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Business unit director vs business owner

The differences between business unit directors and business owners 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 unit director and a business owner. Additionally, a business unit director has an average salary of $135,050, which is higher than the $50,934 average annual salary of a business owner.

The top three skills for a business unit director include project management, digital marketing and sigma. The most important skills for a business owner are customer service, payroll, and financial statements.

Business unit director vs business owner overview

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Owner
Yearly salary$135,050$50,934
Hourly rate$64.93$24.49
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs95,707107,663
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age4444
Years of experience66

What does a business unit director do?

A business unit director is a person that makes sure that a segment or unit of a company meets its daily goals. The business unit director monitors the production of units in a company and provides support to increase efficiency. The business unit director's responsibility is to determine each member of a business unit's skill development to ensure the increased productive output of the entire company. The business unit director works with the company's administrative and executive departments to ensure all business units work cohesively and well-coordinated.

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.

Business unit director vs business owner salary

Business unit directors and business owners have different pay scales, as shown below.

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Owner
Average salary$135,050$50,934
Salary rangeBetween $95,000 And $190,000Between $27,000 And $94,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateAlaskaWashington
Best paying companyLasko ProductsBD
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalRetail

Differences between business unit director and business owner education

There are a few differences between a business unit director and a business owner in terms of educational background:

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Owner
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Business unit director vs business owner demographics

Here are the differences between business unit directors' and business owners' demographics:

Business Unit DirectorBusiness Owner
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 81.8% Female, 18.2%Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black 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%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between business unit director and business owner duties and responsibilities

Business unit director example responsibilities.

  • Manage a portfolio of inpatient and outpatient products market to major academic medical centers, community hospitals and nursing homes.
  • Manage a portfolio of inpatient and outpatient products market to major academic medical centers, community hospitals and nursing homes.
  • Increase EBITDA for the division.
  • Obtain first ISO certification for the production lines.
  • Conduct and complete internal reviews of domestic mutual funds and institutional operations, including compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and anti-money laundering requirements.

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

Business unit director vs business owner skills

Common business unit director skills
  • Project Management, 17%
  • Digital Marketing, 14%
  • Sigma, 13%
  • Business Development, 6%
  • Direct Reports, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Common business owner skills
  • Customer Service, 31%
  • Payroll, 12%
  • Financial Statements, 9%
  • Business Plan, 7%
  • Business Model, 3%
  • Real Estate, 2%

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