Branch took almost a year to officially launch–a deliberate choice made to build a solid foundation. Along the way, we were really fortunate to have a few clients who trusted and supported us.

One of our internal exercises revolved around defining our roles and responsibilities, and even though we were – and still are – just a three person team, we approached this with a growth mindset, knowing we wouldn’t always be a small team.

If you’ve ever watched the 1993 hit film Jurassic Park, you’ll remember that due to a lack of proper planning and execution, something truly extraordinary was doomed to chaos. I’m not trying to say that improper planning will result in dinosaurs running amok and wreaking havoc at your company, but the cultural equivalent is definitely possible. So, let’s talk about role definition.

1. Why This Matters

During early stages of growth, a lack of defined leadership roles can feel like trying to build a plane mid-flight. Chaos and stress are inevitable when you’re forced to react instead of plan.

Contrast this with the benefits of having well-defined roles and a roadmap from the start: alignment across your team, smoother operations, and the confidence to scale without hesitation. Clear leadership structures create a foundation for growth while attracting top talent who value clarity and direction.

2. Key Benefits

Strategic Clarity: Efficiency comes easily when everyone understands their responsibilities and how they play into the bigger picture. Your leadership team can feel confident in making company-defining decisions without worry, and your employees can work confidently towards supporting those decisions. Inversely, employees will know exactly who to turn to when questions arise.

Efficient Hiring: This comes back to the idea of being proactive and strategic, because when growth accelerates, which it will if you’re doing everything right, you can hire proactively, not reactively.

Reduced Growing Pains: Everything evolves over time – roles, goals, even your company as a whole, but having a starting place and roadmap in place makes adjustments easier over time, and less likely to knock you off course.

The list goes on, but risks related to skipping role definition is equally as impactful, and obviously not in a good way.

3. Common Pitfalls of Undefined Roles

While well-defined roles lead to clarity and efficiency, the absence of them can result in some serious pitfalls.

Decision Bottlenecks: We’ve all heard the phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen,” and have likely felt the negative effects of this type of scenario. There is nothing positive about bottlenecks, and they only exist to cause frustration and hinder growth.

Confusion Over Accountability: Confusion over accountability can lead to tasks falling through the cracks or, worse, duplicated efforts that waste time and resources. Without clearly defined roles, team members may hesitate to take ownership, leaving critical decisions unresolved and projects stalled.

Difficult Retention: Talented workers crave structure, clear leadership, and the ability to grow in both a personal and professional capacity. Between hiring, onboarding, and training, the cost of bringing on an employee is quoted as costing 3x their annual salary. This isn’t a cost you want to incur over and over again due to a lack of structure and clarity.

4. How to Define Roles Early On

Start with a Solid Foundation: Define your mission, vision, values, and long term goals. Set OKRs, clarify leadership responsibilities, and establish accountability to stay on track.

Document Responsibilities: A helpful exercise for Branch was to define each of our roles and functions on our own, and then come back and discuss, edit, and ultimately decide who was responsible for who, what, and why.

Plan for Flexibility: We understood that along with the company, our roles are likely to evolve as Branch grows. Understanding and accepting this upfront was incredibly important. A great example of this is the fact that our CMO, Chris Dennen, is headquartered out in Oregon, which defines a lot of company actions due to the time difference. However, he was brought on for his core values alignment and skillset, not location, so we understood this from day one.

5. Preparing for the Future

Defining executive roles early isn’t just about solving today’s problems—it’s about preparing for growth. When pivotal moments arise, like landing a major client or expanding into new markets, the clarity you’ve established will guide you, ensuring you scale efficiently.

By identifying future leadership needs—like a CFO, creative director, or VP of strategy—you avoid the chaos of reactive decisions and position your agency to attract top talent with well-defined roles. Instead of scrambling to write job descriptions or assign responsibilities, you’ll have a clear framework to hire strategically and confidently, building trust within your team and with clients.

Want to set the stage for sustainable and strategic growth? Reach out and let’s chat.

Written by Paul Kettelle, Co-Founder & CEO