Solo founders don’t need more advice – they need hands-on systems to solve problems and drive growth. While advisory boards offer occasional insights, they often fall short on execution. That’s where Training Squads come in: twice-weekly sessions focused on building solutions in real time, like CRM workflows and sales automations. Instead of waiting months for updates, you’ll actively collaborate with peers and expert coaches to tackle challenges immediately.
Here’s the difference:
- Advisory Boards: Quarterly meetings, high-level advice, and equity costs with limited results.
- Training Squads: Twice-weekly action-driven sessions, peer accountability, and measurable progress for just $350/month.
For founders earning $100K–$3M ARR, this shift from passive advice to active execution can double revenue growth. Want to see results? Join a Training Squad and start building systems that work.
Why Advisory Boards Don’t Deliver Results
Advisory boards often end up being more symbolic than functional. Founders put them together to impress investors or boost credibility, but they rarely drive tangible results. The issue isn’t about the advisors themselves – it’s the way these boards are structured. Monthly or quarterly meetings don’t align with the fast-paced nature of scaling a startup. By the time the next meeting rolls around, the challenges discussed are either outdated or already resolved.
Here’s the crux of the problem: 23% of startups fail because they lack the right team and operational support. Advisory boards don’t address this gap. Instead, meetings often devolve into status updates, where founders spend more time explaining the situation than solving problems. Advisors typically stay on the sidelines, offering opinions and observations instead of stepping in to assist with execution. What founders really need are systems that drive measurable outcomes. Want actionable strategies? Join our AI Acceleration Newsletter for weekly frameworks that turn advice into automated revenue systems.
Advisory Boards Offer Perspective, Not Action
Advisors are great at telling you what they would do in theory. They share insights on market trends or fundraising strategies, but they rarely help with the nitty-gritty tasks – like building a CRM sequence that actually converts leads into paying customers. This gap between "here’s my advice" and "let’s build this together" is where many founders hit a wall.
"Where an Advisor tells you what they would do, a Sparring Partner helps you figure out what you should do, and holds you accountable for executing it." – Luigi Mallardo, SaaS Go-To-Market Leader
This distinction is crucial. Founders operating in the $100K–$3M ARR range don’t need more high-level opinions – they need actionable systems they can implement immediately and measure within days. Traditional advisory boards focus heavily on strategy while overlooking the operational tools and processes needed to bring that strategy to life. Instead of walking away with solutions, founders leave meetings with a list of notes – and no automations to show for it.
Equity Costs Without Measurable Returns
Advisory boards don’t just lack execution – they come with a hefty equity price tag. Members often receive stock options, typically vesting over two years with 25% earned every six months. The expectation is clear: these advisors should contribute to the company’s growth. But in reality, many high-profile advisors offer name recognition more than active engagement. They attend quarterly calls, provide surface-level input, and then fade into the background until the next scheduled meeting. This leaves founders paying a steep equity cost with little to show for it in terms of measurable business impact.
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What Is a Training Squad?
A Training Squad takes a fresh approach to the traditional advisory board model. Instead of attending quarterly meetings for general advice, solo founders meet twice per week in an active, venture studio-style setting. Here, you’ll dive into building operational systems – like CRM sequences, AI automations, and go-to-market (GTM) processes – while collaborating with peers who are also scaling their businesses. Want actionable frameworks to level up your GTM systems? Subscribe to our AI Acceleration Newsletter for weekly tips.
This model is tailored for founders with businesses generating between $100K and $3M ARR who have already nailed product-market fit. It’s not about theory. Through structured "Hot Seats", founders address real-time challenges – pressure-testing pricing strategies, refining their positioning, and overhauling processes. The peer-driven setup means that when one founder learns something, the entire group benefits. This continuous collaboration fosters measurable progress and builds accountability that’s hard to achieve in a traditional advisory setup.
Unlike advisors who pop in quarterly, your peers in a Training Squad are there consistently, keeping you accountable. They’ll notice when your metrics slip or when your strategy isn’t delivering results.
Building Solutions with Founders at Your Stage
Working alongside founders at a similar revenue level helps you recognize patterns and solve problems faster. If a peer shares how they automated lead qualification or revamped their sales pipeline, you’re learning from someone tackling the same hurdles. This shared experience means you can apply their solutions immediately – no need for months of trial and error.
How Expert Coaches Guide Without Prescribing
To complement the peer-driven approach, expert coaches bring additional insights to fine-tune your strategies. These coaches aren’t retired executives with outdated advice – they’re active professionals currently executing GTM strategies for top companies. For example, Scott Hindell leads business model strategy on Tuesdays, while Alessandro Marianantoni focuses on tactical GTM execution on Thursdays. Their goal isn’t to hand you a cookie-cutter solution but to provide adaptable frameworks and tools.
Every founder’s journey is unique, and this approach reflects that. Coaches offer practical resources – like CRM workflows, AI prompt libraries, and lead scoring algorithms – that you can tailor to fit your specific market and sales process. For just $350 per month, you’ll gain access to all weekly sessions, an online platform, and valuable network connections.
How Training Squads Work: The Weekly Rhythm
Training Squads are designed to offer hands-on, real-time support, breaking away from the slower pace of traditional advisory boards that meet monthly or quarterly. Instead, these squads meet twice a week, allowing founders to implement and test solutions immediately. By collaborating with peers who share similar challenges and growth goals, you can tackle problems head-on and see results faster. Let’s dive into how this twice-weekly structure balances strategy and execution to drive progress.
Two Sessions Per Week: Strategy and Execution
Each week is structured around two key sessions.
- Tuesdays are all about business model strategy, led by Scott Hindell. These sessions focus on reducing risks and strengthening core business capabilities through proven frameworks.
- Thursdays shift the focus to tactical execution. Alessandro Marianantoni leads these sessions, guiding you through building sales sequences, setting up AI automations, and creating operational infrastructure.
This rhythm ensures you’re not just strategizing – you’re actively executing and analyzing the outcomes within the same week. Curious about building AI systems that generate real revenue? Join our AI Acceleration Newsletter to access weekly frameworks.
Over a four-week cycle, founders identify roadblocks in stalled deals, implement targeted improvements, gather measurable metrics with peer input, and decide whether to scale successes or cut what doesn’t work. This system eliminates the endless back-and-forth that often plagues solo founders working in isolation.
Building Live During Sessions
These sessions go beyond theory – they’re about action. You’ll leave each meeting with tools ready to use immediately, like pre-built N8N automations, AI prompt libraries, and CRM sequences tailored to your business. The combination of consistent cadence and peer collaboration ensures steady, measurable progress every step of the way.
Why Peer Learning Accelerates Growth
Peer learning takes the active execution model to the next level by tapping into shared experiences. Collaborating with founders at a similar growth stage gives you a competitive edge that traditional advisory boards simply can’t replicate. Whether you’re dealing with stalled demos, hiring your first executive, or adjusting pricing strategies, you’re not just hearing theoretical advice – you’re gaining actionable insights from others who’ve recently faced and solved these exact challenges.
Here’s a compelling stat: entrepreneurs in structured peer groups experience 2.6 times higher revenue growth compared to those going it alone. Curious about the AI tools top founders are using to speed up implementation? Subscribe to our AI Acceleration Newsletter for weekly insights and proven systems.
Solving the Same Problems Together
For founders in the $100K–$3M ARR range, the challenges are strikingly similar: transitioning from founder-led sales to scalable systems, hiring that first sales team member, and building infrastructure that can grow with your business. This shared ground ensures every session delivers actionable insights you can put to work immediately.
Instead of waiting months for quarterly advice, founders in these groups actively test solutions with peers who are tackling the same issues. Whether it’s refining CRM sequences or improving sales processes, this hands-on collaboration creates systems you can implement now and measure next week.
90%+ Retention: Why Founders Stick Around
Training squads boast retention rates above 90%, and the reason is simple: measurable progress. Watching your peers consistently follow through on their goals inspires you to do the same. Plus, the external accountability pushes you to execute faster than you ever would on your own.
Take the Trajectify Acceleration Group, for example. Between 2014 and 2015, they brought together eight CEOs with revenues between $250K and $2.5M. By meeting monthly with clear accountability, 75% of those companies doubled their revenue in just one year. Now, imagine compressing that peer-driven momentum into twice-weekly sessions focused on tactical execution. The results speak for themselves.
Advisory Boards vs. Training Squads: A Direct Comparison
| Attribute | Advisory Boards | Training Squads | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting Frequency | Monthly | Twice Weekly | Training Squads |
| Focus | Perspective | Execution | Training Squads |
| Outcomes | Insights | Automated Solutions | Training Squads |
| Founder Stage Applicability | Broad | $100K–$3M ARR | Training Squads |
The verdict is clear: while advisory boards provide broad advice, training squads deliver execution-ready systems you can act on immediately. Success doesn’t come from occasional coffee chats; it’s forged through consistent, action-driven collaboration.
From Advice to Action: Making the Switch
Advisory Boards vs Training Squads Comparison for Solo Founders
Traditional advisory boards often come with limitations, offering periodic advice that doesn’t always translate into action. For founders in the $100K–$3M ARR range, the solution is clear: execution drives results, not just perspective. While advisory boards provide quarterly insights at a high equity cost, training squads offer hands-on, twice-weekly system-building sessions for just $350/month.
These sessions deliver real outcomes. Curious about the AI frameworks top founders use to supercharge their GTM execution? Join the AI Acceleration Newsletter to get weekly strategies and systems that work.
With a focus on building actionable systems, this model transforms advice into scalable infrastructure. Forget those coffee meetings with advisors who only offer passive guidance. Training squads hold you accountable, let you test ideas with peers tackling similar challenges, and ensure you’re actively creating the systems needed to grow revenue – not just talking about them.
This approach shifts the focus from passive advice to tangible, scalable results – a game-changer for businesses looking to grow.
Join Elite Founders: Apply for a Tryout
It’s time to move from advice to action. Apply for a Tryout to join Elite Founders, where you’ll work alongside peers at your stage in twice-weekly strategy and execution sessions. Gain immediate access to pre-built AI workflows, CRM sequences, and a community with a 90%+ retention rate. Remember, champions aren’t made in the spotlight – they’re built through consistent, focused training.
FAQs
Is a Training Squad right for my ARR stage?
A Training Squad works perfectly for startups generating between $100K and $3M in ARR, helping them focus on scaling strategies and executing go-to-market plans. Through weekly tactical sessions and peer-driven learning, it helps build momentum while steering clear of common execution mistakes. Even founders outside this revenue range – whether earlier-stage or further along – can gain value from the hands-on guidance, accountability, and peer insights it provides. It’s an excellent option for those dedicated to steady, disciplined growth.
What do I build during the twice-weekly sessions?
In the twice-weekly sessions, you team up with peers to brainstorm solutions and put strategies into action. The goal is to fine-tune your business model, execute go-to-market (GTM) tactics, and achieve practical, actionable results. These sessions are all about collaboration and hands-on work, designed to help push your venture forward.
How is this different from an advisory board?
Training squads are all about taking action and developing skills, offering a more hands-on approach compared to the occasional input of an advisory board. These squads focus on collaborative problem-solving through regular, structured sessions, where founders work together to tackle challenges and create solutions. While advisory boards offer strategic insights on an as-needed basis, training squads prioritize steady progress and peer-supported learning, ensuring continuous momentum and growth.
