User: im creating a small startup, ill be the only employee for a little bit so ill be handling software development, systems, networking, finances, etc. soon i will be guaranteed to hire more staff which is when ill take a step back from the technical things and focus more on "being a ceo" (i guess) and just lead the new technical staff: developers, systems admin, networkers etc on the project that i started. ill focus more on marketing, fincance, staff, business. until eventually we need more staff for that aswell.
basically my question is: what should my initial "job title" be. it seems silly to label myself as CEO at the start when im wearing many hats and have no one under me (yet). Additionally, when the other staff eventually join, what titles should i apply to them and (if applicable) what should my title become
Assistant: In the early stages of your startup, it’s common for the founder to take on multiple roles and responsibilities, so choosing an appropriate job title can be a bit nuanced. Here are some suggestions for both your initial title and how to approach titles as your team grows:  
  
\### Initial Job Title:  
1\. **Founder**: This is a common title for someone who has started the company and is versatile across different areas. It captures your ownership and leadership role without being too formal.  
2\. **Founder & Lead Developer**: Since you’re handling software development initially, you could include a specific functional aspect of your role.  
3\. **Founder & General Manager**: This reflects both your leadership and operational roles in the startup.  
  
\### When You Hire More Staff:  
As your team grows and you begin to hire additional staff, you can start to formalize roles and titles:  
  
1\. **Engineering Roles**:  
\- **Software Developer/Engineer**: For those directly involved in software creation.  
\- **Systems Administrator**: For someone managing and overseeing IT systems and infrastructure.  
\- **Network Administrator/Engineer**: For someone focused on network-related responsibilities.  
  
2\. **Your Transition**:  
\- As you step back from direct technical work, you can transition to a title like **CEO** or **Chief Executive Officer**. This signifies your role in leading the company, setting its strategic direction, and managing the broader aspects of the business, such as marketing and finance.  
  
3\. **Other Emerging Roles**:  
\- Eventually, as you grow, consider roles like **CTO (Chief Technology Officer)** for someone leading the technical direction or **COO (Chief Operating Officer)** if you find someone to manage daily operations.  
  
\### Tips:  
\- Focus on clarity and functionality in roles, especially early on.  
\- Feel free to use less formal titles initially, as the key is to maintain flexibility and adaptability as your company evolves.  
\- Titles can always be changed or formalized later as the company grows and the team structure becomes more defined.  
  
Ultimately, you should choose titles that reflect the organizational structure and company culture you want to promote while being pragmatic about the roles and responsibilities at each stage of growth.
User: what about using "director" titles what might a company structure with that look like
Assistant: