SaaStr Advises Against Hiring Popular VP of Sales Candidates

SaaStr Warns on Popular VP of Sales Hires

SaaStr states that at least 9 times out of 10, if everyone on the team loves a VP of Sales, it is the wrong hire. The post notes that CEOs often choose between two final CRO or VP of Sales candidates and that the more opinionated candidate or the one with less unanimous support usually loses out, which the article identifies as a mistake.

Sales Team Reactions Signal Fit Issues

The article explains that the existing sales team should not love a strong CRO or VP of Sales candidate. Lower performers will feel threatened because they know they will likely be moved out. Top performers may also feel threatened because things will change. SaaStr notes that the best VPs of Sales identify top performers and make them want to stay, yet this does not remove all anxiety. The post adds that top performing individual contributor sales executives often prefer a nice VP of Sales who does not know the product, pace, or industry but will leave them alone, which is usually the wrong choice for the company. If the team is 100 percent opposed to a candidate, that is a sign not to make the hire, according to SaaStr.

Management Team Input Often Misleads

SaaStr states that the management team often should be split on a top CRO or VP of Sales candidate. Many do not really know what a VP of Sales does, so they will be impressed by the candidate who talks ARR and NRR the best. They will also look for fit with existing VPs and the current vibe. The article notes that the newest VPs often love the more mediocre final candidate because they do not know yet, so their input should be viewed with caution.

Board Feedback Requires Scrutiny

The post says the board often does not know what makes a good VP of Sales hire at a given scale or customer type. Most investors were not CEOs, and even those who were rarely hired a VP of Sales at the company’s ACV level. SaaStr observes that VCs love candidates who sell up well, but this is not what is needed. Most VCs give the wrong advice between two final candidates. The popular candidates often come from companies such as Twilio, Datadog, or Salesforce and lack startup experience at the relevant scale. They tend to be less hands-on and spend time on people matters rather than sales execution. According to SaaStr, the VP of Sales candidate everyone loves will make the least change, which is not what growing companies require.