MIKE SIGAL
Experienced counsel for founders and venture leaders.
I help founders, fund managers and corporate venture leaders think clearly and act decisively on strategy, leadership, governance, growth and capital.
Important decisions are rarely made with perfect information.
Leading a company, fund or venture team means making consequential decisions while managing incomplete information, competing priorities and people who may not always tell you what they really think.
It can also be difficult to find someone with whom you can speak completely openly.
I provide an experienced, independent sounding board. I help you identify the real issue, challenge assumptions, understand the trade-offs and turn the decision into action.
Sometimes that means refining the strategy. Sometimes it means navigating a co-founder, board, investor or executive-team issue. Sometimes it involves growth, organizational change or raising capital.
WHO I WORK WITH
Direct, practical and confidential.
I bring structure without unnecessary bureaucracy and challenge without theater.
You will receive honest feedback, practical frameworks and advice grounded in the realities of the situation, not generic recommendations taken from a standard consulting playbook.
I work closely with a limited number of clients so that I can understand the context, follow the decisions over time and remain available when an important issue cannot wait for the next scheduled conversation.
Advisory work is structured as a fixed-fee project or monthly retainer.
I do not act as a placement agent and do not charge fundraising commissions or success fees.
You will not always hear that your first instinct is right. You will always understand why I am challenging it.
MY APPROACH
I work with people building companies, funds and venture programs who are serious about doing the work well, and open to candid advice when the answer is not obvious.
Founder Coaching & Advisory
For Seed to Series B founders navigating company strategy, leadership, team performance, cofounder relationships, boards, growth, capital or a difficult inflection point.
I combine coaching with practical strategic advice, adapting the balance to what the situation actually requires.
Fund Manager & CVC Advisory
For emerging and established fund managers, investment leaders and corporate venture teams building clearer strategies, stronger decision processes and more credible operating models.
The work can include fund positioning, portfolio construction, investment processes, governance, LP strategy, corporate alignment and portfolio support.
Speaking & Teaching
Practical talks, workshops and masterclasses on venture capital, fintech, innovation, fundraising, founder decision-making and corporate venture.
Each engagement is adapted to the audience, context and desired outcomes.
Need help with one defined issue?
A focused strategic advisory session may be more appropriate when you have a specific decision, document or challenge but do not need an ongoing engagement.
Available as a fixed-scope project or paid advisory session when the need is specific and clearly defined.
Strategy and priorities
Clarify the choices that matter, determine what to stop doing and establish what needs to happen next.
Leadership and team
Strengthen your leadership, executive team, accountability, communication and decision-making.
Cofounders, boards and stakeholders
Navigate alignment, conflict, governance, board dynamics and difficult conversations.
Growth and organizational scaling
Connect ambition to realistic milestones, an effective operating rhythm and a team capable of delivering.
Capital strategy and fundraising
Determine whether, when and from whom to raise. Build the narrative, materials and process when fundraising is the right next step.
Fund and venture-practice design
Strengthen fund strategy, portfolio construction, investment processes, governance, LP positioning and corporate alignment.
WHAT WE CAN WORK ON
Although the format varies according to the client and situation, the process remains straightforward.
1. Fit call
We begin with a 30-minute conversation about what is happening, where support may be useful and whether we would work well together.
There is no preparation required. The purpose is simply to determine fit.
2. Agree the focus
We identify the two or three most important priorities, define the outcomes we are working toward and agree an appropriate format and cadence.
3. Work together
Ongoing engagements generally combine scheduled working sessions, asynchronous feedback on important materials and access when a genuinely time-sensitive issue arises.
4. Review progress
We periodically assess what has changed, what still requires attention and whether it makes sense to continue, change focus or conclude the engagement.
ENGAGEMENT METHODOLOGY
TESTIMONIALS
EXPERIENCE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE
I have spent 35 years building companies, investing in founders, advising venture teams and teaching the next generation of leaders.
I have been the founder making payroll, the executive managing a company through an acquisition and IPO, the investor assessing opportunities, the board member balancing competing interests and the advisor receiving the call when something important has gone wrong.
That breadth helps me recognize patterns quickly. It does not mean I believe there is one formula that works for every company or fund.
My role is to help you make the right decision for your organization, your team and the circumstances you are actually facing.
8
ventures founded or co-founded
4
successful exits, including an IPO
80+
early-stage investments
26
countries represented across the investment portfolio
INVOLVEMENTS
I’ve been fortunate to work with remarkable investors and founders shaping the next generation of fintech, venture, and innovation.
These are a few of my current involvements:
FUNDS
FOUNDERS
