#hiring

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.

The article explains that the existing sales team should not love a strong CRO or VP of Sales candidate.

According to SaaStr, a great sales rep cannot sell any B2B product well in software. The very best SaaS reps who are truly curious can often sell almost any product, but this group is narrow.

SaaStr states that salespeople can be good at outbound but not inbound, or the reverse. They can perform well only when backed by an established brand and market position.

SaaStr published guidance on mistakes new VPs of Sales and CROs make in their first week. The article focuses on errors that lead to mis-hires and outlines steps candidates and CEOs can take to avoid them.

According to SaaStr, many new leaders fail to know the product cold before starting. Others do not begin work the week prior by reviewing email, Slack, calls, and recordings.

Founders at B2B AI startups report hiring executives who worked at good companies once or twice yet never performed the core work of the roles. According to [SaaStr](https://www.saastr.com/beware-the-mediocre-recycled-the-zombie-executives-of-b2b-ai/), these hires possess the right LinkedIn logos and speak fluently about PLG, enterprise motions and AI-native go-to-market but have not built AI workflows themselves.

A SaaStr post provides stage-by-stage hiring guidance for B2B SaaS companies growing from zero to $10 million in annual recurring revenue. The guidance states that every hire has outsized impact with little redundancy in this range.

Founders should lead sales and close the first 10-20 customers to refine the pitch. Companies may hire 1-2 scrappy AEs or SDRs for lead gen support.

SaaStr states that after working with or investing in approximately 30 successful start-ups, the most common VP or CXO-level hire failure observed is the wrong VP of Sales or CRO. The second most frequent mistake, and often the top reason VPs lose their jobs, is priority dis-alignment between the new executive and the CEO.

A SaaStr article states that companies can determine whether a new VP Sales hire will work out within 30 days by applying two specific tests focused on recruiting and team management.

The article explains that the majority of first VP Sales hires in SaaS companies do not remain in the role for 12 months. It asserts that the determination can be made in 30 days rather than waiting for revenue outcomes.