Connectd Avis 654

The process and set-up with Connectd has been super easy, informative, and valuable so far. I'm looking to break into consulting and advisory work, and this provides a great launchpad to build my experience and credentials. Everything from the first engagement with the sales lead, to the curriculum, to the initial placement, has been professional, easy to digest, and fast-moving in a great way! More people should know about this company!

Soemone in my network had mentioned this organisation and I clicked the connect link which then asked me for a 15min call to be scheduled, plus fill in a survey upfront.
I was looking for paid board roles. After 2 slightly insulting -what turns out to be automated reminder- emails, reminding me to be professional (implying I might not be) and to re-confirm the call (which I had already confirmed) and a threat that I might not get any jobs if I turn out to be unprofessional, I logged into the call on time. Eventually, 3min late (20% of the call duration) the first thing I am being told is that this call will end sharp on time, no apologies for being late to the call (so much for professionalism).

The 2 big "no-no"s came about half way through and was talked over so fast, you might have almost missed these finer points:
They exepect you to
1) either put in 6 months pro-bono work or
2) ask £600 of you upfront
while on the webpage FAQ the claim is that everything is free.

They ask for professionalism, all I experienced was the opposite. The 2nd star is generous.

If you are looking for Board jobs in Start-ups, there are specialised Recruiters out there, easy enough to find and the business model is usually that the recruiting company pays a success fee for it. This is clearly a numbers game, when recruiting is really a personalised realtionship game, for certain at Board level.

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As they always seem to do, they responded and since I wrote this seem to have adjusted the FAQ section and removed the cost question that indicated "free" elements. New fee numbers appeared, but you have to scroll down to the very bottom.
The pro-bono is twisted into a "guaranteed offer", very clever, which -at the end of it - you are allowed to renegotiate to get actually paid. On the call, it was made clear that you have to do that before you get other offerings, paid? not clear. So, how much is 6 months - even if it is just a day a month, and you clearly will go beyond to impress - of your time worth? Can you wait that long? That will be different for different people. It is a carrot without gurantee. Otherwise you can join an Academy for £200/month, latest update. At least someone is making money.

Profesional; reliable and on point

Nathaniel helped me connect with my first advisor position. The recommendations were spot on and Nathaniel was professional and efficient getting this relationship setup . I am looking forward to my further opportunities through Connected.

Having an idea for a start-up is one thing. Understanding how to navigate the tricky areas of marketing, sales, tech, finance and legal to ensure your new business doesn't become a statistic adds additional layers of complexity. Connectd has a vast pool of advisors and experts to help with these challenges and to guide you to hopefully becoming super successful.
This is a highly recommended (if not essential) platform. Add in to the mix extremely helpful liaisons such as James St John-Dunlop, who can't do enough to ensure success between advisor and founders and you'll realise this is a vital service, extremely necessary for your start-up to survive and grow.

Efficient process, handled professionally, board role within a week of completing the course!

Thanks to Nathaniel for facilitating a great call!

A good concept and model. I found the advisor, Daniel to be of great help and is very meticulous and apt in connecting and onbaarding the advisors, managing the entire process extremely well and efficiently.

Misleading scam. I received this email from one of their representatives via LinkedIn.

Dear...

I help connect startups & scaleups to prospective board advisors, and non-execs.

Your background and expertise would be a great fit for our network. Would you be interested in board advisory or non-exec opportunities?

.....

I would have expected there to be roles available that they wanted to connect me with directly. The truth is, they want to sell training courses with a promise of a Pro Bono role.

On investigation, I see their Head of the NED network scammed me with a similar model in 2017, which cost me £1,500. Lots of promises and no return.

Steer clear unless you like snake oil.

Jaimes & Thiago have been absolutely incredible. The connections I’ve received through Connectd have been perfectly aligned with my business goals — I truly could not be happier. For the first time, I feel like I have the support, mentorship, and confidence I’ve been looking for to take my company to the next level. I’m so excited and deeply grateful for this platform and everything it’s helping me build.

Daniel Watson has done a phenomenal job of connecting us with our ideal 3 advisors.

From start to finish his performance has been stellar, keenly listening to our current situation and the vision we have for our company in order to find advisors that best suit our needs.
In all honesty, I thought he would be able to fulfil the task of finding one good advisor, maybe two at a stretch but to not only find all three within 24-hours but for them to tick every one of our boxes speaks volumes about his work ethic and the standards of excellence Connectd adheres to.

My first time writing a review for a company ever and I can't think of a better one to do it for than Connectd - thank you!

Nathanial has connected me with four experts this year, and the experience has been excellent across the board. Two are brand-new placements, and I’m already encouraged by how well we’re aligned. The other two have been outstanding—especially one CMO who I’ll be moving forward with. On top of that, I also secured one placement on my own, and that collaboration is going really well too.

Emily provided a clear agenda and let the meeting flow within the framework. She was both friendly and proffessional.

Another superb month with Connectd! Dan and Alex have been quite brilliant, again. Connectd have changed my buisness. It was an incredible piece of luck...they arrived at exactly the right time. Outstanding...thank you Connectd!

“Big thanks to Nathaniel at Connectd for facilitating my first Board Advisor placement with Honey & Keeper. His structured and supportive approach helped us align expectations, explore goals, and build trust right from the start—leading to a strong mutual commitment to move forward.”

Problem understanding and steps to address

james is great, on point quick and super clear - so far great excperience and look forward to start and see what comes out of it !

I had the pleasure of working with James St John-Dunlop during my Connectd Board Advisor placement with RightHear, and I couldn’t be more impressed. James facilitated the entire process with clarity, warmth, and precision. He created a safe, structured space for both the founder and myself to align expectations, explore strategic goals, and build trust from day one.
His ability to synthesize complex conversations into actionable placement guidelines was outstanding. He made me feel seen—not just as a sales leader, but as someone bringing transformation, cultural insight, and mentorship to the table. The call was engaging, well-paced, and left us energized for the journey ahead.
James is a true connector and champion of meaningful advisory work. If you're navigating the transition to portfolio life, you want James in your corner.
Thank you, James!
— Carolyn Da Silva

Nathaniel was super helpful, made all interactions productive and sourced us a great fit for the team.

Seamless process