First Sales Hire Tracker
Who is hiring their first seller.
Startups that just posted their first sales job. What they pay, what they ask for, and what the posting says about how ready they are. Updated weekly.
The riskiest hire you will make
Your first sales hire is the riskiest hire you will make. Get it wrong and you lose months, cash, and your belief that anyone but you can sell the product.
It usually goes wrong for one of two reasons. You hire before you can explain how you win a deal. Or you hire someone who ran a playbook somewhere else and expect them to write one for you. Whatever process you have, or don't have, is what they inherit.
Every week we pull the startups that just posted that job. Read what they pay, what they ask for, and how they describe the work. It is the closest thing to seeing how your peers are making the same call.
This week
| Company | Role | Backing | Where | Posted | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AerovySoftware that turns equipment data into apps, service and warranty tools for industrial hardware makers. | Account Executive (Founding) | VC-backed, 13 people | Atlanta, GA (hybrid) | Oct 2 | Reports to the CEO, 120 named accounts. Says 'disqualify early.' $275K–$300K. |
| Fasten HealthOne API that lets companies pull a patient's medical records, with the patient's consent, from thousands of health systems. | Founding Account Executive | Techstars | New York, NY (hybrid) | Oct 1 | Publishes a 30/60/90 plan. $20K–$50K deals, 60–120 day cycles. $140K–$160K OTE. |
| BlueAlphaMeasures what actually drives revenue for consumer brands' marketing and automates the busywork around it. | Founding Account Executive (first AE) | Not disclosed | San Francisco, CA (on-site) | Oct 1 | Goal: founder-led to AE-led. About $100K deals. OTE about $200K–$250K, structure still TBD. |
| Toolhouse AIAI agents that carry out multi-step business tasks across 1,000+ connected apps. | Head of Sales / Go To Market (first) | Pre-seed | San Francisco, Austin, or remote (US) | Oct 1 | Seven months founder-led. First Head of Sales must close first. Applicants describe a 0-to-1 motion they led. |
| CopyCat AIAI workspace for independent insurance agencies: proposals, quote comparisons, renewals, policy checks. | Founding Account Executive | YC (W25) | Seattle, WA (in person) | Sep 30 | Founders still call every demo request. One- or two-call closes. $65K–$85K base; new grads OK. |
| WarrantMarketing compliance software: checks ads, posts and landing pages against financial and insurance rules before they go out. | Founding Account Executive, Financial Services | Techstars, Brickyard, Capitalize VC | Durham, NC or remote (US) | Sep 30 | Two founding AE seats split by buyer. 180+ deals in flight. $145K–$185K OTE. |
| DiligenceSquaredAI-powered market research and commercial due diligence for private equity firms, led by consultants. | Head of GTM (first commercial leader) | YC (F25), Relentless | New York, NY | Sep 29 | First commercial leader plus a Senior AE and GTM Associate posted the same day. $190K–$220K. |
| LanternAI purchasing and inventory recommendations for large wholesale distributors. | Founding Account Executive (one of the first two GTM hires) | $7M raised | San Francisco, CA (in office, heavy travel) | Sep 26 | Conference-floor selling to big distributors. $150K base / $300K OTE. No industry background needed. |
| LuthorAI review and approval of marketing and client communications for banks, asset managers and law firms. | Founding Account Executive | YC (F24) | San Francisco, CA or remote (US) | Sep 25 | Three-person team selling to big banks. Says the motion is proven; hire makes it repeatable. $100K–$160K. |
| BlueHillOne workspace for closing, onboarding and supporting customers: deal room, onboarding plans, customer portal, support inbox. | Business Development Representative (Founding GTM) | YC (S22), General Catalyst | Chicago, IL; Marlborough, MA; or remote (US) | Sep 24 | Titled BDR, but it's the whole GTM: outbound, paid, self-serve, closing. 0.5–2.5% equity. |
| ClarkAI software for public accounting firms that automates audit work. | Founding Account Executive (several seats) | Not disclosed, ~30 people | New York, NY (5 days in office) | Sep 24 | Several founding AE seats at about 30 people. New logos plus expansion. Says don't push expansion early. |
What stood out
- The deal decides the seller. Pay runs from a $65K to $85K base for one- or two-call closes with small insurance agencies, up to $300K on-target earnings for multi-quarter deals with manufacturers and distributors.
- Several want the playbook written while the hire closes. Aerovy, BlueAlpha, Fasten Health and Lantern all say so. Fasten Health puts a 30/60/90-day plan right in the posting.
- Two at once. Luthor and Warrant both sell marketing compliance software to banks, and both posted founding AE jobs within a week of each other.
How we pick these. US B2B software startups, roughly seed to Series A, that posted a founding, first, or first-leader sales role in the last 14 days. We open every posting to confirm it is live and that the role is the first of its kind there. Funding appears only when the company or a public source states it. Dates come from the posting or job board; where a board shows "days ago," we count back from the week's date.
Getting ready to hire your first seller? Talk it through before you post the job.
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