Most, if not all, entrepreneurs are passionate about their ideas or concepts for a new product or service offering. Frankly, they need to be. Once the business is up and running it is easy, and quite natural, to be so focused on your idea and business and the busyness of the operations and activities, that emerging risks or opportunities may not be seen or anticipated – ‘not seeing the wood for the trees’. Having an advisor or advisors may, of course, help. However, an independent non-executive director has, by virtue of their responsibilities on the board, a stake in the survival and growth of the business. Furthermore, as they are not involved in the day-to-day operations, they can bring valuable perspectives to the table.