As a small business owner, you do more than what people see. You are responsible for keeping your business afloat in a world that seems to favour large corporations at times. 

Since you are responsible for so much, how can you best illustrate what you do to your audiences and potential clients? Determining the right small business owner title can go a long way in making a great impression right from the start. 

Figure out what small business owner title is best suited for yourself, and learn why having the right title is vital to yourself and your business. 

Possible Titles For a Small Business Owner

Just like any other job you have, the title you have matters. As a business owner, you can choose to call yourself a “business owner,” or you can be a bit more creative with what you title yourself. The right name can help with networking and elevating yourself and your business.

Although you may think that any of the small business owner titles below can work for anyone who owns a business, that is not quite the case. There is a time and place for each of the below job title meanings, especially when used internally and externally. 

We’ve outlined what each of these business titles represents so you can have a better idea of which one is right for you.

CEO

What is a CEO? A CEO or chief executive officer is a very well-known and professional-sounding title. It lets other individuals know that you are the highest-ranking executive in your business and you are the one in charge. Using the CEO title illustrates you’re at the company’s helm and are responsible for making the major decisions and managing all business operations.

That being said, this title is typically reserved for the head of a corporation or incorporated business. This business will have a board of directors, or shareholders, that elect the head executive for the position. For that reason, this title might not be the best fit for an owner of a small to medium business, especially one that is run as a sole proprietorship.

President

Like CEO, the title president is very professional sounding and insinuates authority and leadership. Typically, in corporations and organizations, the president falls under the CEO, acting as their right-hand management. In some cases, the title of president is also known as the chief operating officer or COO. 

Owner

Owner is an excellent title if you are the sole proprietor, or sole owner, of your business. Of course, if you have a partner in a partnership or have multiple investors, you could still use owner, co-owner, or opt for a different title altogether. But keeping it simple by going with the title owner is a great option for those independent business owners.

President vs CEO vs owner

The president and CEO are very similar; some even say that the titles can be used interchangeably. In small businesses, the person who is the chief executive is likely also the president of the company. However, typically, when we get into larger companies, the CEO is the first in command, and the president comes in second. These big organizations will also have extensive responsibilities, so two positions are generally necessary to cover the workload of a partnership or corporation. 

Where either of these titles could be another word for owner, you don’t necessarily need to be the company owner to become the CEO chief executive officer or president. It is possible to achieve this status simply by working your way up within the organization. However, to be considered the owner’s title, you do need to own the company, and typically you need to own it alone. 

Founder

The founder of a company is the individual who formed the company and built it from the ground up. If you bought into the company after its formation and entered into a partnership where you eventually took over the business, then the title founder would not be the best fit for this situation.  

Director

A director is a highly respected and recognized job title, but it typically signifies that you weren’t the founder or established owner. Most directors will have an adjective before it to describe what it is they are the director of. Creative director, executive director, technical director, or marketing director are generally the most used titles as they signify the biggest departments in a company. 

The managing director or director of operations tends to be reserved for the person in charge of all departments, or the business as a whole. Business owners shouldn’t shy away from using these kinds of titles, especially if your business is a jointly owned company or has more than one office or location. Multiple owners or managers can use these various titles to signify what they are in charge of. 

Other Business Owner Titles

If you want to be a bit more creative with the job title you have for your business and don’t like the sound of “owner”, there are some other options you could consider. Depending on if you own the business solely or have other investors or owners that also own the business, some of these may work better than others:

• Holder
• Partner 
• Managing Partner or Managing Member
• Possessor
• Buyer
• Manager
• Chief
• Entrepreneur

Portray How People See You in Your Industry

Perception is everything. Humans tend to make snap decisions about people within the first few seconds of meeting them. In fact, businesses have seven seconds to make an impression on potential clients.  

Presenting yourself with a business title that imbues responsibility and respect can help improve these impressions of you. This is why it’s important to portray your position the way you want yourself and your business to be perceived by others- which can be done by using the appropriate job title. 

Each job title may be associated with the way people perceive you. For example, the title CEO is known as a more professional title, and when people hear CEO, they are likely to think of a larger corporation. On top of this perception, these titles can also reflect on your business as a whole and the company culture or the working environment it possesses. 

QuickBooks for Small Businesses

As a small business owner, picking your title is simply the cherry on top of the cake. Mostly, your days are filled with great responsibility, from everything from overseeing business growth to its operating expenses to its workforce. Make it easier for you to track cash flow and store receipts with QuickBooks Online accounting software. 

QuickBooks Online offers many comprehensive features to help alleviate some of the stress and worry of being a business owner. But no matter what job title you use to describe yourself, keep an expert eye on your finances with a free trial of QuickBooks Online today.