Four ways to fix founder-led sales
None is always right. The order matters more than the choice.
Do it yourself
- Cost, year one
- $0 cash, 15–20 hours of your week
- What you get
- Full control, and you learn sales firsthand
- What's missing
- No framework, and you become the bottleneck on every deal
Sales consultant
- Cost, year one
- $180K–$300K ($15K–$25K a month)
- What you get
- Proven methods and an outside view
- What's missing
- The knowledge leaves when the engagement does
First VP of Sales
- Cost, year one
- $180K–$280K plus equity and recruiting
- What you get
- A leader who builds and runs a team
- What's missing
- Without a defined ICP and messaging, the hire starts from a blank page
Andru
- Cost, year one
- $0–$3,564 (Free to $297 a month)
- What you get
- Buyer understanding, meeting prep and assets, working daily
- What's missing
- It will not attend your meetings or close deals for you
| Option | Cost, year one | What you get | What's missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | $0 cash, 15–20 hours of your week | Full control, and you learn sales firsthand | No framework, and you become the bottleneck on every deal |
| Sales consultant | $180K–$300K ($15K–$25K a month) | Proven methods and an outside view | The knowledge leaves when the engagement does |
| First VP of Sales | $180K–$280K plus equity and recruiting | A leader who builds and runs a team | Without a defined ICP and messaging, the hire starts from a blank page |
| Andru | $0–$3,564 (Free to $297 a month) | Buyer understanding, meeting prep and assets, working daily | It will not attend your meetings or close deals for you |
The order that works
- Define the ICP, the buyers and the messaging with Andru.
- Use that to hire the right sales leader, not the best interviewer.
- Bring in consultants for specific moments, not as a running cost.
- Let the new leader build on the system that already exists.