So my most recent venture was just acquired.  The Wall Street Journal picked up the AP wire release, and our primary industry portal ran a bit more depth here.  Its a successful exit, if not a current windfall, for me.  I’ve been speaking to some friends, colleagues and associates in the last week about the process and what is next for me.

I used the term “Chief Cheerleader”  in one conversation when describing my role.  I was asked to elaborate and in the process came up with my personal job description and what I do best.  It was enlightening.  I stated, “My role is to ensure that all interested parties outside the company know of us and think highly of us.  And internally I am like an orchestra conductor; I ensure that all the different groups and teams understand how their separate projects come together, and keep them on track and target, to make the end product.”  His response was that my role is that of Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

So there it is.  My role.  The projects and day-to-day jobs that I am best at.  CMO & COO.  Chief Cheerleader.  This is clearly a leadership role more so than a management role, and therefore can be tough to grasp.  There is a certain amount of traditional management tasks involved such as project management, budgeting, and data analysis….lots of data analysis.  The role of Chief Cheerleader takes much from my favorite class in Babson’s MBA program, “Competitive Strategies, Competitor Analysis” (Thanks Prof. Lawlor)

I am presently working on integrating my former company and people into their new home with the acquirer.  I will work on business development and help them roll out their next generation of products and services.  But in the knowledge economy, change is the only constant.  So this is not the last role I will ever have.  And when I think about what the future may hold, I wonder what concept, idea, or company, of my own creation or that of others, will need a Chief Cheerleader.