Published: 13 April 2023
Hiring a VP of sales (also known as a sales manager, sales director or head of sales) too soon often leads to lost time and lost revenue. Startup tech CEOs should first develop salespeople and achieve product-market fit. Then they should determine if they are ready to scale and can hire a VP of sales.
Tech CEOs are often under the false impression that they can hire a VP of sales who is initially going to be selling, and then will build a sales team over time. However, this rarely materializes, as the role does not align with the expected outcome.
Tech CEOs tend to hire too big and too early. This can result in a top-heavy sales team that lacks focus on sales execution and revenue growth, right at a time when they need that most.
Key markers for knowing when it is time to bring on a VP of sales are a predictable
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Analysts:
Patrick Stakenas, Jeff Chamberlain, Warren Johnstone, Charlie Xu
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