Saurabh Tandon’s Post

For Founders: Key to Your First Sales Hire Founders, when hiring your first salesperson, they'll want to know: "How many clients have we won beyond our network, and how?" This question is crucial. It's not just about having a product that sells but having a scalable, repeatable sales process. The real test for your startup lies in securing clients beyond your immediate contacts. This shows your Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy isn't just about personal networks but a system that works and can grow. Your first sales hire is looking for a clear path to success. They want to join a startup where the GTM strategy is ready to scale, not just start. They're seeking a role where they can accelerate growth, both for the company and their career. So, offer them a GTM strategy that's proven and ready for more action. This is not just about filling a position but about building a partnership that drives your startup forward. Show them that joining your team means being part of a growth story they can help write. #StartupHiring #SalesStrategy #GTMStrategy #FirstSalesHire #StartupGrowth #ScalingStartups Dabier M

📢 Attention startups! Are you searching for a Founding AE who can build your sales foundation from the ground up? Post your job on QC Growth’s board and reach a network of top-tier talent with experience in early-stage growth. Let’s get you the sales leadership you need. 📨 Message us to get started. #SalesRecruitment #StartupGrowth #HiringAE

Hiring your first BDR? Here is something to consider: Let BizDev Labs be your go-to partner in this venture. We specialize in building and managing effective outbound BDR motions for early and high growth startups. We're not just a service; we're your growth accelerator... What we offer: 1. Exclusive Access: utilize our proven IP and playbook 2. Scalable: complement your marketing program 3. Swift Onboarding: benefit from our focused and efficient strategy 4. Test: refine messaging & positioning for outbound 5. Pilot Program: a comprehensive test of outbound sales and lead gen 6. Dedicated Team: a team of BDRs, Product Marketing, Project, and Sales Enablement Managers Feedback from our clients: 1. Enhanced outbound performance and feedback-loop 2. Significant increase in meetings booked and deals 3. Notable ROI, revenue contribution, and ACV 4. Stress-free experience, smooth, headache-free 5. Improved sales and marketing conversion Real results with BizDev Labs: +25% revenue contribution for a $25M Series A startup +50% average deal size for a $20M Series B startup $550k ARR generated for a $20M Series A startup 16 SQLs in the first month for a $12M Series A startup 3x faster sales cycle length for a $55M Series B startup Ready to transform your outbound journey? Let's discuss how BizDev Labs can help. DM me for a quick consultation 😎

After 4.5 years of building 3 different companies from scratch, working with 100+ people directly and interacting with 500+ founders - I have found the #1 skill that minimizes your chances of failure as a founder 🙇🙇 . . . Sales. 🗣️ Yes, most startups die. 😢 And they don't die because their product sucks or because they ran out of funding or because the founders are new to the Industry. They die because they can't sell. 🫠 They die because they're too shy to validate if someone wants their idea. 🫣 They die because they don't talk to customers and as a result don't understand their customer. 🤔 Startup founders are mostly engineers coming from Stanford, MIT or IITs. They're trained to code and build products. Not talk to people. And so when the founding team has two engineers with no one willing to face the discomfort of selling, the startup is doomed to death. ☠️ And honestly, sales isn't even about "selling" to a customer. It's a misnomer. ❌ It's just about deeply "understanding" and "helping" your customer. If you do those things right, the sale will happen. 🧠 When I first started to sell, it was really scary. I was scared to approach people, scared of intruding in their lives and always wondering if I'm doing the right thing. It took me 1.5 years and probably 150+ rejections to gain the confidence that I can sell. 💪 Fast forward 4 years, I feel incredibly lucky to say I've closed unicorns, decacorns and even public companies as a sales-first Founder. 🤯 So how can you as a person get better at sales? Most people choose to work in a company for a few years. 👔 My choice? Baptism by Fire. 🔥🔥 🚀 ______________________________________________ I plan to post more about my learnings around becoming a sales person coming from an engineering background. Happy to cover any specific topics on request.

Selling at a startup isn't for everyone! I've spent a good chunk of my career working for companies that are looking to grow as a startup. The downfall for me is the career path. I have no doubt I'd have more Enterprise AE or even management titles on my resume if I stayed in big corporate America. A ton of high performing AE's on LinkedIn flash gaudy sales numbers and strategies to perform just like them. That's great if you work for a big, well oiled machine...but what about at startups? I am a top performer. However, I've chosen to sacrifice that level of insane consistency for something greater. Being a part of meaningful growth on a day-to-day basis. Sure, there are going to be ups and downs selling for a startup. Some months you'll do everything right and miss quota due to things that truly aren't in your control. However, I feel my day-to-day impact when I work with prospects and customers. For me, this has allowed burnout to stay away (for the most part!). Do you work for a startup? Do you wish you did/didn't? If you're a hiring manager at a bigger company - do you take the potential inconsistency of quota attainment as a negative? For me, it was the best decision I made joining the startup world back when I did. I wouldn't be the seller I am today if I just went to bigger B2B SaaS companies. #SaaS #sales #startups #startupsales #salescareers #Techsales

What's the role of a sales focused founder in early stage startups? There are a lot of opinions. In fact, too many. In my experience, biz dev focused founders need more support and specificity regarding their role, what skills they need to develop, when to hire help, how to leverage advisors, what to expect from co-founders or team, and more. Rarely do I hear about marketing focused founders and what value that offers. Which is a little silly. Why sales over marketing? Maybe that's investor or short-term revenue driven. But at the end of the day --- a startup has to build a brand, have a market POV, deliver customer value and market valuable product and content to customers. I've certainly been guilty of talking about our product too much vs what customers might value as ongoing expertise. What do you think of founders who are sales-led vs marketing-led? Would love to hear your thoughts.

The Scalerr Formula for Global Expansion – Hiring Your First On Ground!!! What founders think they need when expanding into a new market: ❌ Someone with Extensive Networks ❌ Senior and Experienced Executive It’s a good idea, but here’s the downsides: 👎 Many are no longer hands-on 👎 Not prepared to do the grunt work 👎 Very expensive When entering a new market, this is SCALERR method: 🔥 Hungry and motivated 🔥 Hands-on 🔥 Experience working for a related startup 🔥 Proven experience as a successful seller/ready to step up 🔥 Proven experience as a team lead/ready to step up And here is why: 🚀 They know the target customers 🚀 They know the target partners 🚀 They know the formula for growth (from another startup) 🚀 They are HUNGRY – this is their chance to advance their career by 10 years 🚀 If they perform well, they can become the VP 🚀 Driven by life-changing ESOP vs demanding a high base And this is what you get: 💪 Extreme motivation = faster sales 💪 Lower wage bill = faster time to break even It works lah! #globalexpansion #newmarketentry

Startups need a special, focused approach & strategy for talent pull. Sales & operations are key roles for any founder in a scaling-up environment. Our team ensured full justice to the expectations of one such B2B SaaS startup founder. #Startuphiring #Saleshiring #Leadershiphiring #B2BSaaS #Opshiring #Growth

# Thinking of starting a startup? Here are the first 4 essential hires! 1. **#TechnicalCofounder or #LeadDeveloper**: They bring your vision to life, developing the startup's product or service using the latest technologies. 2. **#MarketingExpert**: They identify your target market, devise a marketing strategy, and acquire customers, understanding who would benefit from your product. 3. **#Salesperson**: They're key in generating revenue, finding and closing deals, and understanding how your product meets customers' needs. 4. **#OperationsManager**: They oversee daily operations, managing everything from hiring to finances and production, ensuring your business runs smoothly. #startup #hiring #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship

#Early #Stage #Startup's First #Sales Hire: A Swiss Army Knife 🇨🇭 #Founders & #CEOs, your startup's first sales hire is a crucial one that can make or break your company’s success and therefore demands unique skills to overcome the challenges of early-stage sales. Here are the top 5 Swiss-Army-Knife #Skills you should look for: 1️⃣ Above all: #Coachability 🏄♀️ Open to coaching, eager to learn and adapt, actively seeking feedback. 2️⃣ #Hunter Mentality 🦅 Comfortable with and excited about finding new opportunities, making cold calls, and generating their own leads. They should be able to build a sales pipeline from scratch. 3️⃣ #Adaptability & #Problem-#Solving 🦎 Comfortable with developing their own processes and strategies on the fly. Creative problem solvers who can adapt quickly to changing circumstances. 4️⃣ #Data-#Driven Mindset 📊 Intuitive yet data-driven decision maker. Comfortable tracking key metrics, analyzing conversion rates, and using data to refine their approach and provide valuable insights. 5️⃣ Strong #Time #Management ⏳ Able to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively. Can balance different responsibilities from prospecting to closing deals. You are laying the #foundation for your entire #sales #organization. Select someone with these qualities, and you'r ‘half-way’ there. Provide your hire with the needed resources and keep your finger on the pulse 💗 Good Luck! #EarlyStage, #Startups, #Sales