Define who makes which decisions in your business so nothing bottlenecks at you.
For each decision category below, write out: (1) what specific decisions fall into this category, (2) who has the authority to make them without asking you, and (3) at what threshold or condition the decision gets escalated to you. The goal is to free yourself from every decision that does not truly need the CEO.
Spending, pricing, refunds, discounts, payment terms. Be specific about the amounts.
New hires, contractor agreements, firing, performance reviews, pay raises.
Taking on new clients, scope changes, turning down work, handling complaints.
Tools, software, processes, office or workspace changes, vendor choices.
New services, market changes, partnerships, brand direction, big investments.
Review the matrix above. Write down the short list of decisions that truly require you, the CEO. Everything else should have a clear owner and threshold.