Bootstrapped Founder? Why You Really Need a Pathfinder

Neil HartleyPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

two dice rolling on a casino table

Something changed. I don’t know what. I don’t know when. But it changed. If you’re a bootstrapped founder and have achieved product market fit, then you’re probably thinking it’s time to get back to innovating on your product, get the hired gun in and make your first Sales hire. If you’re angel or VC-backed you may well be thinking the … Read More

God Made a Mistake?

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

a person with an indication of their soul above them

“I wish my neuroses were more productive.”  That’s a joke I share with my friends.  To be honest, It isn’t always a joke.  I listen to podcasts, read the Harvard Business Review, and see the latest books about how to improve productivity, create new habits, and do the things that will really make me a better human being—or at least … Read More

Failure as the Path Forward

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

wooden tiles spelling out learn from failure

The best person to be the first sales hire for a B2B tech startup is someone that can deal with failure and rejection.  Repeatedly. They need to learn from each experience, refine the pitch, gather insights, and develop new approaches and potential clients. They have to keep doing this until success hits.  The question for entrepreneurs—and everyone else— when they … Read More

Pour One Out for Failed Startups

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

image of person dressed in traditional mexican attire for the day of the dead

Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a celebration in Mexico held on November 1 and 2. It is a day when friends and family gather to remember and pay their respects to those that have passed. The celebration was brought into the global pop culture consciousness through the Pixar film Coco.  In the same way, the tradition … Read More

Can you Codify a Person’s Soul?

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

a person with an indication of their soul above them

How do you know a person you are about to hire is who they say they are?  You call in the modern Dr. Frankenstein. These are Ph.Ds in lab coats that peel back the outer layers of ego and self-defense and peer deep inside the nooks and crannies of your gray matter to get to the truth, the unvarnished essence, … Read More

A Very Particular Set of Skills

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

finding a path through the woods

Kicking off the dust of stupid corporate politics and incompetent bosses.  Early retirement. Expensive cocktails. Fabulous vacations.  Having to worry about inheritance taxes and not raising entitled children.  Ah, the daydreams of startup life.  We get it. We’ve been down that road more than once. (And believe me, getting a reliable crew for both the yacht and the private jet … Read More

It’s Not Magic; It’s Research

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

person with wand performing magic

We want magicians.  Our hope when we hire our first salesperson is that they will work magic. It’s not a realistic hope, it’s not even spoken out loud, and we might not even be conscious of it, but we want them to work their sales magic and make it rain money.  It’s no wonder we are so often disappointed.  Through … Read More

The Smell of Money

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

image of different bank notes

Money Makes the World Go Round, as the song goes. But what makes your first sales hire get out of bed? Are they just motivated by the almighty buck or is something else helping drive their ambition?  We all have dreams of being the next startup that gets the unicorn valuation of US$1 billion. To begin any business journey, you … Read More

Build your Startup Brand

Steve LudwigPathfinder SalesLeave a Comment

a laptop with multiple brand logo images

Relationships and reputation are the keys to your startup brand. Outside of the founder and the performance of your product, the biggest impact on both is your first Sales hire.  Outside of the founder, the first Sales hire is the biggest brand evangelist and brand ambassador. They are the first individual your clients will meet and likely be the person … Read More