Dear SaaStr: Should I Let My VP of Sales Go? I’m Not Sure I’ve Made The Right Hire 60 Days In?
It depends on what you’re seeing after these 60 days. You don’t need perfection. You do need to see true improvement. Not magic, but some real, tangible improvement. Some element of the curve being … tilted.
A great VP of Sales should show meaningful progress within one sales cycle. If they’re not moving the needle, it’s time to seriously evaluate whether they’re the right fit.
Here’s what I’d look at:
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Pipeline Growth: Have they increased your pipeline metrics? Are there more demos, more contracts being drafted, and more deals in the works? If your pipeline hasn’t improved, that’s a red flag. You have to make sure it’s not cr*p pipeline. But are more good deals in in the funnel?
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Revenue Impact: Have they driven revenue growth? Even with the same leads and resources you had before, a great VP of Sales should be able to optimize and close more deals. If revenue hasn’t improved, that’s another warning sign.
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Team Building: Have they started hiring and onboarding new reps that you think are at least good? And are those reps hitting quota or at least showing signs they will? If they haven’t built a team or can’t get reps to perform, they’re not scaling your sales org effectively.
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Taking Work Off Your Plate: Have they taken ownership of sales? If you’re still doing most of the heavy lifting, they’re not functioning as a true VP. A great VP of Sales should free you up to focus on other areas of the business.
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Team Confidence: Does your team believe in them? If your team isn’t rallying behind the VP, it’s a sign they’re not inspiring confidence or driving results. This is almost always a bad sign.
If they’re failing on most of these fronts, it’s better to cut your losses now. Waiting another 6-9 months will only cost you a year of growth. But if you’re seeing progress—maybe not perfect, but measurable improvement—it might be worth giving them a bit more time to prove themselves.
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