We are launching a new e-commerce brand that targets a completely different customer segment than our core business. Should we create a completely separate Accountability Chart for this new brand, or should we integrate these new seats into our existing leadership team structure?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a common structural challenge for growing companies. The golden rule of the Accountability Chart is that you must design the structure that best serves the overall business entity.

You should start with a single, master Accountability Chart for your organization to maintain clear lines of accountability at the highest level. At the leadership team level, you still need one Integrator, one Head of Finance, and one Head of Operations overseeing the entire enterprise.

Underneath the leadership team, you can build specialized departments or business units. If the new e-commerce brand requires different marketing, sales, and fulfillment systems, you should create dedicated sub-seats under the respective leadership seats. For example, your Head of Marketing will be accountable for both brands, but will have a Marketing Manager for the core business and a Marketing Manager for the new e-commerce brand reporting to them.

This structure keeps your leadership team focused on high-level strategy and prevents the organization from fracturing into silos. Having separate charts for different brands often leads to duplicated efforts, fragmented cultures, and massive communication gaps. It also makes your business much harder to sell because buyers prefer a consolidated, clean operating structure with a single point of operational accountability. Keep one master chart, define clear sub-seats for the new brand, and ensure every seat has one clear owner who reports up to your established leadership team.