Let’s be honest — without sales, your business is dead in the water. That’s a fact.
Now, maybe your business has been growing through word of mouth and referrals. That’s fantastic. If you’re happy with that pace and you don’t want to grow further, stop reading right here.
Still with me? Good.
So, you’re thinking about hiring your first sales rep — or maybe even a sales manager. Classic chicken-and-egg situation: which comes first? Personally, I’m a fan of bringing in a sales rep first. Maybe you found them through a job ad, maybe a referral — doesn’t matter. The real question is:
How do you measure their success?
I’ll never forget when I first got into sales. I was away at training, laser-focused, and I walked into the men’s room. I overheard someone congratulating another guy on his retirement. Naturally, I asked what he did. “Sales,” he said—he had just wrapped up a long career at a major corporation. So I asked if he had any advice. His response?
“You’ll hear more no’s than yes’s.”
That stuck with me. 30 years later, I can tell you: that was sound advice.
Now, back to your first hire. Do you bring in someone with experience in your industry? Or someone green, who you can mold into a “mini-me”? (Be honest—wouldn’t you love a mini-me?) Or maybe it’s someone experienced who’s done well at a bigger company and now wants to make a real impact at a smaller one.
Which is better? Here’s the truth: it depends on the person and on the trainer.
Even if you learned everything by trial and error, don’t assume your new hire wants to do the same. Most people need structure. Create a clear process for them to learn your business. Even if they’ve worked in your industry, they need to understand your way of doing things. Once they get rolling, give them room to add their own flair. With your guidance, they’ll make it their own, and that’s where the magic happens. You both win.
Next:
Set a quota. But please — for the love of all things good — give them ramp-up time.
I had a job once where there was zero ramp-up. I was behind from day one. Then, new leadership came in, I explained the situation, and they gave me that ramp time. After that? I never missed quota again.
Also — give them wins. I used to keep all the referrals for myself and tell the sales team to find their own. But then I thought: what if I handed off those leads and let them do the heavy lifting? We’d both win—and that’s exactly what happened. Much better outcome for everyone.
Compensation matters too.
I’m a fan of a solid base salary plus commission, with extra incentives (aka kickers) along the way. Salespeople thrive on recognition and rewards. They’re not your typical employee — they’re wired differently. Lean into that.
And once they’re doing well, start thinking about leadership potential. See if they can mentor a new rep. That’s how leaders are made — not by telling, but by showing.
But that’s a topic for another day. Stay tuned…
I’ll be your huckleberry.
— Joey C
