CEO, Director, General Manager, Founder,

**crackah** · 04-21-2008 10:44 PM

I find it funny how some people give them selves an impressive title when their business is very unimpressive.

What do you guys think about this? When do you deserve the title.

"Hey im Andre, Founder/CEO of crazy corp, we think of ideas we will never implement! but heck, it sounds impressive"

**TechAfric** · 04-22-2008 05:55 AM

If it makes them happy, why not? Bill gates was CEO when microsoft hadn't become what we know it as today. I'll not address myself big at the start-up phase for the reason that I'll like to make my team mates feel we are all on this together; and I'm not trying to create an empire at their expense.

**Fanatik** · 04-22-2008 06:00 AM

I think this is an issue every business person needs to address, and it needs to be addressed especially when there are partners involved. Sure, you don't WANT to call yourself a CEO (some people do), but you need to set bounds, titles, and a hierarchy. If you call each other co-workers and there is no level of authority, you'll all run around like 10 Chiefs and no indians.

Now, I have a business partner, and we both sat down and laid out our strengths and weaknesses. From there, we determined a few different things, and we developed a business formation with me as CEO and him as CSO. It's important to know what each position entails if you're giving yourself that name. You wouldn't call yourself a CFO if you know nothing about finances.

Structure is important, pure and simple. If you don't give yourself a title - what DO you give yourself? "I'm Jay, 'Runner-of-the-business'...?"

**GuyBBY** · 04-22-2008 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Fanatik

I think this is an issue every business person needs to address, and it needs to be addressed especially when there are partners involved. Sure, you don't WANT to call yourself a CEO (some people do), but you need to set bounds, titles, and a hierarchy. If you call each other co-workers and there is no level of authority, you'll all run around like 10 Chiefs and no Indians.

Now, I have a business partner, and we both sat down and laid out our strengths and weaknesses. From there, we determined a few different things, and we developed a business formation with me as CEO and him as CSO. It's important to know what each position entails if you're giving yourself that name. You wouldn't call yourself a CFO if you know nothing about finances.

Structure is important, pure and simple. If you don't give yourself a title - what DO you give yourself? "I'm Jay, 'Runner-of-the-business'...?"

Great post-

Often times, businesses from the start are all smiles and happy thoughts of growing big, everything going smoothly, Ferrari's in the drive way and a picture on Entrepreneur Magazine- but in fact there are inevitable situations that will arise in which a set hierarchy and role system will need to be in place. It is fun to think everyone can be equally important as the next guy but in fact it varies upon role in the company and what the times are calling for.

For example-a business partner of mine if very good with technological aspects of the business and works well as a go between for the myself and the site developer. I, on the other hand, handle LLC/finance/legal issues as my specialty and focus on the strategy, which in turn I discuss with him to pass along in the "tech" language. This project was his original idea and also relies heavily on technology and therefore, his role of CEO in this project is appropriate as this idea has been sitting with him for however long, and I am functioning as a CSO to come with strategy and proper fundamentals to try and transform this project and his ideas into much more, which we have seen to be very realistic. He is a leader on issues regarding our core business industry so my presence as a CEO would be unfounded to those who are on the outside looking in. In one of my other businesses, I take on the CEO role as it was my idea and calls on me to do further work than just strategy, and it is where my strength lies within that business model and operation.

All in all, call it what you want (I just saw a StoneyBrook yogurt commercial and the guy's title was CE-YO), but you need to make sure definitive roles and tasks are set so that the business is streamlined and efficient rather than tug of war or a pissing contest when things get hectic.

Guy

**meaghannf** · 04-22-2008 07:37 AM

I agree with Fanatik but aside from giving you structure within the company, it also gives you some sort of legitimacy outside the company as well. Even if you've got a hack-job company, if someone were interested and asked to speak to some ranking officer in the company, and you effectively said, "oh, I don't take myself seriously enough to give titles," that's going to reflect really poorly as well.

**rogercbryan** · 04-22-2008 08:44 AM

I believe that if people are spending time thinking about their title during the start-up phase then they are waisting time that could be spent making money. Titles mean nothing.... profits mean everything...

I'd rather see a business card with no title then see a someone with CEO on their card who is looking for money.

**Mega B** · 04-22-2008 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by rogercbryan

I believe that if people are spending time thinking about their title during the start-up phase then they are waisting time that could be spent making money. Titles mean nothing.... profits mean everything...

I'd rather see a business card with no title then see a someone with CEO on their card who is looking for money.

A good post,straight to the point

Mega.........Chief Teamaker

**GuyBBY** · 04-22-2008 08:50 AM

Sometimes, you are right, people are emphasizing the role without the proper qualifications to back it, and are thinking of it as a "fun" thing to do...

however this topic is sometimes looked at in the light that people give themselves titles (or have business partners give them titles) because they want to be someone they are not. Just by reading these posts on here, there are many people in start up phases who may not have realized profitability yet but still embody the mindset, direction, drive and knowledge base that would enable them to function in that particular role.

Doing it just to do it and have a business card is pointless and fake, but doing it to plan, outline, define and organize the structure of your venture is smart and appropriate.

Guy

**RLorenzen** · 04-22-2008 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by rogercbryan

Titles mean nothing.... profits mean everything...

Good point. I know of a company where the owner doesn't allow his staff to have any titles on their business cards. In fact, he switches his employees around from position to position on a regular basis. I'm not sure if that's something I would do, but one advantage is everyone on his staff knows his business inside and out.

**JLeezer** · 04-22-2008 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by RLorenzen

Good point. I know of a company where the owner doesn't allow his staff to have any titles on their business cards. In fact, he switches his employees around from position to position on a regular basis. I'm not sure if that's something I would do, but one advantage is everyone on his staff knows his business inside and out.

As long as the switching is done with a great degree of consideration to the individuals' goals, expectations, abilities, education, etc., I would encourage this practice. Enabling many pairs of eyes to see the same job will encourage creativity that only a single pair may not be capable of producing.

**rogercbryan** · 04-22-2008 12:15 PM

I just flipped through a few of my personal business cards:

Here's the title I use on each of them

National Charity Services- Fund Raising Consulting and Program Management
Director
*I own this company ($1.4M annual sales 11 employees)

Capital Transport- Domestic & International Shipping for Vehicles
Transportation Manager
*I own this company ($150K in annual sales 2 employees)

Bryan Media Corp- Website Conglomerate
No Title (start-up company)
*I own this company (start-up)

Capital Auto Auction- Consultant
National Sales Manager
*I'm a non-owner partner in this company ($40M in annual sales 200+ Employees)

I guess my point is that while I never use the CEO/President title I easily could. I prefer to use a title that makes the company sound like its bigger then just me.

*This information is NOT on my card. This was just to show the relationship between what is on my card campared to the size of the company.

**Gaulkin** · 04-22-2008 03:09 PM

Why would you want people to know your name and the fact that you make a good amount of money(lets assume you do), your just asking for it.

**RLorenzen** · 04-22-2008 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Gaulkin

Why would you want people to know your name and the fact that you make a good amount of money(lets assume you do), your just asking for it.

What? So, you don't put your name on your own business card?

**Gaulkin** · 04-22-2008 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by RLorenzen

What? So, you don't put your name on your own business card?

We are talking about it saying you are the owner/CEO, not if i have my name on the card. Many companys have employees with business cards and they are not the owner/CEO.

**George** · 04-22-2008 03:55 PM

I think it really depends on the situation.
There at times you can present yourself as a moderate employee of a company, while other times you can be larger than life.

I believe the title is nothing more than for the use of P R purposes.
Doesn't matter if you're a owner, director, president or CEO.. as long as your company is small, you would be doing majority of all the tasks.

Personally, I'd give myself a more general title for regular business use, but always keep the president card handy when required.

Two cents.