# 5 Reasons why you need to step into your CEO role as a small business owner Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-03-09 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: 5 Ways to Shed 'Small Business' Mindset and Step Meta Description: Discover why limiting your business with the term 'small business' can hold you back from achieving your full potential and learn how to step into URL: https://financedigest.com/5-reasons-why-you-need-to-step-into-your-ceo-role-as-a-small-business-ownerhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/istock-1211843276-1736815984739-compressed.jpg) _![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/507-1736815984786-compressed.jpg)_ _By **Em Huckstep**, corporate drop-out turned online business expert._ If like me, you’ve always struggled with the term ‘small business’ then you’re about to find out why now is the time to shed that limiting label, and step into your newly empowered role as CEO – however big your company! Why is the term ‘small business’ problematic? For many of us, when we [think about why we start a business](https://www.financedigest.com/why-mentoring-does-more-for-your-business-than-you-think.html "Why mentoring does more for your business than you think"), it’s because we want to make an impact. But that impact can be limited, literally, when we keep referring to it as ‘little’ or ‘small’…. We talk ourselves out of pitching for big clients, or promoting ourselves to big media outlets. All because we’ve created a limit for ourselves by referring to our [business as small](https://www.financedigest.com/small-businesses-run-out-of-cash-before-they-run-out-of-potential.html "Small businesses run out of cash before they run out of potential"). Then, when we consider how we [run our businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/4-signs-you-have-what-it-takes-to-run-a-business.html "4 Signs You Have What It Takes to Run a Business"), the reality is, you tend to wear more hats than most big CEOS when you’re running a smaller company: from marketing, sales, admin, recruitment, and tech to ops, finance, HR, and social media. There is a plethora of roles to balance. We do more, but we [limit ourselves by saying](https://www.financedigest.com/digital-euro-will-be-free-but-limited-in-scope-ecb-says.html "Digital euro will be free but limited in scope, ECB says") we do less? Why? We play small. Literally. When you are a [small business](https://www.financedigest.com/small-businesses-and-scams-what-you-need-to-know.html "Small businesses and scams: What you need to know") it can be hard to see yourself as a CEO. It feels like a big role. It feels much bigger than your [small business](https://www.financedigest.com/interest-rates-are-cut-to-an-all-time-low-what-will-this-mean-for-small-businesses.html "Interest rates are cut to an all-time low. What will this mean for small businesses?"), and yet this mindset shift can make a massive difference in how you as the owner show up, but also how you approach your work. Down the line, it will even [impact how you run your team](https://www.financedigest.com/it-team-in-the-dark-the-impact-on-banking.html "IT team ‘in the dark’: The impact on banking"). Here are 5 [ways to step into your CEO role](https://www.financedigest.com/10-ways-automation-has-changed-the-role-of-the-cfo.html "10 ways automation has changed the role of the CFO") today and shed ‘small business’ mindset for good: 1. **Your mindset is everything when it comes to your success.** However you [measure](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-define-success-and-measure-the-impact-of-digital-transformation.html "How to define success and measure the impact of digital transformation") success: money, time, freedom, notoriety..….  how much you get of it is determined by how much you believe it is possible for you. All of the wildly successful people out there – however you measure success – have one thing in common: a strong growth mindset. A [growth mindset is focused on potential](https://www.financedigest.com/intracranial-pressure-monitors-market-is-set-for-a-potential-growth-worldwide.html "Intracranial Pressure Monitors Market is Set for a Potential Growth Worldwide") and possibilities. It’s the opposite of a fixed mindset which is rooted in self-doubt and insecurity. Start catching yourself when you downplay your ability or competency and speak about yourself and your [business more seriously](https://www.financedigest.com/corporate-manslaughter-beyond-the-tragic-loss-of-lives-there-are-serious-consequences-to-businesses.html "Corporate Manslaughter Beyond the tragic loss of lives there are serious consequences to businesses"). Remind yourself you are more than capable of facing the challenges [business brings](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-bring-business-and-charities-together-through-events.html "How To Bring Business And Charities Together Through Events"), and focus on what’s possible for you, not what limits you. 2. **Treat your business as if it’s a big [company.](https://www.financedigest.com/keeping-an-eye-on-company-purse-strings-where-do-businesses-go-wrong.html "Keeping an eye on company purse strings – where do businesses go wrong?")** Even if you’re a team of one… start treating the way you run your business as if you have a team of 100. Create robust systems and [processes that streamline](https://www.financedigest.com/reckon-introduces-link-to-bank-data-to-help-small-businesses-streamline-the-reconciliation-process.html "Reckon introduces link to bank data to help small businesses streamline the reconciliation process ") your daily activities. This will make it easier to hire and onboard new team members down the line, but it will also make you look at your [business from the inside and tweak points of weakness so you can get more done with your time](https://www.financedigest.com/why-the-new-year-is-the-best-time-to-start-your-dream-tech-business.html "Why the New Year is the best time to start your dream tech business"). Set yourself a proper schedule, and have daily, weekly, and monthly non negotiables to [keep your progress growing and flowing](https://www.financedigest.com/commodities-trading-houses-help-keep-russian-oil-flowing.html "Commodities trading houses help keep Russian oil flowing"). 3. **Start pitching yourself to bigger clients than you usually would.** To stop playing small, you have to literally start playing big. Who is a dream client or customer? What [big brand](https://www.financedigest.com/big-brands-set-to-miss-plastic-sustainability-targets.html "Big brands set to miss plastic sustainability targets") would you love to collaborate with? Pitch yourself to bigger customers, clients, [companies and watch how you change your approach](https://www.financedigest.com/multinational-companies-trending-away-from-one-size-fits-all-approach-to-global-long-term-incentives.html "Multinational Companies Trending Away From One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Global Long-Term Incentives"). It might feel safe to only send your press releases to your local paper, but when you start pitching yourself to the [businesses who inspire you – you’ll soon find yourself feeling way](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-grow-your-business-despite-a-bad-credit-score.html "5 Ways to Grow Your Business despite a Bad Credit Score") more confident. 4. **Take more risks, even if it’s scary.** When we wear the label ‘small [business’ or ‘side hustle’ it’s so easy to be risk](https://www.financedigest.com/aon-assists-freddie-mac-to-reach-5bn-risk-transfer-milestone-for-u-s-mortgage-credit-business.html "AON ASSISTS FREDDIE MAC TO REACH BN RISK TRANSFER MILESTONE FOR U.S. MORTGAGE CREDIT BUSINESS") averse. Because we’re so [closely attached to our business](https://www.financedigest.com/citigroup-says-will-close-russian-consumer-commercial-business.html "Citigroup says will close Russian consumer, commercial business"). It’s an extension of you, right? Especially when you’re a personal brand. You are your biz, your biz is you. So [risks feel personal](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-builds-out-its-award-winning-connected-risk-platform-with-risk-management-solution-providing-a-personalized-enterprise-wide-view-of-risk.html "Thomson reuters builds out its award-winning connected risk platform with risk management solution providing a personalized enterprise-wide view of risk"). Because you’re making them personal. When you can detach your self worth from your [businesses success](https://www.financedigest.com/tips-on-how-startups-can-turn-their-business-into-a-success.html "Tips on how startups can turn their business into a success"), you become more open to the possibility that taking risks can bring. Growth, success, exposure. None [come without some form of risk](https://www.financedigest.com/with-greater-freedom-comes-heightened-risk-how-to-help-ensure-consumer-data-remains-secure-in-an-open-banking-system.html "With Greater Freedom Comes Heightened Risk: How to Help Ensure Consumer Data Remains Secure in an Open Banking System"). 5. **Have better boundaries.** When you can better identify where you end and your business begins, you’ll feel more in [control and less personally attached to the highs and lows of your business](https://www.financedigest.com/funding-options-bids-for-backing-to-help-small-businesses-take-control-of-their-finances.html "Funding Options bids for backing to help small businesses take control of their finances"). Have a separate work phone. [Don’t check emails once you get home](https://www.financedigest.com/dont-forget-your-toothbrush-at-these-southend-homes.html "Don’t forget your toothbrush at these Southend homes"). Have days off. Simple things have a [big impact](https://www.financedigest.com/russia-could-hike-rates-in-2023-if-inflation-risks-have-big-impact-cenbank.html "Russia could hike rates in 2023 if inflation risks have big impact -cenbank"). Building a [successful business](https://www.financedigest.com/acca-sets-out-magnificent-seven-attributes-vital-to-success-in-modern-business.html "ACCA Sets Out ‘Magnificent Seven’ Attributes Vital to Success in Modern Business") is not about how hard you hustle, it’s about the impact you’re making. And that’s hard to do when you’re constantly teetering on the brink of burn out which so often comes as a result of over hustling. Yes [work hard](https://www.financedigest.com/meet-the-women-working-hard-in-house-building.html "Meet The Women Working Hard In House Building"), but also take a day off. For you to truly move from [small business](https://www.financedigest.com/10-dirty-tricks-for-small-businesses-to-watch-out-for-when-negotiating.html "10 dirty tricks for Small Businesses to watch out for when negotiating") to CEO, it’s all about taking yourself and your business more seriously. You got this. Em Huckstep --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---