Karen Lynch sits down with Karen McFarlane, Founder of Kaye Media and longtime fractional CMO, to unpack what board service really looks like beyond the shiny LinkedIn headline. From her early career pivot (HBO home video by day, creative “startup” projects by night) to leading through uncertainty, Karen McFarlane shares how board work can sharpen leadership, expand networks, and create impact beyond pure business-as-usual.

The conversation demystifies advisory vs. working vs. governing boards, why trust is the real operating system between a board and CEO, and how volunteering can signal character and capability to hiring managers. If you’re considering board service or building a board for your startup, this episode is a practical roadmap with purpose baked in.

Key Discussion Points:

1. Fractional leadership: why embedded CMOs bring “portable perspective” across companies
2. Board types decoded: advisory vs. working vs. governing (and what each actually does)
3. The board–CEO relationship: trust, clarity of roles, and constructive challenge
4. Board service as career fuel: networking with a job-to-do, resume signal, and leadership reps
5. Building a startup board: skills-first recruiting, avoiding “yes-people,” and planning board evolution

Resources & Links:

1. Kaye Media (Karen McFarlane’s firm)
2. AMA New York (board + community)
3. Hudson Valley Credit Union: Board of Directors overview
4. NACD Blue Ribbon Commission report on board–CEO trust
5. Columbia Business School Exec Ed: Corporate Governance Program
6. Karen’s LinkedIn newsletter: Better On Purpose
7. MVP podcast: Momentum Now

You can reach out to Karen McFarlane on LinkedIn.

Many thanks to Karen McFarlane for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.