In today's competitive business environment, many organizations are proud of their bootstrapped origins. Building a thriving company with a team and a handful of founders is practically the new American dream. But for most companies, there comes a point where you want to position yourself for growth and your current processes just won't cut it ­ and that's when you need to bring in a Chief Operating Officer.

On small teams, the CEO can usually handles all the company's executive functions, including overseeing daily operations. As you get larger, it is harder to keep everyone on the same page. Hiring a COO means the

chief executive officer can spend more time on strategy and other essential responsibilities. A COO can focus on more such issues while working to break down information silos and improve communication systems throughout the organization.

The right time to hire a chief operating officer is different for every organization. Some have complex daily operations and need one early in their growth. Other companies may never need a COO. In parallel, the COO would build out and manage areas that the founders lack interest or experience in, or simply don't have the bandwidth to oversee. Optimally, you want someone who will come in to complement, operationalize, and execute your vision as a founder.

In our current edition of CEO Insights Magazine, we bring to you `Top 10 Chief Operating Officers - 2021', who have successfully stepped up to execute the vision of their CEOs and take the company to the next level. These experts continuously strive to contribute towards the development of the industry and drive the business towards growth. We are proud to feature some of their success stories in our current edition; do read to know more about them.

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