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Business owner vs co-owner/operator

The differences between business owners and co-owner/operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a business owner and a co-owner/operator. Additionally, a business owner has an average salary of $50,934, which is higher than the $32,256 average annual salary of a co-owner/operator.

The top three skills for a business owner include customer service, payroll and financial statements. The most important skills for a co-owner/operator are co-op, patients, and data analysis.

Business owner vs co-owner/operator overview

Business OwnerCo-Owner/Operator
Yearly salary$50,934$32,256
Hourly rate$24.49$15.51
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs107,66395,615
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4444
Years of experience66

What does a business owner do?

Business owners, also known as Entrepreneurs, are responsible for their company and brand's success. There are many areas of responsibility when you're a business owner, such as in the aspects of planning and budgeting, arranging finances and legal documentation, and even hiring the workforce essential for the business to grow. However, these responsibilities will vary according to how a business owner will uphold them. Moreover, building a business from the ground up requires dedication and a vision and mission for the brand.

What does a co-owner/operator do?

A co-owner/operator is responsible for delivering goods and services for the companies using their trucks and vehicles. Co-owner/operators ensure timely merchandise deliveries, check the quantity and quality of the cargo, and follow routes accordingly. They also inspect vehicle conditions, identify any inconsistencies, and perform troubleshooting for malfunction for immediate repair or replacement of components to prevent deliveries delays. A co-owner/operator must have clean driving records, adhering to the road's safety regulations.

Business owner vs co-owner/operator salary

Business owners and co-owner/operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Business OwnerCo-Owner/Operator
Average salary$50,934$32,256
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $94,000Between $21,000 And $49,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WARahway, NJ
Highest paying stateWashingtonNew York
Best paying companyBDBorgWarner
Best paying industryRetailTechnology

Differences between business owner and co-owner/operator education

There are a few differences between a business owner and a co-owner/operator in terms of educational background:

Business OwnerCo-Owner/Operator
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Business owner vs co-owner/operator demographics

Here are the differences between business owners' and co-owner/operators' demographics:

Business OwnerCo-Owner/Operator
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 51.4% Female, 48.6%Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between business owner and co-owner/operator duties and responsibilities

Business owner example responsibilities.

  • Manage the budget and insure operations run smoothly.
  • Create, own and manage a LLC for grind pet transportation.
  • Establish and manage a beading boutique via the Internet by utilizing Photoshop to post designs on a personal website.
  • Manage sales, customer service, billing, A/P, A/R, vendor relations, negotiations, repairs, and maintenance.
  • Manage end to end business operations including hiring, scheduling visits, conducting customer consultations and performing pet visits.
  • Handle all aspects from A/P to A/R, payroll, ordering and dealing with all distributors and city officials.
  • Show more

Co-owner/operator example responsibilities.

  • Manage shipping and warehousing for the entire U.S., as well as A/R & A/P.
  • Manage end to end business operations including hiring, scheduling visits, conducting customer consultations and performing pet visits.
  • Perform renovations and finishing work, roof work, windows, siding and much more.
  • Developed/Maintain Facebook page for marketing/advertising.
  • Developed/Maintain Facebook page for marketing/advertising.

Business owner vs co-owner/operator skills

Common business owner skills
  • Customer Service, 31%
  • Payroll, 12%
  • Financial Statements, 9%
  • Business Plan, 7%
  • Business Model, 3%
  • Real Estate, 2%
Common co-owner/operator skills
  • Co-Op, 35%
  • Patients, 10%
  • Data Analysis, 7%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Python, 4%
  • C++, 3%

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