Are you ready for your first sales hire?
Three questions. Your result shows on this page.
Not yet. Get the signal first.
Before that, the hire doesn't fix founder-led sales. It freezes whatever process you have, or don't have.
Hire your first AE once you have that signal.
Not yet. You are the SDR.
When you launch, you are the SDR. Do that job for a while, until the funnel starts to fill, before you hire anyone to do it. You want to be really close to the customer in the beginning, so you can adjust product market fit.
Close. Write down how you sell first.
Who buys, and why they'd buy this week. What the first call does. What has to be true before a deal is real.
If you can't, don't hire yet. Standards scale signal. Headcount scales noise.
Ready. Hire an AE.
If you have a great lead engine and quality leads, hire an AE.
Count the valley against your runway, not your plan.
Ready. Think about an SDR first.
If you have the sales process down but need to skill up in lead generation, think about hiring an SDR.
Close. You are still the SDR.
When you launch, you are the SDR. Do that job for a while, until the funnel starts to fill, before you hire anyone to do it.
If you have a great lead engine and quality leads, hire an AE.
Want to go over your result with Justin? Book 30 minutes with him.