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Titles for Business Owners
Internal Company Hierarchy
- When it comes to the internal operations of a company, the traditional hierarchy is typically as follows: Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Other C-level titles, such as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
- For larger businesses, particularly publicly traded companies, the chief executive officer, or CEO, is the highest-level person, while small businesses are typically started and run by their owners.
- If you own an LLC, you are referred to as a member (as opposed to an owner, which is the title given to those owning a corporation).
Business Owner Titles
- Owner: One of the easiest titles for business owners to understand because it immediately conveys a person’s primary responsibility within an organization.
- CEO: The title of founder automatically gives a clear indication that you were directly involved in the creation of the company.
Choosing the Right Title
- Should I call myself founder or CEO? The term "CEO" is about your position in the current organization’s hierarchy.
- What do I call myself if I own my own company? I can call myself the owner, CEO, founder, proprietor, or managing member.
Different Owner Job Titles
- CEO stands for chief executive officer and they are responsible for the everyday task of an organization.
- Owner as a job title is earned by sole proprietors and entrepreneurs who have total ownership of the business.