Hiring a VP of Sales is not a go-to-market strategy

Startups often decide to hire a VP of Sales, thinking it will unlock growth. In reality, if that hire is made too early, it almost always creates confusion, stalls progress, and leads to blame.

It usually happens after a fundraise.

The founder is overwhelmed.

Investors want momentum.

The team needs help.

So the answer becomes: bring in someone to run sales. But here is the problem. There is nothing to run yet.

No repeatable process.

No validated ICP.

No consistency in buyer behavior.

Just a few early wins, a lot of pressure, and a vague number to hit.

That VP shows up into uncertainty. They are handed a foggy funnel, unclear messaging, a product that is still changing, and no real insight into why deals are won or lost. They try to build a team. They try to impose structure. And within 6 to 12 months, they are often shown the door.

This is not theory. According to SaaStr, more than 70 percent of first-time VPs of Sales at startups fail within 12 months. Their average tenure is less than 18 months.

The issue is not them. The issue is timing. Most of these hires were brought in to manage something that did not exist yet.

Why I Believe This

I have seen this mistake play out more than once—not just in companies I have advised, but also inside companies I have worked for.

At Optimize Health, a remote care focused healthcare startup, I joined as the first commercial hire. No sales motion. No revenue. No team. What worked was staying very close to the founders who were building the product, testing messaging, and driving early traction—and just as close to the market. Talking with prospects. Listening to customers. Figuring out what worked and what did not. Over time, we built real traction. We found consistency. Then we scaled.

Now, through Altus Growth Partner, a small advisory practice I run on the side, I talk with early-stage founders who are navigating this same tension. They want help. They want sales momentum. But most of the time, they do not need a VP yet. They need clarity. They need someone who can help them figure out what works before trying to scale it.

And yes, I am still in it. I still work every day at Optimize Health. We are in the process of making a significant branding pivot, and we are still learning in real time. That experience continues to shape how I think about go-to-market and what early stage teams actually need to move forward.

Practical Takeaway: Do not hire someone to manage until you have something worth managing.

The better move is to hire someone who can learn fast, adapt quickly, and persuade often. Someone who thrives in ambiguity and helps create consistency. When that consistency shows up, then the process follows. Then the structure. Then the scale.