Also: CoS
What a Chief of Staff does.
Strategy and execution across the org on a 90-day horizon — a true #2, not task support.
A founder or principal who needs a right hand for priorities, people, and follow-through — not just the calendar.
What they own.
- Owning priorities and driving execution
- Hiring, team structure, and cross-functional glue
- The bridge between business and household when both are complex
- Anticipating what’s next, not just handling what’s now
When you need one
- You need a strategic partner, not task support
- The horizon is 90+ days, across the whole org
- You’re ready to hand real ownership to a #2
When you don’t
If the need is calendar and inbox, an EA is the right (and far cheaper) seat. Scoping a true #2 is bespoke.
How to tell it apart
Questions.
- What does a chief of staff do?
- A chief of staff owns priorities and execution across the organization — a strategic #2 who anticipates what’s next, not just handles what’s now.
- How much does a chief of staff make?
- Roughly $180–600K, often plus housing — scoping the seat is bespoke.
- Do I need a chief of staff or an executive assistant?
- Task and calendar ownership is an EA; strategy and execution across the org is a chief of staff.
Not sure this is the one you need?
Take the 2-minute finder — it’ll tell you honestly, and it might say you need a system, not a seat.