Expert quick-start
Brainiac connects you with investors and operators who want your expertise. Calls are typically 30–60 minutes; pay is set by you.
1. Sign up
If you received an invite link from an investor or a Brainiac admin, click it and follow the signup flow — an investor's invite vouches for you and skips the approval queue.
Without a link, go to app.trybrainiac.com/become-expert. You'll wait on a Pending review state until an admin approves you. Signups are invite-only during the beta.
2. Complete all five onboarding pillars
Your dashboard tracks five pillars. Investors cannot book you until all five are green — that's the one thing worth knowing on this page.
| Pillar | What it is | Where |
|---|---|---|
| About | Headline, bio, expertise tags, work history | Onboarding |
| Forms | Your rate, NDA, and conflict declarations | Rates |
| Payment | Stripe Connect payout account | Earnings |
| Identity | Stripe Identity ID check | Compliance |
| Calendar | Connect a calendar and set availability | Availability |
Tips for the About pillar: make your headline the 30-second version an
investor will skim, keep expertise tags specific (3–7 beats 20 vague ones),
and list your last 3–5 relevant roles. You can set your rate to $0 for
free chats while you get started.
3. Get verified
Identity runs through Stripe Identity — you'll be asked for a government ID and a selfie. It's self-serve and takes a few minutes.
Compliance review is separate: regulated sectors (public markets, healthcare) get a brief review before you can take paid calls. Both live at /expert/compliance.
4. Take calls
Investors book against the availability you published, so bookings never collide with your real calendar. Calls shows what's upcoming with the meeting link attached, and you'll get an email and a dashboard notification for each one.
Calls are recorded with your consent — a bot named "Brainiac Notes (recording)" joins, and both you and the investor get the transcript after.
5. Get paid
Stripe Connect handles payouts. Set it up under Earnings, which is also where you track what you've earned and the status of each payout. Invoices holds your receipts.