One thing about new business owners is that so many want the title of CEO. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter that the business hasn’t made a dime yet. People tend to love that title because it’s sexy.
It’s impressive to be able to introduce yourself at networking events as the CEO of your business. Business cards and websites are a little bit cooler when your name is followed by “CEO”. Surely, you can shut the haters up when you tell everyone that you’re the CEO of a new business. Wanna impress potential baes and get more dates? Just tell people you’re a CEO when they ask what you do for a living.
When you’re starting out, it’s great to consider yourself the CEO of your new business (because you are), but are you also willing to be the customer service rep, the sales rep, the admin assistant, the project manager, the janitor, the receptionist, the mail clerk, and any and all other roles you’ll have to take on?
The thing is, so many people want the title. They want the glitz and glamour and all the sexy perks that come with having a successful company for which they can call themselves the CEO, but not everyone is willing to do the tireless work that comes with owning a business.
Your new business will require that you eat, sleep, and sh*t your products, services, sales, marketing, customer service, emails, returns, complaints, packing, shipping and so much more. You have to be willing to do it all — whether you’re a one (wo)man band or you’re able to hire people right away.
So many people start businesses to be CEOs and — turns out — that’s all they really want to be. When it comes to getting their hands dirty and doing the hard work, they aren’t willing to perform. For new business owners, the work is never done. There is always, always, always something you could be doing for your new business, and most of us, who are willing to put in the long hours and sweat equity, feel guilty when we’re not doing something for our business.
You want to be a CEO, but are you willing to do all the other work that you’ll have to do for your new business? If not, maybe being a business owner just isn’t for you.