I once accepted an advisory role too quickly, without doing enough independent diligence on the promoter’s track record and the company’s real financial health, because the opportunity looked prestigious and the timeline was tight. I later found governance gaps I should have caught before joining, not after. It taught me that due diligence on who you’re joining matters as much as due diligence on the numbers. Now, before accepting any mandate, I insist on time to properly review the company independently, regardless of how attractive or urgent the opportunity seems.