Hiring a VP of Sales for your startup can be a daunting task. There are 48 types of VPs of Sales, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but only one will be a perfect fit for your startup. Unfortunately, so many CEOs make the mistake of hiring a “pretty good” VP of Sales who isn’t a good fit for their startup. To simplify the hiring process and help you avoid this mistake, we’ve put together a checklist of things to look for when hiring a VP of Sales.
- Worked at a start-up: Don’t hire a VP of Sales who hasn’t worked at a start-up with a similar ARR to the one your startup will be at in 12 months. They won’t know the playbook for your stage and may not be able to make the level-up quickly.
- Comfortable selling to your buyer persona: Don’t hire a VP of Sales who isn’t comfortable selling to your buyer persona, especially in B2D and fintech. They need to understand the buyer and use case in order to sell your product effectively.
- Has good relationships: Don’t hire a VP of Sales who has no one good to bring with them. Job #1 for a VP of Sales is recruiting and if no one wants to come with them, they may not be ready to be a VP.
- Can demo your product: Don’t hire a VP of Sales who can’t demo your product. This is especially important before reaching $20m-$30m ARR. They need to live and breathe your product in order to sell it effectively.
- Done it all before: Don’t hire a VP of Sales who has truly done it all before. Why would they join your startup? Make sure you understand their motivation for joining.
- Experienced in outbound: Don’t hire a VP of Sales who has never done outbound if that’s important to your sales model. You don’t have time for them to learn on your nickel.
- Liked by everyone: Don’t hire a VP of Sales who everyone likes but you. If your gut isn’t sure, pass. You have to love the VPs you hire.
This checklist is a good starting point for finding the right VP of Sales for your startup, but it’s not the only factor to consider. That’s where Paladin Impact comes in. With our fractional C-suite support, we provide startups with the expertise they need to make the right hiring decisions. Our team of seasoned executives has decades of experience in startups and can help you find the right VP of Sales for your company. With our support, you can avoid the mis-hire and find the perfect fit for your startup. That’s the overall value of Paladin Impact – providing startups with the support they need to make the right decisions and achieve success.
