Writings · LinkedIn
The first hire freezes the process
Hiring an AE freezes whatever you have, or do not have.
Hiring your first AE doesn't fix founder-led sales.
It freezes it.
Whatever messy process you have , or don't have , becomes what they inherit. Then you wonder why pipeline is still a black box.
Rigor isn't more activity.
Focus is deciding the few things that must be true before a deal is real… and before a hire is real.
If you can't explain how you qualify, inspect, and advance a deal in plain language, you're not ready to multiply yourself. You're ready to multiply confusion.
Bar for this week: write the five questions you always ask before you call something qualified.
If you can't, don't hire yet.
Standards scale signal. Headcount scales noise.
Related: When to hire your first AE
Related: How long does a first sales hire take to pay back?
What would your first sales hire actually inherit?