EVOLVE connects NED’s, board-level leaders, senior advisors and fractional executives with growth-stage commerce companies.

Our in person events are one expression of that work.

We host expert sessions, in-person meetups, and small, closed dinners across key global markets. These gatherings are designed to support ongoing conversations, not one-off appearances.

Now, onto this week’s newsletter.

It usually starts the same way.

A founder enters a new market, builds initial traction, and begins to expand their network. Conversations open up. Advisors appear. People with experience, access, and context.

At some point, the question surfaces.

Who should we be speaking to?

Shortly after, it becomes more direct.

Could you introduce us?

The logic feels straightforward. The network exists. The need is clear.

The outcome is less predictable.

During this week’s EVOLVE session, Renee Hartmann framed the tension in a way that cut through the usual assumptions.

An introduction is rarely treated as a simple connection.

It carries weight.

It signals that the advisor is willing to be associated with a company, its positioning, and the outcome of the conversation that follows.

That signal accumulates over time. It is not deployed casually.

From the founder’s side, the expectation is often immediate. Access exists, therefore access should be used.

From the advisor’s side, the timeline is longer. Understanding comes first. Alignment follows. Exposure happens later.

That difference in timing explains much of the friction that appears early in advisory relationships.

The discussion moved quickly beyond introductions.

Most companies are not short on conversations. They are short on progression.

Meetings take place. Interest is visible. Follow-ups are scheduled.

Then the process slows without a clear explanation.

The typical response is to increase activity. More outreach. More content. More attempts to create momentum.

Renee pointed to a different source of friction.

Not delivery. Alignment.

Inside the company, the product is coherent. The team understands its capabilities and its intended use.

Inside the buyer’s organisation, the same product enters an existing structure.

Budgets are already allocated. Priorities are already defined. Systems are already in place.

A product competes with what is already working well enough.

Advisors recognise this earlier than most founders.

They identify whether a proposition fits into that structure or sits outside it.

That distinction rarely appears in early conversations. It becomes visible later, when deals fail to progress..

Several operators described the same pattern.

An advisor joins. Initial conversations are productive. The relationship appears promising.

Then it shifts into irregular interaction.

No defined role. No clear contribution. Occasional updates.

At some point, a request appears. Introduce us to your network.

By then, very little has been established.

The advisor has not developed a clear view of the company. The company has not defined how the advisor should be used.

The relationship remains general.

General relationships do not produce specific outcomes.

The issue is not engagement. It is design.

Renee outlined a sequence that removes much of this friction.

It begins before the advisor is involved.

The company needs to define the problem it is trying to solve.

Not broadly. Precisely.

Entering a specific market?
Repositioning against a defined competitor?
Reaching a particular buyer segment?

Clarity at this stage determines the quality of the interaction that follows.

Selection comes next.

Advisors are often chosen based on visibility. A recognised name, a strong profile, a large network.

Relevance matters more.

An advisor who understands the environment, the buyer, and the constraints will engage differently from someone who only recognises the category.

Integration follows.

Advisors need exposure to how the company actually operates.

Where decisions are made.
Where friction exists.
Where uncertainty sits.

Without this, they can only respond to what is presented. That limits their ability to contribute.

Structure is the step most often skipped.

Defined interaction.
Clear areas of contribution.
Specific moments where input is required.

Without this, the relationship loses momentum.

With it, the advisor becomes part of how decisions are shaped.

Our most recent event in London

Top advisors, board members, investors, VC’s, senior operators under the same roof

The discussion moved beyond advisory boards.

Most companies still organise go-to-market around channels.

Content.
Outbound.
Events.
Paid distribution.

These channels create visibility.

They do not determine whether a conversation progresses.

Two companies can operate in the same channels and see different outcomes.

The difference sits in how they are perceived before the interaction begins.

Who introduces them.
Where they are mentioned.
How they are referenced.

These factors shape the starting point of every conversation.

Advisors sit inside this layer.

They influence how a company is understood before it is evaluated.

One observation came up repeatedly.

Smaller, in-person environments continue to produce results.

Not large conferences. Smaller rooms.

Dinners;
Roundtables;
Focused sessions.

These settings allow for longer conversations and clearer feedback.

Time is not fragmented. Attention is not divided.

Several operators described situations where a single in-person interaction replaced months of digital communication.

The format does not scale easily.

It was not designed to.

It reflects how alignment happens.

One observation came up repeatedly.

Smaller, in-person environments continue to produce results.

Not large conferences. Smaller rooms.

Dinners.
Roundtables.
Focused sessions.

These settings allow for longer conversations and clearer feedback.

Time is not fragmented. Attention is not divided.

Several operators described situations where a single in-person interaction replaced months of digital communication.

The format does not scale easily.

It was not designed to.

It reflects how alignment happens.

EVOLVE brings together VC’s, PE’s, Family offices, board-level leaders, ambitious founders, and senior operators across commerce markets through ongoing structured conversations.

These discussions take place through expert sessions, small gatherings, roundtables, and private dinners across markets.

The objective is to understand how experienced operators navigate the realities of commerce as those realities evolve.

For leaders who want to participate in these conversations, EVOLVE offers private membership and corporate partnerships for organisations seeking closer proximity to the people shaping commerce across markets.

The room stays small by design.

The conversations stay practical for the same reason.

Curated. Personable. Global.
That is EVOLVE

If you’d like to learn more how to partner with, please email us at
[email protected] or [email protected]