#StartupTitles #ConsultingBusiness #ProfessionalTitle
Hey fellow entrepreneurs! 👋 Do you ever struggle with what to call yourself when starting a new business? I’m in the process of launching a consulting business geared towards institutional clients, and I’m having a bit of a title crisis. 🤔 Here are some thoughts I have:
– CEO feels a bit premature for a small team
– Partner sounds good, but is there a better option?
– Member seems a bit…unfortunate
– Director might work, but is it too generic?
My target clients are ultra buttoned-up institutional money funds, so I want a title that conveys professionalism without being off-putting. Any suggestions or insights on what has worked for you in similar situations? Let’s brainstorm together and come up with a great solution! 🚀💡
Founder. Because “Unemployed Delusional Person” is just too much reality.
Just put your company name where you’re meant to put a title since that’s your title – you are your startup.
Director of Operations is what I use.
I think if there are only two of you – both being called “founder” is fine.
As start-up founders me and my guys – we keep changing hats every damn day – so yeah I get your struggle bro.
Initially we used to call ourselves different names or even sometimes invent positions that just sounded powerful in mails lmao.
But over time we have decided to just find a niche we love spendintour time the most at (we still regularly switch hats) – but everyone has one home at least so there are like CEO CMO CFO CTO etc.
I vote for Overlord.
Bottle washer
If you’re a ceo, you’re a ceo. If you’re not a ceo, you’re not a ceo. It’s not gender identity politics
Founder and CEO are the only two that work. One to act small and nimble, the other to act large and not likely to suddenly disappear
called myself customer service representative!
Founder or Director is good to go. CEO also makes sense – size of the company doesn’t matter. I’ve stopped adding my designation in the signature these days 🙂
If you’re trying be egalitarian then Co-Founders and you can use generic terms like Managing Partner for signing docs.
His illustriousness
Overlord
Vice president- makes you appear larger
Founder, Co-Founder. Works with large and small startups.
Founder for now
Managing Partner
Director
Head of Operations
My business coach, who registered my incorporation for me, called me President on the official papers, so that’s what I am now. 🤷
Side note, my wife is an mba/pmp/blackbelt 1099 consultant with about 10 years of experience. She’s a gig employee & looking for an additional client.
Not sure if you’re looking for some help ever, but she’s open to pay by project. Typically 65-85 an hr depending on the work.
Partner, for sure
I use “Principal Consultant” in my signature.
“Sales, IT, HR, finance, product development, janitor, ceo, cfo, president, customer service, delivery driver “… put it all on the card, you literally probably do every job there…. lol serious tho it doesn’t really matter… president, ceo, owner, pick one, its not going to change the customers mind one way or another
I used to say owner and manager only had two employees, around $100k revenue, so it didn’t make sense to use ceo when I was only making $40k a year.
I was Managing Director until we got above 5 employees. Now I call myself on paper etc. Founder & CEO. It seems to have resonated well with others.
I’ve always gone with Co-Founder, even when we got bigger as a company. Hits a good balance.
Co-founder always looks better than Founder imo
President/Founder
“Founder” (or if you want to get technical, “Jack of all Trades”)
“General Operations Director”
Or G.O.D. Whichever seems more appropriate
Founder and Headmaster (no joke)
Techno-king is the latest best practice i’ve heard.
HMIC
Owner. I also work for a small business that has several owners, and they either say partner, owner, or like owner + [role they do the most]
Founder.
Founder or Co-Founder tbh!
Usually managing director or director of operations. Depends on if I have a partner or not.
Floow everyone else. President in the States, Managing Director in UK
I’d stick with “Founder” until you scale.
‘Owner’.
Boss Bitch. Seems like a no brainer.
Managing Director, Managing Partner, Proprietor, Founder are all good options IMHO