The Journey: #40 CAB, PAB, EAB ... Oh My

In 2009, I was a mid-20-something marketer just trying to figure it all out.

I was using a software platform that helped manage my campaigns when one day, one of the founders showed up at my office in SoHo. He spent over two hours in a tiny conference room asking me thoughtful questions, scribbling down notes like my opinion actually mattered.

At the time, I thought, “Why is this adult listening to me?”

Turns out I was part of their Customer Advisory Board.

I didn’t know the term, but I knew how it made me feel: heard, important, and invested.

The First Time on the Other Side

Fast forward to my first SaaS role, and now I was responsible for helping our marketing team build a CAB. I found our best customers, scheduled the meetings, facilitated the conversations, and reported feedback back to the business.

It was fun, fulfilling and powerful.

Being the “ambassador of success” gave me a front-row seat to what mattered most to our customers.

The Evolution to Ownership

When I became a CS leader, I wasn’t just running someone else’s program I had to build my own.

And I quickly learned: not all advisory boards are created equal.

Here’s a breakdown of the three types I’ve built over the last 13 years:

PAB – Product Advisory Board: Built for power users and practitioners. This board gets in the weeds. Product feedback, roadmap validation, beta testing, it’s all about usage, features, and UX.

CAB – Customer Advisory Board: Designed for executive stakeholders. This is your strategic partner roundtable. Talk roadmap, support model, pricing strategy, partnership goals, this is bigger than product.

EAB – Executive (or Expert) Advisory Board: Comprised of industry experts, influencers, and leaders, not necessarily customers. These folks offer external perspectives on market trends, competitive shifts, and long-term strategy.

The Key to Doing It Right? Alignment.

Before you build anything, ask:

1. What’s the business objective we’re solving for?

2. What level of feedback do we need (strategic, tactical, market-facing)?

3. Who are we engaging (users, execs, outsiders)?

4. What resources and budget do we have?

5. How frequently can we convene and follow up?

The worst thing you can do is build a CAB when what you really needed was a PAB.

Want to Build a Board That Actually Works?

Here’s Where to Start:

1.Define Your Objective

Not “because other companies have one.” What decision are you trying to inform or validate?

2.Choose the Right Format

Virtual or in-person? Quarterly or semi-annually? One-on-ones or roundtables?

3.Select the Right Members

Look for engaged customers, strong communicators, and people with influence inside their org.

4.Create a Value Exchange

What do they get from participating? Early access, direct influence, networking?

5.Plan the Programming

Set agendas that matter. Mix vision casting with tactical feedback. Make it feel exclusive.

6.Close the Loop

Always follow up. What did you hear? What’s happening as a result? Make them feel heard and seen.

Final Thought

An advisory board is not just a checkbox or a “nice to have.”

When done right, it becomes a force multiplier for product, strategy, and customer retention.

Just remember:

Don’t build a CAB, PAB, or EAB because it’s trendy.

Build the one your business actually needs.