In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

It might sound blasphemous, but I say it’s time to get rid of the three letters that have been around far too long in the business world: CEO.

Maybe you call yourself a CEO. Though it may be painful to hear — especially if you’re a small business owner — I say, so long! See ya later! Adios! And hello to CGO: Chief Growth Officer.

And why not? What is it business owners want more than anything else? You bet: growth. Think about it: Growth means more customers, more money, more business.

If you discover the secret to growth, you can call yourself anything you want. It’s like striking gold, winning the lottery. But the cool thing is we now know about some key activities that almost always lead to growth in business.

Hang with me, because here they are:

1. Know that it’s always — always — about the customer.