Most companies hire their first SDR before the system is ready — then blame the hire when results disappoint. Here's what actually needs to be in place before you post the job.
Apr 3, 2026
Advanced Client
Hiring an SDR before you're ready is one of the most expensive mistakes a B2B startup can make. You pay six months of salary, get inconsistent results, and conclude that outbound doesn't work. It does work — you just hired before the infrastructure was in place.
The common mistake
Most founders hire an SDR because they want to remove themselves from outbound. The SDR joins, spends two weeks trying to understand what the company does and who to target, and starts sending generic messages with no clear process. Results are poor. The founder gets frustrated.
In most cases, the hire wasn't wrong. The system wasn't ready. This is the root cause of key-person risk in B2B sales — and the solution is always the same: systematise before you hire.
What needs to be in place before you hire
Before posting the job description, you need: a documented ICP that the SDR can execute from day one (see how to build an ICP that actually converts), a tested outbound sequence with proven messaging, a clear definition of a qualified meeting, a CRM set up to track activity and outcomes (see RevOps for B2B startups), and an onboarding plan that gets the rep functional in under two weeks.
That tested sequence should come from a written outbound playbook. If any of these are missing, you're not hiring an SDR. You're hiring someone to figure out your GTM for you. That's a different and much more expensive job.
What to look for in the hire
For a first SDR, prioritise coachability and process-orientation over raw experience. Someone who follows a system and iterates based on data will outperform a 'lone wolf' rep every time.
How to measure success in the first 90 days
Activity metrics for the first 30 days (sequences sent, calls made). Conversion metrics for days 31-60 (reply rates, meetings booked). Pipeline metrics for days 61-90 (qualified meetings, opportunities created).
If you don't have benchmarks, you can't manage performance. Once this is working, the next step is scaling outbound without the founder and building toward predictable revenue.