While in Israel (on a business themed Birthright trip) a number of us were having the debate of the value of a non-technical CEO. The business guy shouldn't be leading the company, some said. He has nothing to contribute to the product, nothing to add to the company. Sure, managers are important, but do they actually do anything worthy of being a technology company's leader?
My response is that the CEO of a company, especially a startup in its most early days, needs to be a juggler. My own experience with Morph is highlighted by my need to be able to consistently manage multiple projects. I'm working with a dozen people in as many fields to create insurance policies and legal contracts, manage the customer relationship and the employees' work, consider investment and gather advisers. All of this is in addition to the actual work of building marketing strategies, designing the platform, writing the copy for the website, and everything else.
It isn't the easiest thing, juggling all these knives. You forget about one, or don't manage it properly, and the rest come crashing down, signaling the end of the company. It can be nerve racking. It is certainly difficult. But it is also exciting. You get to work in so many fields, meet so many people, and have control over so much. It's the reason anyone wants to get into this whole job.
So is there value to a non-technical CEO? Yes, there most certainly is. The vision, the management, the relationships: all this needs to be juggled by someone who can do so. Technical abilities are, undeniably, an amazing plus. But management of time, processes, and people is a skill just as necessary.
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