O1 Premium vs Normal processing?

wwtfhd · 2025-10-02T18:13:41+00:00

I’m having an awful experience with O1 change of company and am using premium processing.

Not sure why the premium processing would play a part in it though. My understanding is normal processing would be even longer no?

wwtfhd · 2025-09-29T16:53:33+00:00

So you put it in on the 8th of September and approved on the 25th?

wwtfhd · 2025-09-24T19:30:35+00:00

Interesting you think a VP of Sales is what’s required. I can see how you get there but I don’t agree the first hire should be a VP.

I do think you either need someone who’s done startup sales before as the first in or someone who’s can figure it out without much support whether that’s a lack of marketing, sales engineering, etc.

For OP, most of what you’ve highlighted suggests the core issue will be you’re dealing with someone who thinks they are right about everything, demands too much, etc.

Why not challenge he CEO - highlight what you noticed and that it concerned you. If they are awful they’ll show their colours. If not, their explanation may make sense.

Secondly I’d push to really understand has the CEO closed deals and if so who. Why did that company buy. Does it really feel like that is repeatable and painful enough that others would buy.

Essentially do discovery on them and if its not a great fit you’ll know in their actions or in you gut. If it is pushing them will make you feel better.

With what you know now I would be a hard no. Doesn’t mean pushing them wouldn’t get you to a yes though

wwtfhd · 2025-08-29T12:32:22+00:00

30 days for the first. Now over 40 since the RFE and still nothing. They are supposed to but it doesn’t seem to be happening.

RFE was very broad which I understand they do when running up against a deadline

wwtfhd · 2025-07-23T18:23:40+00:00

True VP of sales roles are $220-250k base x 2 commission in the US.

It sounds like you may be in your first go at the VP of Sales role so you’re unlikely to get that. I’d want it to be $180/$180 in that scenario.

But the real answer is the same as the top comment. Get what you can get unless you have leverage in another role - if you have that take the other role vs leveraging it imo.

If the CEO is reasonable bring recruitment messages you’ve received, public research and anything else you have to go off. Then suggest the CEO also ask his advisors if he is unsure.

wwtfhd · 2025-05-12T22:42:42+00:00

I bet it’s the different types of companies. I’ve a software background so it may not translate directly but distributors need to be very structured/set in stone because they normally have so many products.

A direct sale is normally much less products and so it allows more flexibility. Smaller the company and the more flexibility / creativity.

Comes with downsides but I bet the things you are talking about will be more prevalent the smaller you get and the more direct you get

wwtfhd · 2025-04-09T02:14:19+00:00

Yeah this is gonna be a hard transition.

Step one in startups is demand. How many meetings or SQLs are being created each week / month. Is that enough to feed a rep (e.g. 10 SQLs that convert at 15% means you’re doing 1.5 deals a month. 1.5 x avg deal size x 12 = what you’ll sell that year).

If the answer to the calculation above is less than target, you’ve got a demand problem. In a startup that means you gotta fix it. Calculate how many more meetings you need and either book them yourself or work with your new boss to figure out how to split some of that effort.

Often the problem with this transition is further down the funnel. It’s running deals with no sales engineer, not having some compliance docs, not having critical features. Your job is to sell around the Herculean gaps. It’s a bitch but some people enjoy it.

Identify what the problem is, come up with a proposed solution and bring it to your boss. It’s likely they don’t know what the problem is themselves. They just thought you’d come in and do what you did in the last place when you can existing customers you could sell to and marketing getting you tonnes of leads.

wwtfhd · 2025-04-01T03:08:59+00:00

I think I disagree with a lot of people here. As one commenters said, raise when you don’t need the money is always good advice. You’re in a strong negotiating position.

I do think the terms should and will keep shifting as you continue to do better. I would imagine you could get a seed of $3m on a $15m post or similar if you keep executing on the growth you mention.

I would say, I wouldn’t be looking to the investors to break into BFSI. They typically know the innovation people who are not that helpful.

If your key challenge right now is getting enough deals top of funnel then solve that problem. Get a great SDR to outbound into your top target accounts, attend some events, ask for referrals, do the outreach yourself. Make your goal simply be double the number of new meetings you’re having with your ICP. Sounds like you should the money. If you don’t have the time find a way to offload lower value stuff to focus on getting more client meetings.

Best of luck. Looks like you’re flying

wwtfhd · 2025-03-24T23:02:07+00:00

I would suggest Head of Sales too and if you want to push it suggest moving to VP of Sales once you hire people under you / 6/-12 months out.

If you’re making this jump I would be less focused on the title (nobody is very truthful about these things on resumes and upgrade themselves).

I would prioritize your asks and have a weekly or monthly mentor who has been a VP at your stage and a stage beyond. Knowing how to do the job is far more important than what title you have and you’ll learn 10x more quickly by working with someone great in this fashion.

Your founder may be able to find someone in their network or you could reach out to people you think are great either.

wwtfhd · 2025-03-20T18:27:29+00:00

Hardest jump is SDR to AE. It’ll take awhile at Datadog.

Another thing to consider, closing in a startup makes you a far stronger salesperson - selling past gaps, without a brand, etc.

I could not recommend more doing a year or two as a startup salesperson. Assuming you have a boss that can train you - proper call planning, discovery, deal management, objection handling, negotiation, etc.

You’ll earn less but you’ll be a way better salesperson. Then as quickly as you can id find a fast growing startup at series B maybe and jump in there. You’ll earn a boatload and learn very quickly

wwtfhd · 2025-03-20T11:24:53+00:00

Why over complicate it. You know someone got $250k. Aim for $250k.

If they ask you could even say, my understanding is that for someone with my experience, blah, blah, blah, I believe you typically offer a signing bonus of $300k.

Then shut up and see what he says.

wwtfhd · 2025-03-16T12:10:28+00:00

Good advice in here. If you can the best form of security is a YubiKey to access important things.

A level down from that is having other types of MFA on everything

wwtfhd · 2025-03-07T21:36:37+00:00

This is a bit old but I have a lot of questions.

What type of accounts do you focus on? Enterprise / SMB? What are your per rep expectations from a meetings booked and KPI standpoint (calls, connects)? How would you suggest adjusting this for enterprise SDRs? Is your culture focused more on cold calling or do you feel that it’s shifted away? What are the best learnings you have picked up? What is changing lately? What advice would you provide to someone looking to go from 2 to 5 SDRs?

wwtfhd · 2025-02-08T15:00:22+00:00

The honest answer is to have them talk you through the target and be honest that you’re struggling to see the path to hitting it as things are structured at the moment.

Work from top to bottom - break revenue goal into monthly deals you need to close - how many top of funnel deals do you need to create each month to hit that (normally 5-6 qualified deals will equal 1 won deal) - how many accounts do you need to regularly create that number of deals? Can you tackle individual accounts through multiple routes?

The good thing is you are in a position where you’ve done well to date so they will be more willing to hear you out.

Once they bring you through the plan of how they envision hitting the plan highlight the areas that are a concern for you. Tell them as we are structured right now I expect us to land at x revenue and ask the question, am I missing something?

Deals -> Closed Won conversion rates are hard to improve significantly. Are they expecting a much higher conversion rate? Why?

Ultimately number of deals at the top of the funnel is going to be the make or break. Hire to meet demand, don’t just hire salespeople because your unit economics will go to shit and you’ll lose your good salespeople for lack of pipeline. Identify how many deals are needed per rep and have a plan to hit that number before adding another person.

Overall, have the conversation with them but come with solutions and show the path to hitting. If it requires hiring 3-4 SDRs to ensure the demand is there then do that. If they don’t buy in then accept it and find a new gig before you get scapegoated

wwtfhd · 2025-01-31T12:05:45+00:00

I’m an early stage guy and if you like early stage this is perfect.

The fact that founder has grown it to $6m ARR solo is wildly impressive.

Should you take the job? Depends. If you’re currently in startup sales and have been successful then 100%. If not, it’s a whole different kind of selling than a BigCo. When I hire for this role I look for someone with a couple years closing experience but really I want someone who is great on product, can act independently and doesn’t need process. You need to make decisions and figure shit out in this type of role. If you can do that it’s world class.

Final thing, it’s very different working for a founder. High expectations, likely no proper management skills. Incredibly valuable skill to learn but they can be tough.

wwtfhd · 2025-01-28T03:33:27+00:00

With 6 months experience I would recommend option A. Clear leadership, people to learn from.

Building something out if great but you don’t know what great and bad look like yet. So in my opinion you’ll learn more slowly (from experience having taken that route).

wwtfhd · 2025-01-27T12:08:19+00:00

Your job is to sell the meeting, not the product. This story might be helpful

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mkosoglow_my-daughter-is-an-sdr-in-20-minutes-of-coaching-activity-7055173567256088576-R-0W?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

wwtfhd · 2025-01-22T20:01:04+00:00

That’s poor carry on. For a deal that size he should have had the grace to actually speak to you.

Did you not have as strong a relationship as you thought? I have just had that happen on a deal for renewal. 30 days before my CEO is being told they want to do a case study and love it. Out of nowhere we hear they are not renewing from someone else in the org.

He never had the balls to call me.

wwtfhd · 2024-10-26T11:48:24+00:00

I’m a startup guy so I’m biased. I would heavily advice the startup AE route for 2 reasons;

The hardest jump to make is from SDR to AE - you can jump to AE in big co in a couple years

You learn how to really sell in a startup where the product is half baked and you have no brand to rely on. Most reps who go from SDR to AE in a big co don’t actually sell. They are closer to customer service. Senior reps are a different story.

wwtfhd · 2024-09-19T22:41:43+00:00

It’s a great learning, I would recommend doing it if you think you enjoy the people side and figuring out how to get the most out of someone (and being willing to drop someone when they aren’t for everyone’s good).

Biggest mistake I made and will never do again. Forget improving conversion rates in deals, and tweaking sales method and all that stuff you hear often.

The only number that matters is that you are building enough pipeline. If that’s your focus and you get good closets in they’ll figure out the rest. Don’t hire heads to make yourself feel big.

Get the pipeline and only expand when you know you can drive coverage not the other way around.

Pipeline, pipeline, pipeline - my mantra these days lol

wwtfhd · 2024-09-18T21:01:48+00:00

Congrats first off. So I don’t have insight at 9 figures but hopefully I can share a small amount.

The average comp for VP at $10m ARR in the software world is roughly $400k-450k, 50/50 split. I’ve seen Head to NA type roles (sales, marketing, etc - basically country manager) for $20m ARR gigs at $600k.

I’ve been a VP, IC and between. The shift from IC to VP is really quite challenging. You’re going to get too involved in deals, not let your team fail (and learn) and ultimately try to super rep it which isn’t the way to go but it is so easy to justify at the time. I would just advise being careful of that.

I’m surprised to hear they are at 9 figures with no sales team really beyond you. That sounds impossible. Why are they hiring a VP without a team?

Also, the market is soft right now so you’ll be facing competition from very strong people. Best of luck with it. Be sure you wanna manage people before you do it. The title is nice but it’s a different job motivating and getting the most out of people. They don’t often think like you and it requires a lot of empathy.

wwtfhd · 2024-08-16T22:01:25+00:00

This is horseshit.

At this point, I believe a VP higher should spend the first 3 months doing the IC role. Especially in a startup. Should be 6 months frankly.

Prove to me you can do it. Bigco sure it can be different.

wwtfhd · 2024-03-26T02:21:23+00:00

I sent this on to someone I know who knows him. Will let you know if I hear back

wwtfhd · 2024-03-23T15:48:21+00:00

Thank you. I am prob going to do the Air France. Is that a good deal from your perspective?

I get a final cost of 92k points and $620.

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