One of the most frequent questions I hear from founders and directors is: “Nicola, how do I get off the hamster wheel and out of director-led selling?”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many growth-stage and scale-up businesses hit a wall when they try to move beyond their initial cohort of customers. The instinct is often to hire a salesperson, someone to take the reins and drive sales forward. But here’s the hard truth:
Hiring a salesperson too early is one of the costliest mistakes you can make.
Let me explain why, and what to do instead.
Why Hiring Too Soon Backfires
When your Sales Engine is built around you, the founder, director, or original team, it’s powered by relationships, referrals, and personal credibility. Drop a new hire into that setup, and they’ll spend months shadowing you, trying to replicate something that simply can’t be duplicated.
The result? A bloated pipeline full of possibilities, little actual traction, and six months of salary down the drain.
Then you fire them, revert to doing it yourself, get frustrated, and repeat the cycle. Sound familiar?
Build the Engine Before You Exit
Before you even think about hiring, you need to build the infrastructure that allows someone else to succeed. Here’s how:
1. Start with Lead Generation
You need a clear offer, a well-defined target customer, and a route to market that doesn’t rely on your personal network. That means investing in messaging, testing channels, and building inbound strategies that generate consistent, high-quality leads.
Yes, it takes time and money. But it’s the foundation of scalable growth.
2. Map Your Customer Journey
What happens when someone discovers you for the first time? How do they move from awareness to interest to decision? I recommend literally mapping this out, post-its on a wall work wonders, to visualise every step and identify gaps.
3. Get Your Tech Stack in Place
If you’ve been relying on LinkedIn and spreadsheets, it’s time to upgrade. A centralised CRM and marketing automation system are non-negotiable if you want to scale. Don’t expect a new hire to set this up for you, do it first, iron out the kinks, and then bring someone in to run with it.
4. Create a Sales Bible or Playbook
You can’t lead by osmosis. Document your sales process in detail, from email templates to key phrases to proposal formats. This becomes your operations manual, giving new team members the clarity and consistency they need to succeed.
5. Delegate Before You Duplicate
Before handing over the entire sales function, ask: What parts of the process can I delegate now?
Sales admin support can be a game-changer, handling scheduling, follow-ups, proposals, and inbox management. Free yourself from the grunt work so you can focus on the high-value conversations only you can have.
When to Hire
Only when:
- You have a steady stream of qualified leads
- Your customer journey is mapped and optimized
- Your tech stack is humming
- Your playbook is ready
- And your calendar is maxed out with sales opportunities
…should you consider hiring someone to take over the sales role.
Otherwise, you risk burning cash and time—and ending up right back where you started.
Want the Full Breakdown?
I dive deeper into this topic in my latest video: “How Do I Get Out of Director-Led Selling?”
Let’s build a sales engine that doesn’t rely on you being in every deal. It’s time to scale with confidence.