When to Hire Your First SDR (and When Not To)

Founders love the idea of hiring an SDR.
“Someone else will book my meetings so I can just close deals.”

Sounds nice. Reality? Not so much.

Here’s the truth:

�� Don’t hire an SDR if…

· You don’t have a repeatable outbound process. If you can’t book meetings yourself, they won’t either.

· You’re unclear on your ICP. An SDR won’t magically figure out who your best customers are.

· You think of them as a quick fix for pipeline problems. SDRs amplify what’s already working; they don’t create product-market fit.

�� Do hire an SDR when…

· You (or a founder/AE) have proven outbound works — e.g., you’ve booked and closed deals yourself with cold outreach.

· You’ve got a clear ICP and messaging that consistently resonates.

· You’re ready to scale the volume of what’s already working, not experiment blindly.

Here’s the gut-check:
An SDR is not a scientist. They’re a lab assistant.

If you haven’t run the experiments and nailed the formula, handing them the lab coat is a waste of money.

Your first SDR should be gasoline on a fire you already lit — not a match you’re hoping they’ll strike for you.

Yours,
—R