Be Board Ready

Overview

Betsy Atkins is often asked "How can I get on a board?" So after 20+ years in the boardroom and multiple roles in public and private companies she is ready to share her secrets. In this book, she teaches you how to build your own personal brand as well as how to keep yourself relevant and growing. She shares tips on how to make your personal network the most effective (and the most enjoyable.) Betsy covers the best ways to present your skills and credentials in order to get that board interview as well as detailed information on how to prepare for it. But getting that board seat won't be the end of your journey. Once you are on the board, you'll want to be the best board member you can, helping your companies grow and prosper so you'll be able to get that next, even better board seat. For new CEOs and entrepreneurs she covers how to make your board work for you and be a true accelerant for your company; the role of the board, choosing new board members (and getting rid of the bad ones), maximizing your board meetings and building board relationships to ensure success for you as a CEO and for your company. Also included is a collection of articles and learnings from Betsy's experiences as an operator, board member and advisor to some of America's largest and most notable public companies. After reading this book, prospective board members will be energized and motivated to create their own personal brand, cultivate it to gain a board seat, be a better board member and CEO and continue to educate on the issues boards are looking at today.  

Reviews

"Fulfilling director responsibilities during a company's best times can be challenging. Betsy Atkins had the courage to join our board as an Independent Director during a time of company crisis. Betsy provided not only a steady hand but also the focused, strategic thinking and experience in corporate governance necessary to navigate a clear path forward. Betsy's understanding of best-in-class compensation philosophies has been invaluable in her role as Compensation Committee Chair, and her diverse experiences in board leadership offer a singular guide for anyone who wants to 'Be Board Ready'." — Matt Maddox, CEO, WYNN RESORTS

Author Biography

Betsy is a three-time CEO and serial entrepreneur & founder of Baja Corporation. She has co-founded enterprise software companies in multiple industries including energy, healthcare and networking. She is an expert at scaling companies through hyper growth and leading them to successful IPO and acquisitions. Betsy is a corporate governance expert with an eye for making boards a competitive asset. Her corporate Board experience is vast and covers multiple industries including: Technology, Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Automotive, Manufacturing, and Logistics. As a Corporate Director, she brings an operational perspective which focuses on taking friction out of the consumer experience. She leverages broad contemporary knowledge of digital technology to reduce costs, drive efficiency and productivity using AI machine learning analytics to streamline processes. For 20 years, she has worked behind the scenes at companies like Chico's, Vonage, Darden Restaurants, Wynn Resorts Inc., NASDAQ, HealthSouth, Wix, Home Depot Supply, and Polycom. She has served on over 30 boards and been through 13 IPOs. Previously, Betsy was the CEO of NCI, a food manufacturer creating Nutraceutical and Functional Food products. NCI created the PowerBar and healthy snacks for Kraft, Nabisco, etc. Betsy was also the CEO of Clear Standards, which developed enterprise level software for monitoring carbon emissions. A published author, Betsy's work on Corporate Governance includes: The Conference Board, National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), Business Insider, and Forbes.  She has also published three books including her latest, BE BOARD READY.