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I've started as a freelancer and back then I got a friend to design me two business cards that I handle in different situations. Bellow my name I have:

  • IT Consultant, the generic card that I handle in the "generic" situation.
  • Dat Migration Expert, my expertise, which I handle for specific data migration/system integration situations.

My situation has changed and now I have a very good team working with me, but I'm the only one that call the shots. Some days ago I met an old friend, he was abroad for almost 10 years, and when I handle him a card, he stated:

"You should really put something in it that states that you call the shots"

He got me thinking and I believe he's right. I'm the guy that does everything - business development, sales, accouting, etc. -, i.e., I'm the C*O guy... The word "owner" is out of the question, "partner" does not apply and "CEO" is not quite true...

The best I came with was "founder". Is this the best title for a guy that has it's own business and it's alone on it?

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If you have two, the ideal titles are Lord High Executioner and Lord High Everything Else. For one, perhaps Lord High Everything would work. – Chris Morgan Oct 21 '11 at 12:03
1  
I like "Director" – TimJ♦ Oct 21 '11 at 14:00
How about this one? google.co.uk/search?gcx=w&q=ceo,+bitch – Ryan Oct 21 '11 at 17:56
Well, High Lord sound cool, but it also sounds as 8 years old or an ego thing. After reading a while, C*O starts to sound like a real option... – Fernando Martins Oct 24 '11 at 8:45
@FernandoMartins: "Lord High Executioner" and "Lord High Everything Else" are direct references to The Mikado, by Gilbert and Sullivan. I've come across them used flippantly two or three times. It wasn't a serious suggestion. – Chris Morgan Oct 25 '11 at 9:46

4 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Using founder says you are a start up. Good or Bad, this can make some people you are dealing with see you as small, not serious, and the like. I am not saying that is the right impression to have, but some will have it. CEO, CTO, President, etc... says authority and implies that you have structure. I think CEO or President would be a better choice for you.

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up vote 1 down vote

I like "founder", it doesn't seem out of place for a small company, and doesn't come across as an ego title.

I am not sure if there are local differences, but in Australia it is common to see "Director" and "Managing Director" as well.

Personally I use founder if I need a title, but even better for me is no title at all. No title gives you the most versatility.

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up vote 1 down vote

I like founder as it is accurate, unpretentious, and wears well over time.

I’d suggest seeing this prior question on titles. There's lots of discussion and some great answers.

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up vote 0 down vote

In the UK 'Director' or 'IT Director' is a good option if your start-up is a Limited company. It is both accurate and says that you are jn charge.

Director is also suitably vague for most situations and, in my opinion, not too pretentious.

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