A short YouTube talk by Jason M. Lemkin sharing an anecdote about hiring sales reps. Lemkin recounts how an SDR, Sam Blonde, observed that selling e-signature software (Adobe Sign/EchoSign) was easier than selling web-based financial products; Lemkin uses this to argue that hiring reps who succeeded in slightly harder sales environments accelerates success when they move to an easier startup context.
I remember the first time I learned this was with our first sdr, Sam Blonde, who runs our CRO Confidential series and then became Director of Sales, VP of Sales CRO at Brex CRO. Beyond that, now a partner at Founders Fund. But what I learned, I learned something from him. And Sam came originally, he was previously an SDR at Intact and he came to Adobe Sign Echo Sign, which I thought was a tough sale. And he said yeah, this is, it's a tough sell. But let me tell you, it's easier than selling web financials. Back in the day it was just enough easier to sell E signatures than web based financials that he flew that it was like a weight was taken off his ankles and sales just was easier. And I look for this again and again when I interview both sales reps and even sales leaders. Was the place you sold just a little bit harder? It's always hard and all startups are hard, but was it a little bit harder? Even harder because they just fly when they come into an environment that's easier.
