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5-6 Years Is About As Fast As You Can Mint a True VP of Sales

SaaStr

We’ve talked a lot about hiring a VP of Sales at SaaStr , and if you hire a stretch VP of Sales (as most of you will) … how much you can stretch. A related question is — just how quickly can you gain the requisite experience to be a true first time VP of Sales? Month 6: promoted to first SMB rep.

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Want to Get Ahead in Sales? Make Sure You Pick the Right Track

SaaStr

Dear SaaStr: What’s the Best Way to Get Ahead in SaaS Sales? It is important to decide which of 3 life tracks you want to be on: Super-successful sales rep / individual contributor. Successful sales manager. I.e., become a VP of Sales someday. Leverage “sales” to become a founder, business owner , etc.

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30+ SaaS CEOs Share The Signs Their First VP of Sales … Just Wasn’t Going to Work Out

SaaStr

What was the first warning sign your VP of Sales wasn't going to work out? A new VP of Sales doesn’t always double sales in 30 days — although it can happen in SMB sales. The old playbook does help, but every great VP of Sales knows they quickly have to evolve it to any new role.

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The Playbook to Building a Thriving Sales Culture with PatientPop SVP of Sales Justin Welsh (Video + Transcript)

SaaStr

Justin Welsh, former SVP of Sales at PatientPop explains how he started in SaaS in 2009 as the second sales hire at Zocdoc. Justin used Sales Culture to grow a successful PatientPop team to 140 employees and 55 million in revenue. Justin Welsh | SVP Sales @ PatientPop. I was a local sales manager or regional manager.

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See How Far Your VPs Can Take You. You May Be Surprised.

SaaStr

The other day, I met with a great founder who talked with me about how he was about to top his VP of Sales. in ARR in pretty short order, recruiting a great small team of reps under her, and had really nailed the formula. This “under promoting” challenge is especially true in your sales team. More on that here.

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What Order Should You Hire Your Management Team In?

SaaStr

But a great head of demand gen (or maybe growth hacking if you are SMB) should be very accretive at even $20k in MRR. More on that here and a great video discussion below: You’ll probably be ready for your first VP of Sales by $1m in ARR. This will seem crazy early to many of you. Earlier is better. It’s not fatal.

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If Your VP Hasn’t Done Some Key Part of the Job by Day 90. He Never Will.

SaaStr

A head of sales that doesn’t recruit at least one strong rep in the first 90 days. A VP of Sales that has never done outbound, if they don’t take it on fairly early — they never really will. But the top VPs of Sales know you have to get it going soon. Never will. That hits quota or better. Never will.