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How to Format a Co-Founder Resume
Co-founders need to represent work experience on their resume just as any other job seeker would. We recommend using a chronological resume format, which puts the spotlight on work experience. Among the three resume formats, this one is perfect for people like co-founders with a ton of impressive professional experience.
On the other hand, some co-founders may prefer an alternative format that allows them to show the breadth of their skills and experiences. In that case, a functional or combination resume is in order. Functional resume formats place skills and abilities at the forefront, setting work history aside. Combination resumes are a mix of the other two, putting both experience and skills on a similar footing.
Let’s review a couple of co-founders who took different approaches. Candidate A and Candidate B have been running businesses for nearly 10 years. Candidate A used a chronological resume while Candidate B used a functional layout. Let’s see how the approaches differ.
Chronological Resume
- 10 years of experience
- 8 years at this job
- BA Business Administration
Work History
Co-Founder, Simon Labs
02/2015–Current, San Mateo, CA
- Helped create an $80 million silicon chip distribution company that’s been called the “Most Promising in Tech” by Circuit Magazine.
- Built a 30-person engineering team from the ground up, hiring talented programmers from Airbnb and Google.
- Established a $5 million deal to be the exclusive distributor for a leading Taiwanese chip maker.
Combination Resume
- 15 years of experience
- 9 years at this job
- BS Marketing
Professional Skills
Leadership
- Sourced and secured $8 million in funding from angel investors.
- Built a 10-person engineering team from scratch, pulling talent from Microsoft, Amazon and Google.
- Hired a marketing manager from a Fortune 500 company. Together, we created a scalable brand voice that’s consistent across platforms and departments.
Marketing
- Created a cross-platform social media strategy that generated 90 million impressions and 2 million click-throughs to the product landing page.
- Forged an exclusive $500K deal with a VR company to promote and distribute our products.
- Established and tracked marketing expenditures in a $200K annual budget, cutting inefficiencies as needed.
Co-Founder Resume Samples
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0-5 years of experience
- Negotiated contract terms for partnership agreement with FedEx Ground
- Responsible for the development of the C&E logistics product offerings focusing on the strategic management, and long term growth.
- Develop and control the freight management, freight execution, and transportation service offerings.
- Improved bottom-line financial performance through route and distribution optimization strategies and effective staffing measures
- Reduced total maintenance overhead costs by 39% over 18 months as a result of supplier reduction
- Implementing cost-effective operational plans while maintaining established quality standards
6-10 years of experience
An after-school program for children from low income families seeking academic tutorial. The school’s emphasis is on educating the whole child-mind, body, and spirit.
- Creating reading/writing curricula and SAT classes for high school participants.
- Preaching open worship (Q & A) and holding bible studies addressing issues pertinent to young adults.
- Empowering students and parents through seminars and workshops towards progressive character development and maturation.
- Leading weekly staff meetings and addressing administrative topics, professional and student development including extracurricular activities and community service.
- Recruited qualified volunteers to form fundraising committee generating annual operational budget.
0-5 years of experience
Developed effective programs to connect at-risk youth to essential resources
- Attended weekly meetings, collaborating with team members on goal implementation
- Outreached to community members
- Interviewed and recruited co located staff members
- Recognized by the Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) for contribution to the community
0-5 years of experience
- Built relationships with customers to communicate issues and improvement suggestions
- Negotiated contracts with various venders in US, China and Indonesia by visiting their machine shops
- Analyzed and controlled expenditures of the plant to conform to budgetary requirements
- Verified partners with initiatives for improvement for safety, quality, cost, delivery and employee relations.
- Planned and directed workflow, assembly methods and workforce utilization.
- Recruitment when required and conducting interviews to select the individual most suitable for the position.
Co-Founder Duties and Responsibilities
Identify Market Opportunities
Before a product can enter the market, a co-founder needs to identify opportunities or areas where consumers may want or need a product that does not yet exist. A successful co-founder takes a big-picture view of their market segment or industry, identifies what is working and what needs are not yet being addressed, and determines whether that market presents an opportunity to establish and grow a successful company within that space.
Manage Product Development
A co-founder also plays an important role in product development and implementation. In the early stages of a new startup, a co-founder takes a very active role in developing a product, determining specifications, and bringing that product into production, whether it’s a physical product or a digital solution (such as a website or application). This aspect of the role is hands-on and critical, as successful product development can determine whether a new venture is ultimately successful.
Direct Marketing and Promotion
Co-founders are also responsible for conducting early marketing and promotion for their product. Well before a product arrives on the market, co-founders need to network and build anticipation for their products to ensure that there is demand once the product moves into production. This part of the job can include building a social media presence, crafting press releases, and attending industry events to build word-of-mouth.
Develop Financial Estimates
Co-founders are in charge of developing financial estimates and setting milestones and timelines. A co-founder estimates costs to bring their product to market, develops financial plans to determine break-even points and ensure long-term solvency, and sets budgets as the company grows. Part of this role can also involve seeking out additional funding and investors for a new venture.
Create Business Plans and Documents
Another responsibility of a co-founder is creating business plans and important documents, which can include financial information, hiring documents, and business registration materials. Co-founders work together with legal experts to structure their businesses and create legal documents that outline each co-founder’s responsibilities, shares of equity, and terms of a partnership or corporation.
Build and Lead Teams
As a company grows, a co-founder also needs to build and lead effective teams. This aspect of the role involves high-level decision-making as well as the ability to identify areas where it benefits the company to bring in new personnel. The ability to inspire and lead teams helps companies scale up as their market share increases and helps hire and retain staff members who are dedicated to the company’s success.
Co-Founder Skills and Qualifications
Co-founders need to balance big-picture thinking with the day-to-day tasks that go into building a successful organization. Co-founders can come from almost any educational background, but all tend to have the following skills:
Strategic thinking
– co-founders need to excel at strategic thinking in order to identify product opportunities and make business decisions that ensure long-term success and growth
Market research
– it’s also vital that co-founders are able to conduct market research and analyze trends and data to make well-informed business decisions
Product development
– in the early stages of a company, co-founders take an active role in product development, making both high-level and minute decisions regarding their products before they go to market
Marketing and promotion
– co-founders need to successfully promote their products before they go to market, building anticipation and creating demand through social media, advertising, and networking
Personnel management
– as a company grows, a co-founder needs to excel at recruiting, hiring, and retaining talented and dedicated staff members who can help bring the co-founder’s vision to life
Financial planning
– co-founders need a solid grasp of financial planning and forecasting and should be able to set milestones and budgets to ensure solvency and long-term growth
Co-Founder Education and Training
There’s a lot of variety in educational backgrounds and levels for co-founders, ranging from business administration to computer science. Some co-founders may not even finish their college degrees, choosing to instead begin developing their products and figuring out strategies to bring them to market. The ability to think critically, identify trends, and create original ideas for products are the most important qualities for co-founders, so a bachelor’s degree in a field like marketing, business administration, or finance can provide a foundation that a co-founder can then build on.
Co-Founder Salary and Outlook
Co-founder salaries can vary widely, especially in the early days of a company. A co-founder may work for equity as a company gets off the ground and may only receive a salary once the business is established for several years. Additionally, the co-founder’s role can dramatically change as a company grows, and many co-founders end up transitioning to become CEOs or COOs once the company reaches a certain size.
Helpful Resources
If you’re interested in co-founding a startup, we found several resources on the web that explore the role of a co-founder and provide tips:
“The Secret to Successful and Lasting Co-Founder Relationships” this blog post examines why co-founder relationships can fall apart and provides tips for company founders to build long-lasting partnerships
The Startup Playbook: Founder-to-Founder Advice from Two Startup Veterans two veteran startup co-founders provide tips and practical advice for readers interested in starting their own companies
“The Four Roles of a Company Founder” Tony Navarro of the Young Entrepreneurs Council explores the role that a founder plays in successful companies
The Founder’s Dilemmas: Anticipating and Avoiding the Pitfalls That Can Sink a Startup Noam Wasserman provides a roadmap for potential entrepreneurs, illuminating the journey from an initial idea to a successful company
Business Operations Cover Letter Examples
Co-Founder Resume FAQ.
How do I properly list co-founder/CMO on a resume?
Starting a business is a significant accomplishment worth highlighting on your resume — but what’s the best way to do it?
You can list your experience as a co-founder in the work experience and professional summary sections of your resume. In your summary, share the most impressive details about your company, whether it be company size, revenue or recognition. Then, in work experience, use bullet points to drive home other salient accomplishments, citing quantifiable achievements as much as possible.
What are the duties of a co-founder?
Co-founders are entrepreneurs who join forces with a partner to start a business. Top duties and responsibilities include:
- Identifying big-picture market opportunities to ensure the product or service being sold fills an important niche.
- Developing a product by setting specifications and helping move it into production.
- Creating a marketing strategy to build anticipation and bring attention to the product.
- Making a budget and forecasting financial expectations to secure long-term solvency.
- Building effective teams by finding and hiring talented personnel.
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Last edited by: Gabriela Barcenas, CPRW, Content Writer II -
Gabriela Barcenas
CPRW, Content Writer IIGabriela is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career adviser. With 10 years of digital media experience and five years of resume writing expertise, her publication history includes fashion, education, travel, social justice, equitable design and career advice.
