Frequently Asked Questions About Knex

How do I join Knex?

Getting started is easy - you can sign up here with just your name, email and LinkedIn account. From here, our agent will create a draft profile and guide you through the onboarding process - detailing your expertise, experience, and preferences. You can also choose to onboard via a form. Once approved, you'll start receiving matched opportunities.

Is there a fee to join Knex?

No, it's free to join and create a profile. Subscriptions are available for premium features. Outside of optional monthly subscriptions, Knex does not charge the talent for engagements. This is what sets us apart from other talent platforms.

Knex charges businesses an activation fee for advisor matching and a 10% fee for all cash engagements.

How does Knex make money?

Knex makes money through a mix of subscription options and success fees upon matching.

What we charge startups:

For unlimited advisor matching, monitoring and compliance - Knex charges a one-time $499 activation fee at contract execution using FAST standards. This covers the cost of vetting and onboarding their advisor and ensures contract documentation is compliant. Should they choose to hire that same advisor for a cash engagement, the entire $499 activation fee will be credited towards the 10% fee charged on all cash engagements.

For any cash engagement, Knex collects a 10% fee for the length of the engagement. This covers the cost of vetting and onboarding the talent and ensures contract documentation and payments are compliant.

How does Knex find and match me with startups?

Knex matches you with startups based on your industry experience, functional expertise, preferences and working style. Business users can book services directly with you from your profile/storefront. You will have access to a dashboard of analytics showing how often you are matched, total profile views, shortlists you were added to, services booked and more.

Can I set my own rates and availability?

Yes! You set your own pricing and availability for all cash services you add to your profile/storefront.

For cash engagements, we do require you include a free 30-minute consult and encourage you to use our built-in service templates where you set your own pricing. You can also add custom services – from projects and coaching to long-term engagements – with whatever terms and pricing you choose.

For equity-only advisor services, we require that you follow FAST standards. These role types are set-up as templates you can choose from when adding services to your profile.

What's the typical engagement structure?

All advisor agreements follow the FAST standards, where advisors contract directly with the business. Our role at Knex is simply to match business with the right advisor, make contracting a breeze, then help you keep track of vesting and compliance.

For cash engagements, Knex acts as the agent in the hiring process. Contracting is really simple - our Tri-Party Agreement ensures everyone is protected throughout the engagement. The Scope of Work details the engagement itself. 30 day sprints can be cancelled at any time while month-to-month engagements can be cancelled with 30 days notice.

You can also add customer services to your profile/storefront including whatever terms you choose - but, you must include a free consultation.

Click here to access these contract documents with an additional FAQ on our contracting and payment process.

How are payments and compliance handled?

For cash engagements, Knex handles all invoicing and compliance for you. Post contract execution, Knex will onboard you as a vendor. You will receive payment from Knex based on the terms you set with the client in the Scope of Work. All payments are made via ACH directly to you or a partner you choose. We handle all contractor related compliance, like issuing 1099's or working with international employers of record. It's that easy.

For equity-only advisor matching, we follow the FAST agreement and standards. These standards help simplify compliance.

Can I work with multiple startups at once and in different roles?

Absolutely! Knex encourages startups to work with advisors, consultants and fractional leaders in our community. You can offer all three service types, should you choose.

What is the difference between an advisor, consultant and a fractional executive?

Advisors are experienced leaders who guide you with strategy and perspective. They're typically part-time, informal, and non-operational — meaning they don't own deliverables or manage teams. Think of them as sounding boards who help you make smarter decisions.

Consultants are problem solvers. They come in for a defined project — build a model, audit a funnel, or deliver a report — and then step out. They're paid for deliverables, not ongoing leadership or accountability.

Fractional executives own outcomes. They operate as part of your leadership team — building strategy, managing teams, and executing alongside you. They're typically embedded part-time (1–3 days per week) and help you scale, pivot or rescue critical functions without committing to a full-time hire.

What industries and company stages are best suited for Knex?

We have talent options for startups of all stages. Equity-only advisor roles for early stage startups along with consulting and fractional executive services for post-revenue startups. Our clients tend to be remote-first companies, but not of one specific industry.

What if I no longer want to be listed on Knex?

You can deactivate your profile at any time from your dashboard or contact support for assistance.

What is Knex?

Knex is an agent-led marketplace that matches founders with the right expertise they can trust, right when they need it. From startup advisors and consultants to fractional leaders and executives. Knex eliminates leadership hiring risk from early stage through scale up.

How does Knex vet talent?

We have a three step vetting process for all talent on Knex:

1. Source verified, relevant testimonials from previous clients or employers.
2. Meet with our team, where we screen for experience, professionalism and fit.
3. Complete additional screening for each match to determine the right experience and fit for the role.

Peer-to-peer screening is also available to Knex customers as an add-on service.

What type of talent can I find on Knex?

Knex offers access to vetted advisors and experienced startup leaders from the director level to c-suite in functions such as:

• Finance, Fundraising, M&A
• Go-to-Market, Demand Gen, Brand Strategy
• Sales, Partnerships, Revenue Ops
• Operations, Scaling, Process Optimization
• Technology, AI Strategy, Product Development
• Customer Success, Retention, Churn Reduction

How does the matching process work?

Getting matched is easy. Simply share what your needs are with our agent, use the traditional filter search, or chat live with our team during a free consultation. Knex provides instant matches based on the information you share. The more information you share, the better the matches. Then, to ensure fit, you book free consultations with as many as you like and kickoff a service with your favorite.

What's the typical engagement structure?

All Knex engagements are low-risk and founder friendly with transparent pricing listed straight from each Knex talent profile. From equity-only advisor options to 30 day sprints and month-to-month engagements.

All advisor agreements follow the FAST standards, where you contract directly with your advisor. Our role at Knex is simply to match you with the best advisor, make contracting with them a breeze, then help you keep track of your cap table using our software.

For cash engagements with an advisor, consultant or fractional leader, Knex acts as the agent in the hiring process. Contracting is really simple - our Tri-Party Agreement ensures everyone is protected throughout the engagement. The Scope of Work details the engagement itself. 30 day sprints can be cancelled at any time while month-to-month engagements can be cancelled with 30 days notice. Click here to access these documents with an additional FAQ on our contracting and payment process.

How are payments and compliance handled?

For cash engagements, Knex handles all invoicing and compliance for you. You will receive an invoice from Knex based on the terms you set with the talent in the Scope of Work. Payments are typically collected via ACH. You pay Knex and we pay the talent. We handle all contractor related compliance, like issuing 1099's or working with international employers of record. It's that easy.

For equity-only advisor matching, we guide you through use of the FAST agreement and standards. This helps you keep a clean cap table from day one and simplifies compliance.

How much does it cost to hire talent on Knex?

Initial 30-minute consultations with all Knex talent are free. Simply check the profile of the person you're interested in hiring for transparent pricing for each service they offer.

30 day sprints with fractional leaders typically start at $2,500, but the sweet spot is $5,000. Month-to-month engagements are typically $5,000-10,000/month depending on your needs. Knex charges a 10% fee on all cash engagements to cover the cost of talent vetting, onboarding, payments and compliance.

For unlimited advisor matching, monitoring and compliance - Knex charges a one-time $499 activation fee at contract execution using FAST standards. This covers the cost of vetting and onboarding their advisor and ensures contract documentation is compliant. Should they choose to hire that same advisor for a cash engagement, the entire $499 activation fee will be credited towards the 10% fee charged on all cash engagements.

What is the difference between an advisor, consultant and a fractional executive?

Advisors are experienced leaders who guide you with strategy and perspective. They're typically part-time, informal, and non-operational — meaning they don't own deliverables or manage teams. Think of them as sounding boards who help you make smarter decisions.

Consultants are problem solvers. They come in for a defined project — build a model, audit a funnel, or deliver a report — and then step out. They're paid for deliverables, not ongoing leadership or accountability.

Fractional executives own outcomes. They operate as part of your leadership team — building strategy, managing teams, and executing alongside you. They're typically embedded part-time (1–3 days per week) and help you scale, pivot or rescue critical functions without committing to a full-time hire.

Can I work with multiple people at once?

Yes and we encourage you to do so! You can work with as many advisors, consultants and fractional leaders as you want. Simply book any service you need straight from their Knex profile and let us guide you through the hiring/engagement process.

What if I'm not satisfied with the talent I hire?

Knex offers a satisfaction guarantee—if someone isn't the right fit, we'll rematch you with someone else you choose at no additional cost.

How does Knex make money?

For unlimited advisor matching, monitoring and compliance - Knex charges a one-time $499 activation fee at contract execution using FAST standards. This covers the cost of vetting and onboarding their advisor and ensures contract documentation is compliant. Should they choose to hire that same advisor for a cash engagement, the entire $499 activation fee will be credited towards the 10% fee charged on all cash engagements.

For any cash engagement, Knex collects a 10% fee for the length of the engagement. This covers the cost of vetting and onboarding the talent and ensures your contract documentation and payments are compliant.

Can I hire a fractional leader full time?

Yes, at any time during the engagement you can hire the fractional leader full-time for a recruitment fee of 25% of their annual salary.