A simple startup RACI for founders. Who does the work, who owns the call, who is consulted, who is informed.
A team past 10–15 people stalls because two people both think they can close a hire or a spend.
Four layers are enough: Board or Founders, chief executive, department lead, and individual contributor.
This is a startup RACI matrix for founders. One row. A simple mark for who does the work (R), who is the final owner (A), who is consulted (C), and who is informed (I). Shared accountability is no accountability.
Sometimes called a decision authority matrix, approval matrix, or delegation-of-authority matrix.
| Decision | Board or Founders | Chief executive | Department lead | Individual contributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hire a contractor | C | A | R | I |
| Sign standard customer or vendor contract | I | A | C | R |
Before: two people can both close the offer.
After: one A on that row. The other person does the work, is asked, or is told.
This decision-rights matrix can also be used as a startup approval matrix: it shows who can approve recurring decisions and who must only be consulted or informed.
| Decision | Founder/CEO | Finance owner | Ops lead | Team member |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budgeted spend under $1,000 | I | I | A | R |
| Unbudgeted spend (any amount) | A | C | R | I |
| Spend above $5,000 | A | C | R | I |
The rows above show the structure. The $49 file is the complete editable system: the matrix, the playbook, and the checklist.
Get the complete Startup Decision Rights Matrix template — $49