Jason M. Lemkin tells new sales VPs to reject unrealistic targets and stop treating headcount as a revenue driver. Growing from $3M to $9M might work, but jumping to $20M in one year will probably fail and cost you your job.
Boy, I know you know this one but I see it again and again with first time VPs of sales and even just VP of sales. Taking almost any job is signing up for an impossible plan. Don't sign up for an impossible plan if you do not believe the plan that the Seal presents to you is feasible achievable. Make sure you believe the plan is achievable. Not easy, but achievable. At least you'll come close. But boy, crazy plans set everyone up for failure but especially VP of Sales. You just. You just miss the plan almost immediately and you never dig out of a hole. So if you're your CEO wants you to go from 3 to 20 this year and you've looked at it and you know this is a good startup, it can triple this year. But 3 to 9? That's hard enough. It's asked 3 to 20 is insane. Do not agree to that job. You will lose your job. Point four and this is subtle and complicated but especially as a first time VP of Sales headcount alone will not drive revenue now.
