Most Entrepreneurs Aren't CEOs
Mark O'Donnell
13-time Inc. 500|5000 Entrepreneur | Author | Expert EOS Implementer | Multiple Exits | Visionary & CEO at EOS Worldwide, helping you get everything you want from your business.
In 2021, Simon Sinek went on YouTube and boldly stated that he thinks the title of Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, needs to go specifically for visionary founders.
I couldn’t agree with him more. Even though I state my title as “Visionary & CEO at EOS Worldwide ,” I’m just the Visionary, or CVO, as Simon calls it.
After working with thousands of entrepreneurs, many founders are not hard-wired to work “in” the business; they want to work “on” it. And when they have to worry about all the details of execution, they don’t have much fun, and the results aren’t there. Most founders are Visionaries, not CEOs.
This is why most Venture Capital firms replace the founder with “professional management” as soon as possible. Visionaries are usually very good at knowing what to do and setting the vision but aren’t very good at making their vision a reality over a long period.
Visionaries seem to have an expiration date without a great partner who excels at the details and makes those visions a reality. Enter the Integrator.
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When Gino Wickman was running his family business, he heard Michael E. Gerber talk about a role called the Integrator. Gino knew at that exact moment that his dad Floyd was the Visionary and he was the Integrator.
Gino or EOS Worldwide didn’t create the term "Integrator." We just made it very popular. The first instance we can find describing this role was in a 1967 Harvard Business Review article.
We see many examples of Visionaries and Integrators teaming up to make a huge impact. Roy and Walt Disney is a great example. A more recent example is Elon Musk and Gwen Shotwell of SpaceX .
I have Kelly Knight as my Integrator. She's amazing and does all the things that I could never do.
You can go to Rocket Fuel University to learn more about creating your own V/I Duo that can help you scale and grow your business.
Your visionary-integrator partnership is key to fully unlocking your EOS? journey and doing more of what you love | Fractional Integrator for businesses running on EOS?
1 年There are many former business owners like myself with stories of trying to fill both roles and it's a marathon you won't win. It took me 18 yrs. to find a Visionary and when I finally found EOS, it taught us about value of the V/I relationship. Every Visionary needs an Integrator, some of them just don't know it yet!
Best-Selling Author | Thriving Entrepreneur | Home Care Industry Visionary, Trailblazer, Investor | MAPP (Master of Applied Positive Psychology) | Keynote Speaker
1 年Thanks Mark! Describes me as a Visionary to a T. In my last company, my Integrator Erik Madsen, (now an EOSI as well) kept me from getting too antsy and moving onto the next thing. It paid off in dividends having him there, supporting my vision and my desired life. Integrators help the Visionaries live their EOS Life and vice versa. :)
Finding the ‘Right-Hand’ for purposeful Entrepreneurs, as COO/MD/CEO/Integrator to calm chaos, manage resources and deliver profitable scale-up
1 年I love seeing the relief of a visionary Founder once they can hand over the stuff they’ve struggled with to an Integrator they can trust
So true! Collaboration is key. ??