Most founders are ready around one to two million dollars of ARR, once a couple of reps are already selling successfully and you have a process worth scaling. The bigger mistake is what happens next: Jason Lemkin's estimate is that about two thirds of founders step out of sales entirely after this hire and it backfires almost every time. Your new VP needs months to learn the product and the market, your customers still want the founder in the big deals, and your credibility is part of what closes. So do not reduce your sales hours, redirect them, towards the largest deals, key relationships and unblocking the team. Also expect a real failure rate on this hire and plan for it rather than being shocked by it.
3 hand-picked resources, 3 link-checked. Pick how you want to dig in.
Why we picked it Lemkin gives concrete thresholds rather than principles: sell to ten customers yourself first, hire two reps not one, and here is what a VP of Sales should look like at each stage. The rule of eights section is worth the listen on its own.
On Lenny's Podcast by Jason Lemkin with Lenny Rachitsky podcast episode
Why we picked it The mistake is not the hire, it is stepping out of sales afterwards, which Lemkin reckons about two thirds of founders do and which backfires almost every time. Six specific reasons your presence still matters, plus where to redirect your hours instead.
From SaaStr by Jason Lemkin short read
Open saastr.com →Why we picked it A four phase model for handing off sales, with a clear warning that most of the damage comes from adding closers too early. Short enough to read before your next hiring decision and specific enough to change it.
From aprildunford.com by April Dunford short read
Open aprildunford.com →How running a sales process and closing reads from a different seat.
The same ground, over in Money, pricing & model, our Starting Up track.
The same ground, over in Money, pricing & unit economics, our D2C track.
