you know, executive recruitment firm, you know, you’ve got a great opportunity to help so many companies, of course, but I want to talk about your day, because, you know, you’ve got this highly acclaimed book, it’s called the corporate matchmaker, you know, you’ve been featured on Forbes and entrepreneur and fast company and everything like that. But of course DotCom Magazine entrepreneurs, how do you find time in the day to write books and go on the Davis’s and do all the speaking, you must start at five o’clock in the morning and go, you know, 18 hours a day?
Martin Rovinski 13:26
Alright, do you have a camera in my house? I do start at five in the morning. I do, I get up usually between 4:30 and 5 am to get started. And I start definitely I don’t start working. I mean, yes, I’ll browse through the emails on my phone, see if there’s anything that needs my attention right away. But for the most part, I started in the gym. So I’m older than I look, I think, definitely, I try to get my kids and my grandchild to keep me looking young and energetic. But I would say you know, my little secret is of energy and getting things done effectively. And quickly. Is and being efficient, I guess, is the fact that I do go into gym I feel like a lot more energized, a lot more productive throughout the day. And that starts at five in the morning. So usually I’m at the gym by 5:30. Get my day started and then get back to work and get everything done as quickly as I can whatever extra time I do have that’s when it goes into the book writing the article writing and try to keep up with social media.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 14:40
Yeah, it’s very good. You’re very prolific in all those regards. When we think about it, and we think about what you’ve done at Boardsi one thing that comes to mind we spoke about this on our first interview is your team. I mean, you have a co founder you have a great team behind the scenes. How important is putting together your team at Boardsi to make sure that you’re able to handle and give your clients the best possible world class opportunity, platform technology and offering.
Martin Rovinski 15:10
Yeah, no, absolutely. As a co founder, when we brought the other co founders in together, it was definitely a strategic thing. We all have certain skills, I like to say I’m Jack of all trades, but I don’t like to do all the trades. So definitely, you know, each partner has its strength. And we try to focus that energy into what we do. Along the way, of course, we have made friends and aligned ourselves with people that are like minded and might have even more experience in certain areas. And we thrive together and work together, like the first education program that we put together is not put together by us. But it was a collaboration of me, and my friend, Mark, and me motivating him to do a web based education that’s a little bit more affordable than what’s out there. And he’s done that, you know, it took him quite a while, I think almost a year to put it together.
But it is available on our website now. And you can get the web based and if you like his education, and you want some hands on one on one, he’s available for that. So and on top of that we’re putting out hopefully in the next 30 days, some other education courses that are going to be available to our members are no costs. They’re very basic Board education. Courses that if somebody does, like I said, if somebody doesn’t have deep experience with it, it really kind of opened up your eyes to what’s you know, what do you need to do to be an effective board member, not just what some people expect, hey, put me on a board. So I can just collect a check. It’s being an effective board member. And being a difference maker versus the old days where you just got the privilege to say I’m on a board and you don’t really do anything that I think no longer exists.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 17:07
Yeah, those days are over, everybody’s looking for value. You know, when we think about it, Martin, and again, thank you for coming back on the show today. I know your time is so important. And I’m indulging myself a little bit more than usual because I have so many questions. The board, let’s talk about it because businesses do face tough decisions. And sometimes those decisions need to be directed by the board. So do you find that boards really are impactful in the toughest of tough decisions for companies and how does all that work?
Martin Rovinski 17:46
Effective boards and ones that are put together correctly 100%. And I think we witnessed that obviously during COVID. And, you know, might be witnessing it right now with rescission coming to play. But the companies that had a great board with experience with you know, things like COVID, obviously had a plan in place and executed quickly. And they were able to, you know, you know, minimize the effect of COVID and other companies that were not obviously suffered. And hopefully, they got smart and build a board around that and be ready for next round. So I think it is very important to have top notch leadership and effective one, and that can be there and step in and provide the leadership level, not management level, but leadership level to the managers of the company. And then as long as those guys are in place to execute, then you have a win win situation.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 18:54
Yeah, I like it. And when you’re building a board, we take a look at, is it the right thing to do to look at the board in terms of various verticals? In other words, if I’m building a board, or I want to build a board, do I sort of start thinking I need someone that’s really great at maybe management, I need somebody that’s great at client offerings? I need somebody that might be great at advertising and marketing, I maybe need somebody that’s great at finances, I maybe need somebody that’s great at this. In other words, when you build the board, is it smart to get people from all aspects of sort of life and expertise versus just one?
Martin Rovinski 19:37
100%. I think it’s important to bring it outside board members. And sometimes they don’t even have to be in the same industry or have experience in the same industry. Especially when it comes to marketing. You know, you could bring somebody in from a totally different industry where they were just the successful marketing executive into a different industry, but they might do Just because they have experienced in a different industry, they might bring in a totally different perspective of how to attack in that industry from a different point of view, you know, because a lot of times we get stuck in this tunnel vision, and you just can’t see outside. So bringing an outside board member that can visualize from that high level, it can really be an eye opener and really can be very successful to any company.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 20:26
Yeah, it’s really interesting, from the other standpoint, from the executive standpoint, looking to participate on a board or on boards? Is there a sweet spot for the number of boards that one person can possibly sort of sit on?
Martin Rovinski 20:46
Yeah, I think you can definitely overwhelm yourself and become what I would like to say not effective. So if you spread yourself thin, just like with work, or anything else, you know, I don’t think anybody’s going to sit there and write five books at the same time, that can get probably pretty ineffective, and you probably never finished one of those five books. So I think focusing your energy is definitely important. And then the question is, are you a board member? And are you still working full time or you’re fully retired and you have, you know, an open slate of work or work time available? And then the question you got to ask yourself is, I’m retired, I’m going to be on a board because I want to do something, which is great. I’m hoping to do that myself because I don’t think I’ll ever retire. But I’m gonna keep in mind, we all work really hard not to retire and die, but to retire and enjoy life.
So make sure you don’t join too many boards where then you’re regretting your choices because you’re limiting your time. Because to be really an effective board member, you’re going to be putting in some hours, you know, that there’s emails, there’s things happening. There might be emergency board meetings. You know, it’s not just a quarter leaf, you know, it’s not like COVID waited for a quarterly board meeting to happen. It happened. And you have to react right then and there.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 22:18
Yeah, you need to be there. Of course, it’s the commitment that you make. For the executives watching the show, Martin, is there a competency designation or certification that someone can get? Let’s talk about that.
Martin Rovinski 22:35
Absolutely. I mean, there’s a lot of courses out there. And highly recommended ones and a CD. There’s ongoing education, you do have to have certification, especially if you’re going to be joining a board at a public level. You know, there’s insurance for board members because they are liable legally. So I mean, there is a lot of things that they should definitely look into before just thinking about joining a board, of course, a lot easier to join the board as an advisor. Because you don’t have to insurance things to worry about certification, it’s more important about your skill sets and what you bring. But what you will be bringing in is definitely more hours more work. And you better be a lot more effective and motivated to help the company because obviously, as an advisor, there is a great motivation, because you’re more part of the company growth and it happens, you know, at a smaller level companies, but when they grow, you’re gonna benefit in a big way.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 23:39
What a great, great platform you’ve built, everybody’s talking about it, you’re helping so many companies right now, for the people who are watching, I mean, reach out, see if you can connect, see if you can join the network of top executives on the platform today, of course, companies looking for board members, there’s no better place to go. I’m so happy Martin, we’ve had a chance to bring you back on the show. But before you go, I want to get back to the younger entrepreneurs because sometimes the younger entrepreneurs, even older ones, they hit a roadblock. They hit a pothole in the road, maybe they skinned their knee, maybe they you know, can’t get through a wall. Maybe you can give some advice based on what you’ve learned by building Boardsi in your, you know, illustrious career about what it takes to get through a tough time and how to keep on pushing in business.
Martin Rovinski 24:28
First of all, I like to say don’t ever quit. Don’t ever quit on your dream. If you’re a true entrepreneur, it is 100% normal to hit the roadblocks to hit the speed bumps, to have your family tell you get a real job. Go get a paycheck. You’re wasting your time. I mean, it comes from every angle, and stay on the path and get help. That’s I mean, that is the biggest thing I can say is surround yourself with people that have been there and done that people that will elevate you and push you to be successful. Don’t think you can do it on your own. I’ve seen it, you’ve seen it many times. And it can be very discouraging, being alone on an island is not fun. And on top of that, you know, the monkeys are throwing coconuts down at you and beating you up. And you know, you’re the only one telling yourself, you got to get up and keep going.
So don’t, not saying don’t listen to people being negative. But put a filter on that, and surround yourself with people that will push you elevate you and motivate you to be successful. I was fortunate enough to have my kids always pushed me. My wife almost pushed me off the cliff with a parachute. But ya know, she was a super motivator. And, you know, never gave up on my dream and never gave up on our dream, in essence, and did everything she could to support it. And if you don’t have that within your inner circle, then find it. Call us. We’ll find you a network of executives that will do just that. I do have one shameless plug, though. Can I plug something real quick?
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 26:29
You know what, as a global technology pioneer, as an executive recruitment expert, as an international speaker, and a best selling author, yes, let’s go.
Martin Rovinski 26:41
So I’ve been nominated at this website. It’s called CEO rankings. And I’m supposed to get a bunch of votes. So if you can get anybody that’s watching this, it’s really easy. All you have to do is text your vote in that text is 1675. And the phone number you’re texting into is 1-272-233-4411. There you go.
Andy Jacob, CEO, DotCom Magazine 27:14
I mean, as far as I’m concerned, you’re a shoo in with what you’ve built up at Boardsi. I love it so much. It’s great to have you back on the show. I mean, you’re doing so much great work. I mean, you’re revolutionising really the way companies and executives connect through advanced technology and of course, what you mentioned with your team, meaningful human connection as well. So it’s been great Martin to have you on DotCom magazine entrepreneur Spotlight series again, I look forward to have you back on the show as we continue this hockey stick growth curve, and congratulations on what you’re doing.
Martin Rovinski 27:47
Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thanks, Andy.
