SaaS companies live and die by their revenue teams. In a space where growth metrics drive valuation and competition for market share is relentless, getting your sales leadership right isn’t optional — it’s existential. Here’s what we’ve learned from years of SaaS sales hiring about building revenue teams that win.
Start with the Right CRO or VP of Sales
Everything flows from the top. Before you hire a single account executive or SDR, make sure you have the right sales leader in place. The wrong VP of Sales will build the wrong team, establish the wrong culture, and set the wrong metrics. The right one will do the opposite.
When evaluating SaaS sales leadership candidates, focus on:
- Experience at your specific growth stage (seed, Series A/B, growth, enterprise)
- Track record of building and scaling teams, not just hitting personal quota
- Familiarity with your sales motion (product-led, enterprise, mid-market, channel)
- Ability to speak credibly to your buyer — whether that’s a technical buyer, a business buyer, or a C-suite buyer
Don’t Underestimate Cultural Fit
SaaS sales cultures vary enormously. Some are high-pressure, high-turnover environments built around volume. Others are relationship-driven, consultative, and focused on long-term customer success. Neither is inherently better — but your sales leader needs to match your culture, or they’ll reshape it in ways you didn’t intend.
Build for the Next Stage, Not the Current One
The VP of Sales who got you to $5M ARR may not be the right person to get you to $25M. Think carefully about whether you’re hiring for where you are or where you’re going — and be honest with candidates about that too.
Work with a SaaS-Specialized Recruiter
SaaS sales talent is in high demand and short supply at the senior level. The best candidates have multiple opportunities at any given time. Reaching them, evaluating them, and closing them requires a recruiting partner with deep networks in the SaaS space and the credibility to have intelligent conversations about their world.
Broadreach’s SaaS executive search practice is built specifically for this challenge. We’ve placed sales leaders at SaaS companies across the country and we know what great looks like at every stage.
Ready to build your SaaS revenue team? Let’s talk.