In our last post we touched on the 3 most common mistakes bootstrapped founders make when trying to transition out of founder-led sales and make their first sales hire [when they’re not necessarily quite ready to do so]. As mitigation against those common mistakes, we put forward the concept of finding a “diamond in the rough” – someone not necessarily … Read More
Make it rain, make it rain, make it rain. That’s the dream of B2B tech founders for their first sales hire. They will bring in the sales that will bring you stability and breathing room. Based on our years of experience, research, and conversations with tech leaders—this is rarely the case. And, it might not be the right mindset for … Read More
When you are a startup, you have to take every opportunity to get your name out in order to attract customers and talent. Yet, many startups give up a massive opportunity for increasing name identity. This happens in a number of areas, but critically when they are seeking their first salesperson. Startups often turn to recruiters to fill this role … Read More
When you are on a journey, it’s always helpful to have a map. It’s no different for B2B tech startups. Through our experience, research, and interviews with leaders in the startup space, we have developed an easy way to understand the growth cycle of startups. There are three distinct phases for B2B tech startups, with each phase requiring a specific … Read More
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
If it’s expensive, it must be good. That’s a common bias we don’t want to admit we have, but we often fall for it. There’s also a saying in large organizations that someone never got fired for hiring the most expensive solution if it bombs. Not true if you went with the cheap approach and failed. This brings us to … Read More
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
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
We like recruiters. We hate recruiters. It’s one of those relationships. As founders of B2B tech startups, we tend to turn to recruiters to find our first stales hire because they have the capacity and the networks to bring you what you need when you need it. Except, of course, when they don’t. Especially when it comes to a first … Read More
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
