Here at CBNation, we love to hear what being a CEO means to different entrepreneurs and CEOs. We understand it entails great responsibility and expectations from both the clients and the team you’re leading but its meaning varies with each CEO.
We asked entrepreneurs and business owners their definition of the word CEO and here’s what they had to say.
#1- Empowering leadership
Being a CEO as a woman means facing challenges and opportunities in business. It means having a vision, a passion, and a determination to lead and inspire. It means balancing roles and responsibilities, such as managing a team, developing a strategy, and overseeing operations. It means constantly learning, growing, and embracing the opportunities and risks of being a CEO in a dynamic and competitive industry, such as staying updated on the latest innovations, improving products and services, taking calculated risks, and experimenting with new ideas and strategies.
Thanks to Batool Nulwala, Roco!
#2- Leading with resilience and integrity
At the core of being a CEO of a start-up is the ability to lead and adapt in the face of uncertainty with skill and integrity. As a CEO, I find it important to incorporate my professional intuition and expert experience to guide my decision-making in addition to the facts or statistics when presented with challenges or opportunities. Finally, being a CEO is about building and leveraging internal and external relationships. A CEO is only as good as the team that supports it, so it is essential to cultivate and lean on a high-performing team, as well as lift one another up to achieve the best results.
Thanks to Anurag Vasisth, Loyalty Now!
#3- Embracing continuous learning
Being a CEO of a boutique innovation consultancy for me, is like being a pilot who's assembling the plane as he flies! Too often, CEOs are positioned as having all the answers all of the time, when in fact I'm learning most of the time. The world is constantly changing, and therefore our approach to solving the challenges also needs to be constantly changing. Aside from being a father to 3 boys, I find my role as a CEO one of the most inspiring and challenging things I've ever done, and would highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to give it a go.
Thanks to Damian Kernahan, Proto Partners!
#4- Embracing opportunities
Being a Founder or CEO to me means embracing the opportunity to lead and empower others while staying true to my personal strengths. I believe it embodies a commitment to strategic decision-making, nurturing my teams, and fostering innovation. It's about embodying values of authenticity, resilience, and vision, and making a meaningful impact. A good Founder or CEO understands that their role extends beyond business success, and embraces the responsibility to make a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of all those connected to their organization.
Thanks to Candice Burningham, Admin Avenues!
#5- Being responsible for the company's growth
Being a CEO, entrepreneur, or business owner means being responsible for the overall success and growth of the company. It requires strategic thinking, leadership skills, financial acumen, and an unwavering commitment to achieving objectives. As an individual in this position, you must have a clear vision for your organization and be able to effectively communicate that vision to all stakeholders. You also need to be able to navigate challenges and make tough decisions while staying true to your values.
Thanks to Ilia Mundut, Hefty Berry!
#6- Guiding with passion and purpose
Being a CEO to me is like being the captain of a ship, navigating through the vast ocean of business opportunities with passion and purpose. It means being hands-on and keeping a close eye on all aspects of the business, making sure that every avenue is operating smoothly and efficiently. It's about taking charge and leading by example, inspiring the team to give their best. As a CEO, I embrace the responsibility of envisioning the future and devising strategic directions that align with the company's goals.
Thanks to Janine Leghissa, Taleeta!
#7- Leading with vision
Being a CEO means leading with vision, inspiring others, and driving growth. It's about setting the course for the company and making the tough decisions that chart the path forward. As a CEO, I harness the strength of my team, leveraging each person's unique skills and expertise to achieve our collective goals. I place immense value on fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning, pushing for high performance while ensuring our work remains enjoyable. Entrepreneurship, for me, is a thrilling journey of growth and innovation, where I apply my athletic discipline and team-focused approach.
Thanks to Marliis Reinkort, Code Galaxy!
#8- Making a profound impact on individuals
Being a CEO is not just about holding a title. It's a role that carries immense responsibility and offers the opportunity to make a profound impact on individuals and the world at large. It's a journey of growth, challenges, and meaningful connections that transcends the boundaries of a mere job description. You're entrusted with the dreams and aspirations of an entire organization. You become the driving force behind a collective vision, guiding your team toward success.
Thanks to Haley Slade, Slade Copy House!
#9- Provide guidance and direction to my team
Being a CEO to me means being the captain of the ship – in charge but only one of the sum of a larger team working hard to keep that ship advancing in the right direction. Like the captain of the ship, I provide guidance and direction to my team of people and lead them toward achieving our company’s goals. It is of the utmost importance that I remember and acknowledge that being a CEO means recognizing that the most important asset to a company is its people. Of equal importance is motivating my employees and supporting them to help them reach their goals.
Thanks to Kelly Farhangi Najafi, CP Lab Safety!
#10- Ensuring smooth operations at every level
Being a CEO is a privilege that comes with immense responsibility. I'm focused on making sure that each department of the company is flowing smoothly. If it's not flowing how it should be then I sit down with the appropriate people and put a process in place which allows me to be involved from afar while continuing to allow the specialists at the company to do what they do best. To me, a CEO is a leader, and most importantly a person who leads by example. If I'm disconnected from the work itself entirely, then that means I'm disconnected from my peers, which ultimately will result in underachievement.
Thanks to Jonathan Azouri, Catch Corner!
#11- Balancing flexibility
Being a CEO means having the agility and flexibility to oversee, manage and maneuver a business's day-to-day operations sustainably while balancing the needs of its shareholders, employees, customers, and investors. That means delegating tasks, directing agendas, allocating capital, and developing short-term and long-term business strategies for long-term success while maintaining accountability with the Board of Directors. Whether it is new product launches, marketing campaigns, or company policies, the CEO decides on them.
Thanks to Brian Crane, Spread Great Ideas!
#12- It means freedom
Being a CEO means freedom. I started my business because I was tired of working for someone else looking over my shoulder, always telling me to do things his way, follow his rules and obey his orders. As a CEO, you are trading the security of a paycheck for the freedom and unpredictability of doing it yourself. It's a challenge, and as such, you need to have the proper mindset to succeed. It's important to have an independent spirit that allows you to take on leadership responsibility. It's exciting to build something from nothing and watch it grow.
Thanks to Michael Nova, Nova Custom Printing!
#13- Having crazy ideas and believing in them
Jumping off a cliff and building a plane to catch you so you can fly. Connecting dots by looking back. For me, it means that and many other things. It's a constant plane ride that has clear blue skies, clouds, storms, and turbulence. It's thinking on the fly and thinking intentionally both short and long-term. It's leading with integrity, humility, kindness, and honesty. It's having crazy ideas and believing them so much more than anyone else. It's having the humility to reflect and take accountability on what and where you could be better and actually doing better.
Thanks to Ginni Saraswati, Ginni Media!
#14- Being consistent
I don't think entrepreneurship is about luck or resources, although both may help, it isn't the winning formula for success. If you want to be successful you just need to put yourself out there and into enough situations every day that statistically, you will land a deal. What no one ever told me, in the beginning, was that consistency is key. I just learned that because the practice has worked for me and every other successful person I know.
Thanks to Zee Cohen-Sanchez, Solo Strategies!
#15- Being responsible
After spending years working in big tech as a backend developer, I felt limited by the corporate structure and decided to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. The freedom associated with being a CEO also comes with great responsibility; it’s up to me alone now for setting goals for our team and creating an environment where everyone can succeed.
Thanks to Bernardo Castro, Bybrand!
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#16- Being a head servant
Being CEO means being a head servant. My number one job at Touchdown Money is to regularly ensure we're properly serving our customers. This also means I'm serving my teammates who work hard to please our customers. I believe it's the CEO's job to take full responsibility for the major decisions that drive profitability. The vision of the company, the strategies for the company, and communication within the company are the 3 keys I think about daily.
Thanks to Scott Lieberman, Touchdown Money!
#17- Having a clear vision of life
A CEO is someone who has a clear vision for the future and works tirelessly to bring that vision to life. You have to take on the responsibility of ensuring the success of the business while operating responsibly and making a positive impact. To do that well, you must create alignment between your beliefs and values, and the beliefs and values of the organization. It’s important to have a strong vision for the company and the ability to ensure that vision is woven into the company's DNA and culture.
Thanks to Dennis Levene, Schoolfundr!
#18- Being able to solve issues
Being a CEO of Lawrina entails shifting from the rails of issue-solving to the rails of identifying problems, and then forming tasks to solve them. Focusing on what appears to be a “key” issue can obscure a different, more pressing concern. As CEOs, we must go below the surface to discover any potential underlying issues, and so direct our team's attention to those things. It is important to do the latter as you also need to train your employees to function in your absence.
Thanks to Yehor Melnykov, Lawrina!
#19- Providing support to the employees
Being a CEO means that I’m responsible for providing support to the employees of Compare My Move. It’s my duty to ensure everyone is happy in their roles and that they are motivated and well-supported in helping to improve the success of the company. It’s my responsibility to provide accurate training, good incentives, and a positive workplace for all employees. This is one of the key aspects of running a successful business.
Thanks to Dave Sayce, Compare My Move!
#20- Having integrity and purposefulness
While the economic purpose of a business is to make a profit, being a leader in a business is more than just achieving financial targets. Being a leader requires integrity and purposefulness in how the business moves towards these targets. Leaders should always be able to assess their environment and sharpen their decision-making skills so that they are able to react and respond appropriately and in a timely manner.
Thanks to Ulrika Lobo, Sparrow Loans!
#21- Ensuring operational efficiency
Being a CEO of a small enterprise business, My New Australian Life means managing competing demands from clients and staff while ensuring operational efficiency for growth and profitability. For me, it also involves everything from navigating international challenges to maintaining a work-life balance and fostering a positive workplace. It is a rewarding journey of seizing opportunities and creating a thriving environment for all.
Thanks to Simon Mander, My New Australian Life!
#22- Ensuring adherence to ethical standards
As the CEO, I am entrusted with the task of setting the company's vision and strategic direction, ensuring adherence to ethical and regulatory standards, and driving the overall success of the organization. This entails making critical decisions, fostering a positive work culture, managing financial aspects, building strategic partnerships, and representing the company in various capacities. Additionally, I am accountable for delivering results, managing risks, and adapting to the changing business landscape.
Thanks to David Allen, Asthetica!
#23- Having a firm vision
I'm both a CEO and I consult with clients who are CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners. The difference I see between the different roles is how they approach problem-solving. Entrepreneurs seek to solve problems that even the market may not know they have, and they usually create more than one business. A CEO drives an organization through its vision which is firmly placed in the future and the wider possibilities rather than thinking about how we get there right now.
Thanks to Terri Martin, The Business Bunch!
#24- Being able to plan the future
Often people think being a CEO means “being in charge”. But the reality is the only thing you‘re completely “in charge” of is planning for the future. Share the wins, they're your entire teams to share. But the failures, they're yours to own. As a CEO, I am constantly thinking about the future of my staff just as much as my business. How do I ensure they're engaged, happy, and ultimately meeting or exceeding their potential.
Thanks to Tom Adam, Curious Growth!
#25- To keep learning
A CEO, which stands for Chief Executive Officer, is a high-level leadership position within an organization. It is typically the highest-ranking executive responsible for making strategic decisions and overseeing the overall operations of a company. Here are some aspects of what being a CEO means. Leadership and Vision, Strategic Planning, Decision-Making, Communication and Representation, Adaptability and Continuous Learning, and Team Building and Management.
Thanks to Lucia Zelesco, Zelesco Consulting!