Owner definitions
Definitions for founder, owner, and principal decisions.
Plain-English entries for owners who need to understand the term, what it changes in the business, and which page to read next. Use these definitions when a legal, finance, or leadership word is hiding a real decision.
Decision work
Decision architectureThe work of reading the structural pattern under a stuck decision before recommending any action.
Advisory role
Private business advisorConfidential, principal-only advisor on consequential business decisions. Distinct from consultant, coach, fractional executive.
Structural pattern
Owner dependenceHow much of the business stops working when the owner steps away or becomes unavailable. Measurable across five axes.
Structural pattern
Founder bottleneckThe pattern where decisions and approvals concentrate on the founder's desk. Four authority transfers fix it.
Governance tool
Decision rightsThe explicit assignment of who decides, who is consulted, who is informed, who can veto.
Structural pattern
Founder ceilingThe level at which a company stops growing because the founder is the binding constraint.
Decision type
Principal decisionA decision made by the person whose stake is largest, irrevocable, and accountable. Distinct from operational, executive, board.
Risk concept
Decision delay costWhat it costs to keep a decision open past the moment it could have closed. Compounds across three layers.
Risk concept
Key person dependencyOwner dependence priced by buyers, lenders, and insurers. It weakens confidence in whether the business can transfer.
Distinction
Authority vs ownershipOwnership is what you have. Authority is what you can decide. Founders often confuse them.
Capital mechanic
Founder secondary saleSelling part of your equity without selling the company. Mechanics, tax, and signal effects vary materially.
Capital category
Private equity in small businessControl or majority capital with a three-to-seven year hold and an exit thesis. Fit varies by firm.
Governance tool
Decision rights matrixOne page that names who carries each consequential decision. Sharper than RACI.
Diagnostic hub
Business problemsUse this when a term describes the structure but the owner still needs to locate the actual business problem.
Checklist
Business Problems ChecklistUse this to move from definition to symptom, likely cause, wrong fix, and first inspection point.
Decision hub
Business decision makingUse this when the definition affects who decides, what waits, and what should move first.
Owner route
Founder bottleneckUse this when the definition points to approvals, authority, or decisions returning to the owner.
Owner dependence
Company depends on meUse this when the definition has become a single-point-of-failure problem.
Review route
Business Problem ReviewUse this when the definition has become a live business problem that needs the first fix named.