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Why we picked it A practicing operator's version of our own bar: Girdley says you need a proven, repeatable process and something like 15 customers closed yourself before you hire, tracked against a simple sales scorecard of conversion rate, deal value, and cycle length. He also makes the case for hiring a junior rep over a manager first, which is a decision most founders get backwards.
Playbook: When & how to hire your first salesperson
From Michael Girdley by Michael Girdley 12 min read
- Build a sales scorecard (conversion rate, deal size, cycle length) before you hire, so you know what good looks like
- Hire a salesperson first, not a sales manager, unless you are building a team under them immediately
- Don't expect a new hire to match your own conversion rate right away, budget for a ramp
