Predict Stakeholder Responses

What You Can Predict

How to Predict

1. Create Stakeholder Minds

Upload past meeting transcripts:

$
> "Create minds for:
>
1. Board Member A - /board/q3-meeting.vtt
>
2. Board Member B - /board/q3-meeting.vtt
>
3. Key Investor - /investor/update-call.vtt"

Training: 5-15 minutes per stakeholder

2. Test Your Proposal

Ask EACH stakeholder mind about your proposal:

$
> "SCENARIO: Your product team presents a proposal to you (as board member) for a $5M product expansion into healthcare. They're requesting approval for hiring 15 engineers, 6-month development timeline, and targeting $20M ARR in year 2.
>
>
QUESTION: How will you respond to this expansion proposal? What concerns will you raise? What proof do you need to approve vs. block this?"

You’ll know:

• Specific concerns from each stakeholder
• What data/proof they need
• How to frame for their priorities
• Who will support vs. object

3. Prepare Stakeholder-Specific Responses

Enter meeting with tailored approach:

• Board Member A needs: Conservative ROI + risk mitigation
• Board Member B needs: Strategic vision + competitive analysis
• Investor needs: Market size + defensibility proof

Win approvals systematically

Real Examples

$
> "SCENARIO: Your product team presents a proposal to you (as board member) for a $5M product expansion into healthcare. They're requesting approval for hiring 15 engineers, 6-month development timeline, and targeting $20M ARR in year 2.
>
>
QUESTION: How will you respond to this expansion proposal? What concerns will you raise? What proof do you need to approve vs. block this?"

CONCERN LEVEL: HIGH (will raise significant objections)
My concerns:
1. Market Validation
   Concern: "Do we have proof of demand in healthcare?"
   Why: Our last market expansion had weak validation
   Risk: Don't want another failed expansion
   What I need:
   - Customer research from 20+ healthcare prospects
   - Pilot results with paying customers
   - LOIs or signed commitments
2. Regulatory Risk
   Concern: "What about HIPAA and healthcare regulations?"
   Why: Regulations can kill execution speed
   Risk: Could delay launch by 12+ months
   What I need:
   - Legal analysis of regulatory requirements
   - Cost estimate for compliance
   - Timeline impact assessment
3. Resource Allocation
   Concern: "This will pull engineers from core product"
   Why: Core product velocity is already slipping
   Risk: Hurting existing business for unproven expansion
   What I need:
   - Staffing plan that doesn't impact core
   - Proof of incremental hiring budget
   - Contingency if expansion fails
If you propose this without addressing these:
- I will vote against or push for delay
- Other board members will follow my lead on regulatory
- You need 3-4 weeks more prep to win my vote

$
> "What if I include: 25 customer interviews showing demand,
>
legal analysis showing 6-month compliance path, and dedicated
>
expansion team that doesn't touch core product? Will that
>
address your concerns?"

MUCH BETTER. This addresses my concerns.
Why this works:
- 25 interviews = solid validation (I wanted 20+)
- 6-month compliance = acceptable timeline
- Dedicated team = protects core product
Remaining question:
- What if compliance takes longer than 6 months?
- Need to see contingency plan
With contingency plan added:
- I will vote yes
- Can help convince conservative board members
- Lead with regulatory analysis in presentation

Common Scenarios

Board Approval for Major Investment: Predict which board member raises financial concerns, who questions market timing, who needs competitive analysis, and who will champion if you address concerns. Know before the meeting how to sequence your presentation and where to add emphasis.

Investor Pitch Preparation: Predict due diligence focus areas, valuation and terms objections, market size questions, and what proof points close them. Test different pitch framings to find what resonates.

Leadership Team Alignment: Predict CFO’s budget concerns and ROI needs, CTO’s technical feasibility questions, COO’s operational impact worries, and who needs pre-alignment conversations. Enter alignment meetings knowing each executive’s priorities.

Stakeholder Buy-In for Change: Predict who will resist the change, what concerns each stakeholder has, how to frame for different audiences, and who can help champion. Navigate organizational politics systematically.

Implementation

$
> Create a mind for David Park, Board Member,
>
using /Documents/board/q3-board-meeting.vtt

✓ Training board member mind... (~10 min)

$
> "SCENARIO: Your product team presents a proposal to you (as board member) for a $5M product expansion into healthcare. They're requesting approval for hiring 15 engineers, 6-month development timeline, and targeting $20M ARR in year 2.
>
>
QUESTION: How will you respond to this expansion proposal? What concerns will you raise? What proof do you need to approve vs. block this?"

CONCERN LEVEL: HIGH (will raise significant objections)
Concerns:
1. Market Validation: "Do we have proof of demand?"
2. Regulatory Risk: "What about healthcare regulations?"
3. Resource Impact: "Impact to core product?"
What he needs: 20+ interviews, legal analysis, dedicated team

$
> "SCENARIO: The proposal now includes 25 customer interviews, 6-month compliance analysis, and dedicated expansion team.
>
>
QUESTION: Does this address your concerns? Would you approve?"

YES. This addresses concerns.
"This looks well thought through. I support it."
Why: Exceeds validation threshold, compliance path acceptable, protects core.

Next Steps