In an article for Quora published on Mashable, the CEO of EchoSign, Jason Lemkin, lays out what rules the head of a startup needs to follow based on his own CEO experience. According to him, the transition into this important role brought with it high expectations and demands.
Lemkin writes that the biggest difference about his new role is the level of accountability that he feels. Since a startup is under more immediate pressure to grow than most larger companies are, the person at the head feels the brunt of that pressure. As psychologically prepared as someone might be for this position, actually being in it is another feeling altogether.
"You are responsible for every functional area," Lemkin said. "Every [cent] of revenue; every dollar spent. Every mistake. Every terrible, horrible decision. Every moment of every day. It changes how you think, how you prioritize, how you interact with other people and how you see time."
The path of a startup CEO is fundamentally different from that of an executive at an older business, due to the fast-paced nature of growing companies. Whereas an established business like Microsoft can appoint someone with years of internal experience, a Silicon Valley startup may be helmed by someone who is learning on the fly. Neither choice is right or wrong—it's the context that matters.
Working with a recruitment consultant can help you understand a CEO candidate's most prominent qualities and how appropriate they are for your business.
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