Hiring a CRO or VP of Sales

When hiring a CRO or VP of Sales, especially in a rapidly evolving tech market, it's crucial to focus on the right skills and experiences to scale your sales team and drive revenue growth effectively. Here are some key considerations:

Key Skills and Experiences to Prioritize:

Track Record of Scaling Teams

• Look for someone who has scaled a sales team from your current ARR to your target ARR within 12-18 months.
• Ensure they have experience recruiting and ramping sales reps quickly, as it can take 6–9 months to recruit and train new hires effectively.

Sales Execution and Process Development:

• Prioritize candidates who have actively developed and implemented sales processes, not just benefited from existing ones.
• They should be ready to roll up their sleeves and build what your company needs to scale.

Accurate Revenue Forecasting:

• Your company’s survival depends on the CRO delivering the revenue they forecast.
• Look for candidates who can accurately forecast revenue, set territories, and targets, and manage pipeline effectively.

Talent Development and Retention:

• A great CRO is passionate about developing their team, ensuring they are earning, learning, and enjoying their work.
• They should articulate what good performance looks like and build an energetic culture that entices the team to stay.

Experience with Different Sales Models:

• They should understand both high-velocity transactional sales and more strategic enterprise sales.
• Experience with enterprise selling and finding signals in data to manage pipeline and close deals is crucial.

Practical Advice:

• Interview Personally: As a founder, consider personally interviewing your first 100+ hires to ensure cultural alignment.
• Define Hiring Values: Establish clear hiring values to build a strong team that aligns with your company's goals and culture.
• Listen to Your Team: Regularly seek input from your sales, support, and customer success teams to align your product roadmap with day-to-day realities.

Hiring the right sales leader is critical for scaling your business. Make sure to look beyond titles and focus on the skills and experiences that align with your company's unique needs and growth stage. ??

What key competencies do you prioritize when hiring a sales leader? Share your thoughts below!