When I asked the CEO of a fast-growing SaaS tech company,
“What would you do differently if you could go back?”
He didn’t even pause before answering:
“I’d never hire a solo SDR again.”
And that insight led to two powerful lessons that reshaped how they hire and scale sales teams:
1. Hire Big. Hire Fast.
Playing it safe often means hiring slowly—but safety kills momentum.
Early on, this company hired one SDR at a time.
They were cautious. Budget-conscious. Conservative.
The result?
- Slower pipeline growth
- Burnout for solo hires
- A long feedback loop
Now, they’re doing it differently:
- Hiring 3–4 SDRs at once
- Running faster experiments
- Building pipeline velocity
More people = more outreach = faster learning = faster results.
“If we had hired more SDRs earlier, we would’ve grown much faster.”
2. Never Hire a Solo SDR
This one hit hard.
Hiring just one SDR is risky.
Not just for the company—but for the SDR too.
They feel alone.
No peers to bounce ideas off.
No one to benchmark against.
And if they leave, the whole motion collapses.
Now, the CEO only hires in groups.
“In teams, they brainstorm together, compete with each other, and succeed together.”
- Built-in support
- Faster onboarding
- Healthier team dynamics
- More resilience
The Bottom Line?
Building a sales team is a strategy, not just a headcount.
The shift from cautious hiring to confident scaling changed everything for this CEO.
Faster pipeline
Higher morale
Better retention
Stronger growth trajectory
Solo SDRs struggle. Sales pods thrive.
It’s not just a hiring tactic—it’s a culture shift.
And it’s working.
What’s your take on hiring in cohorts vs. solo reps?
Have you tried this in your team?
Let’s talk in the comments
