Why can't I just run a customer advisory board internally?
You absolutely can run a customer advisory board internally—and many companies do. The question is whether you can run one that delivers the strategic value and candid insights that make the investment worthwhile.
In our experience helping companies launch and rejuvenate advisory boards, we've found that DIY boards face three persistent challenges that limit their effectiveness.
The Resource Reality
Most internal teams assigned to manage advisory boards are juggling multiple priorities, with the board representing maybe 10% of their portfolio at best. Customer advisory boards require sustained attention and specialized expertise—from strategic agenda development to delicate relationship management. When board oversight becomes another task on an already full plate, the quality of preparation, facilitation, and follow-through suffers.
The executive nature of board membership demands white-glove treatment. Your most senior clients expect—and deserve—professional-level coordination, thoughtful content curation, and seamless execution. Internal teams stretched across competing priorities struggle to deliver the level of care that keeps top executives engaged over time.
The Seniority Mismatch
There's often an awkward dynamic when junior team members are tasked with coaching senior executives on how to engage authentically with the board. Teaching C-suite leaders to move beyond their natural inclination toward sales pitches and polished presentations requires someone with the gravitas and experience to challenge them constructively.
Advisory boards succeed when your executives can share works-in-progress, admit challenges, and invite genuine critique. But getting seasoned leaders ready for these advisory board discussions and comfortable with this level of vulnerability often requires coaching from someone who can command their respect—and isn't worried about the political implications of pushing back.
And that mismatch doesn’t stop at the board meeting. A board’s success is ultimately about the follow-through. Does your company take action on what your board advises? Holding the executive team accountable for this kind of action can be particularly challenging for anyone who doesn’t sit at the same level (or above) in the organizational hierarchy.
The Candor Challenge
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for internal teams is creating the psychological safety that enables honest feedback on both sides of the table. Your customers may hesitate to share their most candid perspectives when the conversation is led by the same people who influence or manage their day-to-day relationship.
Similarly, your executives may struggle to absorb difficult feedback or acknowledge uncomfortable truths when they know they'll be working directly with these clients on implementation afterwards. Some of the most valuable advisory board insights emerge from discussions that are initially thorny or challenging—but internal facilitators often lack the objectivity and neutrality to navigate these conversations effectively.
When Internal Management Works
DIY advisory boards may succeed if you have:
Dedicated internal resources with sufficient time and expertise
Senior-level program champions perceived as peers who can coach executive participants effectively
A culture that genuinely prioritizes customer feedback over internal comfort
Strong, executive-facing facilitation skills within your team
Clear accountability mechanisms for acting on board insights
The Third-Party Alternative
Many companies find that an outside partner strengthens their advisory board by:
Playing the honest broker: External facilitators provide impartial oversight that keeps meetings focused on advice rather than selling, while creating safe space for difficult conversations.
Wielding the velvet hammer: Outside consultants can challenge executives and guide conversations toward strategic value without creating uncomfortable dynamics within existing relationships.
Uncovering deeper insights: Customers often share perspectives with neutral third parties that they wouldn't surface in direct conversations with their vendors.
Signaling serious commitment: As one board member told us, "The fact that they hired you to do this tells me they are taking this seriously. It makes them seem committed to real feedback and to making changes based on that."
The choice between internal and external management ultimately depends on your organization's capacity, culture, and commitment to creating genuine value both for you and for board members.
The most important factor isn't who facilitates your board—it's ensuring that whoever does has the resources, skills, seamless process, and authority to create the conditions for strategic insight and honest dialogue.