April 23, 2025
While these roles may overlap in smaller organizations, understanding their distinct functions helps clarify responsibilities and expectations as companies grow.
Each role serves a specific purpose in the organization’s lifecycle and success.
Founder
Takes it from 0 → 1.
The visionary.
Obsessed with the product.
Innovation-focused.
CEO
Takes it from 1 → 10 (or 100).
Keeper of the vision.
Company-building focused.
Optimizing, scaling, and compounding value.
Thinking ahead.
President
Executes the CEO’s vision.
Keeps the engine running.
The integrator.
Executing the now.
COO
The Chief Product Officer of the company itself.
Owns the systems, processes, SOPs, and automations to ensure execution at scale.
Seamless.
Conclusion
One person can wear multiple hats, but the distinctions matter.
Understanding these differences helps organizations structure leadership effectively, whether distributing these roles among multiple executives or having individuals who embody multiple aspects as the company evolves.
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