Guide to Adding
a Woman to
Your Board.
You already believe in the mission. This guide answers the practical questions that come next — from board basics to finding the right person to working with us.
For CPG Founders & CEOsWhy it matters —
a quick reminder
We know you didn't need a full persuasion campaign to get here. But these data points are worth keeping in your back pocket — for your own conviction, and for the conversations you'll have with others.
of consumer spending is driven by women — yet a majority of business decisions are made by men. That's a fundamental disconnect between who's making product decisions and who's buying the products.
Women hold just 30% of U.S. board seats at public companies — and that number is slowing. For private consumer companies, there's almost no data. We believe the real number is under 10%. Which means the gap is even bigger than the headlines suggest.
Companies with women on their boards consistently outperform those without — delivering higher return on equity and stronger net income growth.
of W Project's partner companies have been acquired in the last five years. Diverse boards don't just look good — they perform. Coincidence? We don't think so.
The business case is real. The supply of exceptional women is real.
The only thing missing is demand — and that's exactly why we exist.
There's no single revenue threshold or headcount milestone that makes a company "board-ready." But a few signals tend to show up together:
If you're running a consumer company with $10M+ in revenue, meaningful growth momentum, and investor backing, you're almost certainly ready — even if it doesn't feel that way yet.
It's worth understanding the distinctions so you can think clearly about what your company actually needs.
Formal fiduciary role. Attends meetings, votes on key matters, legally accountable. Highest-impact seat.
Not an employee or major investor. Brings neutral perspective — especially valuable as governance matters more.
No formal vote, but paid for expertise and access. A great starting point that can often evolve over time.
Options or restricted stock, vesting over 2–4 years. Most common for earlier-stage companies.
More common as companies scale. Often paired with equity for independent directors.
Many companies offer a modest cash retainer plus equity. Our recommendation for most stage-appropriate structures.
Short answer: no. And this is one of the most important things we want to change in the industry.
The "must have prior board experience" requirement is one of the biggest reasons women are underrepresented on boards in the first place. It's a self-reinforcing loop: you can't get experience without having experience.
What actually makes a great board member:
We believe it's time to change who gets to define what a great board member looks like.
This depends on where you are in your growth journey and what gaps exist on your current board or leadership team. Common areas where consumer founders find the most value:
One of the first things we do when we start a search is help you articulate what you actually need — in terms of the conversations you wish you could be having and the blind spots you want someone to push on.
This is a real concern we hear from founders, and it's worth addressing directly. In our experience, the most common outcome is the opposite of what founders fear: existing board members and investors are often supportive — and sometimes relieved — when a founder takes the lead on this.
- Frame it strategically — lead with the functional expertise and the business problem you're solving, not a diversity checkbox
- Loop in key stakeholders early — investors with board seats are more likely to be allies than obstacles
- Consider creating a new seat — adding an independent seat is often simpler politically; you're adding capacity, not displacing anyone
Our team are investors, operators, founders, and executives in the consumer industry — we understand your ecosystem because we're in it too.
Not scraped from LinkedIn — these are women we know personally, across every consumer functional area, who we believe in.
Donation-based, not fee-based. Our incentives are aligned with yours: we want the right person in the right seat, not just any placement.
Most searches conclude in 4–8 months. We stay close to both company and candidate throughout — this isn't a handoff, it's a partnership.
$5,000 non-refundable to begin + $5,000–$10,000 upon placement.
A fraction of traditional search firm fees — and your contribution directly funds our mission.
We work best with companies that are:
- Privately held and consumer-focused
- $10M+ revenue, on a growth trajectory
- Have an open board seat — or willing to create one
- Have an internal champion who's communicative and invested
- Genuinely excited about the mission, not just checking a box
Ready to take
the next step?
We know adding a board member can feel like a big lift — especially when you're already running a company. Our job is to make it easy. We'll hold your hand through every stage, advocate for both you and the candidate, and help you find someone who makes your business better.