Is Boardsi a Scam?

If you’re thinking of signing up to Boardsi, you need to know whether it’s safe. Is Boardsi a scam? 

Below, we explain whether Boardsi is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this platform that connects executives to board positions. 

What Is Boardsi?

Boards is a platform that connects executives with corporate and advisory board opportunities. 

Executives who want to be matched with opportunities pay a one-time setup fee to set up a profile (which includes having their bios written for them) and then a subscription fee for the platform to pitch them to companies. Boardsi says that this allows them to invest in every executive’s success. 

The company uses AI-driven matching and says it has worked with thousands of organizations to connect executives to opportunities. According to the platform, placement usually takes between 6-12 months, but there’s no guarantee you’ll get a board seat. 

Boardsi was founded almost a decade ago (2017) and is based in Las Vegas. 

Is Boardsi a Scam?

Boardsi is a real company based in Las Vegas that provides the services they advertise (profile building and access to a portal). 

However, it gets mixed reviews about its success in getting people board opportunities. 

In an article about Boardsi, The Daily Dot writes that the company aggressively DMs people on LinkedIn about corporate board positions and that those who respond often find that these “opportunities” are low‑quality, very small businesses, or companies mainly looking for investor connections. 

The write-up also alleges that the company gets its revenue from sign-ups rather than placements and does not provide hard data on success rates. It notes that the logos of major companies it saw displayed on the site implied board openings with those firms, but those logos were removed after the reporter contacted the companies, which denied such relationships.

That said, the article profiles one person who got a legitimate board seat through the platform (it also profiles others who were not so lucky). 

User reviews of Boardsi are mixed as of this writing:

• 4.5 out of 5.0 stars (from over 900 reviews) on Trustpilot.
• 4.9 out of 5.0 stars (from over 150 reviews) on REVIEWS.io. 
• 3.72 out of 5.0 stars (from over 150 reviews) on Better Business Bureau. 

Positive reviews praise the easy onboarding process and the bios written by the Boardsi team. 

Negative reviews allege poor communication and unsatisfactory return on investment. 

On online forums like Reddit, people mostly report negative experiences. 

One person writes:

“I tried it out of curiosity even though it didn’t seem legit, was only a couple hundred a month experiment. Confirmed that it doesn’t work – still gotta do it the old fashioned way.” 

Another says:

“I’ve used it but cancelled after 7 months. No activity or opportunities and very difficult to navigate through website.”

Boardsi is a Better Business Bureau-accredited business and holds a “B” rating as of this writing. BBB ratings are a reflection of how the BBB thinks a business interacts with its customers.

At the time of writing, Boardsi has received a total of 87 complaints in the last three years, 28 of which have been closed in the past 12 months. 

People complain about zero progress despite being assured by sales representatives that they’d be a good fit for companies seeking board members and despite paying hundreds of dollars to the platform. Some people report a limited selection of companies available on the platform and difficulty in canceling their subscription. Recent complaints have all been resolved by Boardsi. 

Boardsi security

In its privacy policy, Boardsi briefly describes its security measures.

It says that it strives to use “commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data.” 

Boardsi privacy

Boarsi explains in its privacy policy the kind of data it collects, why, and with whom it shares it.

It says it may collect the following information:

• Personal data: Full name, email address, and phone number.
• Usage data: IP address, browser type and version, Boardsi pages you visit and when (and for how long), unique device identifiers, and diagnostic data.
• Information from third-party social media: Name, email address, and contact list (if you sign in to use Boardsi through LinkedIn or Google).

The site uses Google Analytics, browser cookies, Flash cookies, and web beacons to monitor site activity. Its cookies fall into three categories: essential (for site functionality), notice acceptance (tracking your cookie consent), and functionality (remembering your preferences).

Boardsi primarily uses your data to run and improve its service, manage your account, contact you about its updates or offers, fulfill services related to board placement, analyze usage trends, and evaluate marketing effectiveness.

It may share your information with service providers for analytics and communication, business partners to help connect you with board positions, and other users in public areas of the platform. 

The company says it may also share your data during mergers or acquisitions, or when legally required to do so by courts or government agencies.

Boardsi keeps your data for as long as needed for the stated purposes or legal compliance. 

It may transfer and store your data on servers outside your jurisdiction (by using the service, you consent to that).

As is pretty standard, it notes that it’s not responsible for the privacy practices of external sites linked from its platform.

So, Should You Use Boardsi?

Depends.

It may be a good option if you treat it as paid networking rather than guaranteed placement or if you’re looking primarily for advisory roles in smaller companies. 

It may not be the best fit if you’re seeking access to major corporate boards, prefer traditional networking and executive search methods, or are concerned about subscription costs.  

How to Use Boardsi Safely and Privately 

• Have realistic expectations. Given mixed success reports, it’s probably best to treat Boardsi as a networking tool rather than a guaranteed placement service. 
• Don’t rely on implied partnerships. Instead of assuming relationships with major brands based on logos or claims on Boardsi’s website, confirm directly with the companies involved.
• Evaluate the return on investment. Start with the shortest subscription commitment possible and assess results before paying for long-term access.
• Review Boardsi’s cancellation terms. Understand how to cancel your subscription in advance, since some users report difficulty ending services.
• Don’t use the social login option. If you sign up to Boardsi using LinkedIn or Google, you’ll give the platform access to your profile data, contacts, and activity associated with those accounts.
• Opt out of marketing. Unsubscribe from Boardsi’s promotional emails and notifications to reduce how your data is used for marketing purposes.
• Manage your cookies. Refuse non-essential cookies if you want to limit tracking. 
• Be careful with third-party links. Check the privacy policies of any external sites you go to through Boardsi, as Boardsi notes that it is not responsible for third-party practices.
• Use a masked email address. This can help you limit your exposure. If you’re a DeleteMe customer, you can use our masked email address. 
• Re-check Boardsi’s privacy policy periodically. This helps you stay on top of any changes that could affect how your data is collected or shared.