3 ms·
-fresh MBA -no existing network -hesitant to join -wants to moonlight All bad signs but you seem to think he would be a good person to work with so ultimately
by rajacombinator 9y ago
-fresh MBA
-no existing network
-hesitant to join
-wants to moonlight
All bad signs but you seem to think he would be a good person to work with so ultimately you have to decide. It sounds like what you need is 1 or 2 rich angels who have the connections to get your first few contracts, or an old guy like 50+ with actual connections and sales experience. (Pay him commissions.) Ideally you should be able to land your old employer as customer #1. Let your MBA friend strike while his job ticket is hot and get a stable job somewhere. Honestly sounds like you don’t know the industry too well either btw.
- Blackstone4 9y agoI know the industry fairly well but I have never done sales before. Mostly out bound calling / research where I've been the investor. I know potential clients or can get intros through my network. I have three advisers who I brought on in a semi-formal capacity. Two are senior investment managers and one is a serial entrepreneur having started companies in the same area. I speak to them maybe 1-2 a month to get advice and they are listed on my website.
- sharemywin 9y agoYou need to at least get the product working for the potential clients you already know. They're your network not his. CEO is sales to employees, investors, customers etc. your always going to have to sell to big clients and help out your sales people.
- rajacombinator 9y agoThen you’re good to go! (Although you should make them formal advisors with incentives.) If you can’t land clients based on that network, fresh-MBA no-network-or-experience guy is not going to help.