First Sales Hire Readiness Checklist
Sixteen checks and a cash and payback model. You get one of three answers: hire now, fix first, or not yet.
Excel checklistExcel (.xlsx)20 minutesFounder-led sales
What is inside
- Sixteen checks in four groups: proof it repeats, written down not in your head, capacity to onboard, and the economics.
- One of three answers: hire now, fix first, or not yet, with the logic explained.
- Your top gaps listed in order, so you know what to fix first.
- A 24-month cost and payback model that shows your break-even month and the most cash you will have tied up.
- Editable placeholder numbers, clearly marked as examples and not benchmarks.
Who it is for
Founders weighing up their first salesperson, and wanting to be sure the business and the process are ready.
How to use it
- Open it and fill in the yellow cells with real, current examples.
- Read what it flags, and pick the one or two things that matter most.
- Share it with the people who need to act, and revisit in a month.
Why we made it
Because the first sales hire is one of the most expensive and least reversible decisions a founder makes.
What it will not do
It is a decision aid, not financial or employment advice. Check costs and contracts with your accountant and adviser.
Keep going
Use it with.
- CalculatorFree
Sales Capacity Planner
How many reps do you really need? Model ramp, attrition, hiring lead time and the pipeline you already have, month by month, across three scenarios.
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Sales Hiring Scorecard and Interview Guide
Competencies, structured questions, practical exercises and a scoring grid that compares up to five candidates on evidence, not instinct.
Founders and teams · Per hireSee what is inside →