Before you hire sales, lead it

Most founders try to balance product, fundraising, and sales, but the truth is, you can’t delegate sales until you have led it.

You are the sales engine in the early days. How you show up now directly impacts your pipeline, team culture, and ultimately your growth trajectory.

For this month’s Revenue Rocket, I cover the key sales foundations you need to lay down before making that first go-to-market hire.

As always, I hope it delivers value.

Matthew

Act Like a CRO from Day One

A common misconception among SaaS founders is that bringing in a salesperson means sales will run itself. Unfortunately for most founders, that’s just not how it works.

Step into the CRO role from day one

In the beginning, you are the CRO. That mindset shift is vital. Establish a sales culture before your team even exists. Start building structure with daily standups, one-on-ones, and pipeline reviews from the start.

Build clarity and structure early

Salespeople thrive on clear direction and consistent process. Make sure you define qualification stages, build a solid onboarding process, and lay out what makes an SQL vs. an MQL. Take the heavy lifting off their plate so they can spend time on outbound, meeting prospects, running demos, creating proposals, and driving next steps.

Get laser-focused on fit

Be specific about what makes a good-fit customer, and just as clear on what doesn’t. That clarity will improve retention and help your sales team focus on the right opportunities.

Coach don’t micromanage

You’re not building a carbon copy of yourself. Your sales hires will bring their own strengths. Review calls, role play, and offer support across the pipeline.

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What makes a great startup sales hire

Many founders assume that sales experience at a large company will easily translate into a 25-person startup. But it’s a completely different world. In big organisations, reps often manage inbound leads, rely on structured systems, and are supported by large marketing and customer success teams. That background doesn’t prepare someone for the build-it-from-scratch reality of early-stage sales.

Don’t hire based on experience alone

Experience still matters, but values and soft skills matter more. The four traits I look for above all else:

• Grit

• Coachability

• Curiosity

• Ownership mindset

These are the qualities that show up consistently in top startup sales performers and they can’t be taught.

Look for people with something to prove

Some of the best reps I’ve seen had a personal driver. That hunger, that extra motivation, goes further than you’d expect. It’s what keeps them pushing past rejection.

Make the process systematic

Use a simple framework or scorecard to evaluate what really counts: those key soft skills, stage fit, and prospecting strength. And watch carefully between interviews. That’s often when the best candidates really show you who they are.

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What early-stage investors really want to see

You don’t need a flawless pitch or a finished product to raise a pre-seed round. But you do need clear thinking, strong focus, and a deep connection to the problem you’re solving.

In this edition of Cosmic Conversations, I spoke with Kenneth Kashif Thomas of BackFuture, about what makes a startup investable at the earliest stages.

Here are some of the most valuable takeaways:

One ICP is enough

Pitching to multiple personas usually signals a lack of positioning. Investors want to see that you know exactly who your customer is.

Execution trumps credentials

You don’t need to be a repeat founder. What matters is proving you can build and deliver with limited resources.

Short outreach works best

Keep your message to 2–3 sentences. Send the deck beforehand and use the call to build a conversation, not present slides.

Spend post-raise with focus

Prioritise product, your early team, and customer success. Don’t blow your runway on ads or office space.

Don’t hire AEs too soon

Founders should stay close to sales until the motion is repeatable. An SDR is usually the better first hire.

If you're preparing to raise, this is the kind of insight you'll want to keep front and centre.

Watch the full conversation here

Cosmic Collectives exclusive Founders Dinner

Who it’s for

This dinner is for founders building early-stage B2B tech companies.

What to expect

Enjoy a 3-course meal alongside fellow founders, with conversation centred around one thing: growing contract values. Share strategies, learn what’s worked for others, and hear how peers are navigating similar challenges.

Attendance is free, but spots are limited.

Request your place here.

Thank you for reading Revenue Rocket.

With 15 years of commercial experience helping VC-backed B2B tech firms scale revenue and transition from founder-led sales, I'm putting my knowledge and insight into this monthly newsletter to help early-stage start-ups with GTM expertise, sales best practice, and hiring insights.

I hope it provides some value. And if you have any topics you'd like me to cover in future editions, please let me know.

Matthew