The CEO’s Job: Own the Message and the Money
There’s a long-standing debate in business circles: is the CEO’s number one job sales, or is it marketing?
On the surface, both arguments make sense. Sales drives revenue—the lifeblood of any organization. Marketing builds visibility and trust, without which sales has nothing to stand on. But when you dig deeper, the answer isn’t about choosing one over the other. It’s about understanding how they work together—and how faith reshapes the way we approach both.
Sales: More Than a Transaction
Too often, sales gets reduced to “closing deals” or “hitting numbers.” But at its heart, sales is about service. It’s about listening, understanding, and offering solutions that genuinely help. The very best sales leaders don’t just ask, “How do I make this sale?” They ask, “How do I serve this person well?”
When we anchor sales in service, trust becomes the currency. And trust, once established, doesn’t just close one deal—it creates long-term relationships that carry your business forward.
Marketing: More Than Visibility
Marketing is often seen as the loudspeaker—the way we get noticed. But real marketing is more than visibility. It’s about message. It’s about telling a story that reflects truth, integrity, and the vision God has entrusted to you.
Your marketing sets the tone for how your company is perceived. It communicates your values, your priorities, and the unique way you solve problems. Done right, it doesn’t just attract attention—it attracts the right people, the ones you are called to serve.
Faith and the Role of the CEO
Here’s where faith transforms the conversation. As a CEO, you are not just responsible for the mechanics of revenue and visibility. You are called to steward both with integrity.
Sales as stewardship: Every deal is an opportunity to serve, not manipulate.
Marketing as mission: Every message is an opportunity to reflect truth, not spin a narrative.
When your sales and marketing are aligned with your faith, profit is no longer the ultimate prize. It becomes a byproduct of purpose. You’re not just building a business—you’re building trust, creating impact, and honoring the calling placed on your life.
Owning the Message and the Money
That’s why I believe the CEO’s number one job is both sales and marketing. You must own the message and the money.
Own the message, because without a clear, authentic story, people don’t know why they should trust you.
Own the money, because without wise stewardship of revenue, your mission can’t sustain itself.
Everything else—operations, product development, team growth—flows from this core responsibility.
How I Help CEOs Step Into This Role
This is the work I love most: walking alongside CEOs to help them bring clarity, confidence, and compassion into the way they lead. Together we refine their message so it reflects their calling. We reframe sales as service, so relationships are built on trust. And we align their marketing with their mission, so the story they tell honors both their faith and their future.
When that alignment happens, the tension between sales and marketing disappears. The CEO isn’t stuck choosing between the two. They’re standing in their brand, owning both the message and the money with integrity.
Final Reflection
So, is the CEO’s #1 job sales or marketing? Yes. It’s both. Because you can’t have one without the other. And when you lead with faith, you recognize that both are tools for service, not self.
If you’re a CEO navigating this tension—wanting to grow your business without losing the heart of your mission—I’d love to connect. Helping leaders step boldly into their God-given voice is what I’ve been called to do.
