Most startups don't have a board of directors but still need an outsider's viewpoint. Frank Demmler, an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, advises founders to give a monthly presentation about company goals and challenges in front of two or three mentors. Presenting to a third party keeps partners from blaming each other for company decisions gone wrong. For example, partners who disagree about how to price their product can present their cases to their mentors instead of getting into a direct conflict with one another. Getting into this habit also helps the founders gain perspective on their decisions, since their mentors are removed from the day-to-day ups and downs.