My co-founder currently sits in a combined seat that covers marketing, sales, and account management. He is burning out, and our growth has stalled just as we are trying to prepare the business for an exit. How do we split this massive seat and decide which roles he should keep?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A co-founder wearing too many hats is normal in the early days, but it becomes a major bottleneck as you prepare for an exit. Buyers want to see scalable, specialized functions, not a single superhero holding the revenue engine together. To split this seat, start with a GWC check on your co-founder. Look at the three distinct functions: marketing (generating leads), sales (closing deals), and account management (retaining clients). Ask yourself which of these three functions your co-founder truly gets, wants, and has the capacity to lead at your target scale. Usually, a co-founder is exceptional at one of these areas and merely tolerates the others. If he loves closing big deals but hates managing marketing campaigns or renewal contracts, his focus should narrow. Define a new, tighter seat for him, such as VP of Sales, and list his five core roles. Then, create separate seats on your Accountability Chart for Marketing and Client Success. Write clear roles for these new seats and begin the hiring process, either internally or externally. By narrowing his focus to his true zone of genius, you cure his burnout, accelerate your growth, and present a professional, structured organization to buyers.