Why Entrepreneurs Make Great Chairs

View profile for Debbie Wosskow, OBE
Debbie Wosskow, OBE Debbie Wosskow, OBE is an Influencer

Multi-Exit Entrepreneur | Chair | Investor | Board Advisor | Co-chair of the UK’s Invest In Women Taskforce - over £580 million in capital raised to support female-powered businesses

The real reason more entrepreneurs are taking up Chair positions: They’re wired differently. When you’ve built something from scratch, you learn lessons that no corporate career alone can provide. Here’s why entrepreneurs make brilliant Chairs: - They’re performance-obsessed. If founders don’t deliver, they don’t eat. That urgency carries into every board conversation. - They’re used to building consensus - convincing investors, customers, and teams to believe in something that doesn’t yet exist. - They’re fluent in storytelling - because they’ve had to persuade, fundraise, and lead under pressure, often with their backs against the wall. - And above all, their journey has been all about momentum. Entrepreneurs know how to bring people to the table and move things forward, come what may. It’s not the “traditional” route into the boardroom. But having done this myself, I can tell you: the entrepreneurial skillset translates brilliantly to Chair and NED roles. Applying those entrepreneurial skills beyond my own companies has been one of the most rewarding reinventions of my career. 📷 - with the one and only amazing Mariella Frostrup

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Gifty Enright

Tech Leader | Keynote Speaker | Women’s Leadership & Wellbeing Coach | Author of Octopus on a Treadmill | TEDx | NED | Mum

3w

Entrepreneurs in the boardroom are like chefs in a war zone, decisive, resourceful, and allergic to fluff. They don’t just advise, they activate. I’ve seen how their bias for action cuts through the “we should really…” fog. When done right, it’s less about title, more about traction. This shift is long overdue, and very welcome.

Dawn Coupe

Empowering Business Owners to Scale Smarter through Human-Led, AI-Optimised Software & Integrations | Founder of Equinox & Creator of the PULSE™ Framework | GB Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist 2025

3w

I love this post, thank you! Now that I am unleashing (and believing in) my full entrepreneurial spirit, I was wondering what would be next. What a brilliant opportunity to be able to help other businesses steer their way through threats and open eyes to opportunity. Thanks for sharing

Dr. Kion Ahadi

C-Suite & Board-Level Leader | Digital Transformation Expert | Advisor to Founders | Keynote Speaker | Author of Humanity Reimagined in the Age of AI | Insights on Leadership, Personal Impact & Technology

3w

Debbie Wosskow, OBE  Entrepreneurs bring an edge to the boardroom that’s hard to replicate, because they’ve lived the stakes. The urgency, the ability to navigate ambiguity, the deep understanding of what it actually takes to build something from nothing, that mindset transforms board conversations. It’s not just about governance, it’s about momentum. And founders know how to create that even when the odds are against them. Appreciate you shining a light on this path, it’s one more way entrepreneurship keeps evolving.

Marina Zakharova de Calero

Investor Relations / M&As / Capital Markets / Strategy /Host of IRO Coffee Break - international forum for senior in-house IR professionals

3w

Absolutely, it is a great skills match and companies benefit tremendously in the long run.

Lenka Mina, PCC

Executive Coach | Enabling Senior Leaders to Drive Strategic Impact with Clarity, Influence & Resilience | C-suite Leadership Experience | Strengthscope®️ Practitioner | Transactional Analysis

3w

It’s not experience on paper, it’s experience under pressure. That’s the entrepreneurial edge in the boardroom.

Vuyiswa M'Cwabeni

CEO | Co Founder of Korean Skincare Magalie&ME | Strategist | Entrepreneur | Start-Up Mentor | Investor | Diversity Advocate

3w

Yes, Debbie. Entrepreneurs know how to make momentum out of thin air, and that skill is priceless when you’re guiding a board.

Ninika Nanda

Founder & Product Strategist | Driving Startup Ecosystems & Investor Readiness | Building Scalable B2B2C, AI & SaaS Platforms | Ex-Compare the Market, Barclays, Tesco Tech, Worldpay, CGI Consulting

3w

Debbie Wosskow, OBE - Spot on—founders bring urgency, storytelling, and momentum that transform boardrooms.

Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud

On a mission to empower 10,000 women in tech to build resilient, freedom-based SaaS businesses that solve meaningful global problems | INSEAD Business Coach & MBA | Tech Entrepreneur | Author of Weatherproof Business™

3w

So true 💛 Debbie, The lessons learned from building something from scratch give entrepreneurs a different kind of edge. ✨

Aqsa Khadim

Pitch deck Designer | I design pitch decks that help startups win investors and tell their story with impact.

3w

Such an insightful perspective! Entrepreneurs are wired for action, and that’s exactly what boards need

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Mariya Valeva

Fractional CFO | Helping Founders Scale Beyond $2M ARR with Strategic Finance & OKRs | Founder @ FounderFirst

3w

Good to see how you highlight the unique value entrepreneurs bring beyond their own companies. Debbie Wosskow, OBE

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