A Guide to Hiring Founding SD

When you’re building a sales team from scratch, the first hires are always the hardest. These are the people who will set the tone for your outreach, define how prospects experience your brand, and drive those all-important early wins.

At Leadle, we’ve spent years building outbound teams and training SDRs, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the right hire can be transformative but the wrong one can set you back months.

This blog dives into what makes a great founding SDR, the common pitfalls to avoid and how to identify and hire the right candidates.

Why your first SDR hires are so critical

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Early-stage SDRs need to thrive in chaos, adapt quickly, and build systems from scratch. This means you’re not just looking for someone to execute tasks; you’re looking for someone to help figure it out. 

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According to Bridge Group’s latest report, the average tenure for SDRs is just 1.5 years. 

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Founding SDRs, however, need to stick around longer to build momentum. That means hiring people who are not only skilled but deeply aligned with your mission and culture.

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Here’s why it matters:

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→ No pre-built playbooks: Unlike SDRs at larger companies, founding SDRs won’t have predefined processes or extensive resources. They’ll need to create their own workflows, refine messaging, and iterate constantly.

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→ Higher risk, higher reward: Early-stage SDRs take on significant responsibility and risk. Their ability to perform directly impacts the company’s trajectory. This is why hiring experienced talent comes at a premium.

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→ Cultural alignment is critical: Founding SDRs set the tone for your sales culture. Their alignment with your company’s vision, values, and goals isn’t just a “good to have”—it’s essential.

5 Essential Tips for Hiring Founding SDRs

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1. Hire for skills, not logos

It’s tempting to hire an SDR with a shiny resume from a big-name company, but here’s the issue: SDRs at larger organizations operate within well-oiled machines. They’re handed scripts, workflows, and resources, which means they rarely have to “figure it out.”

For an early-stage startup, you need someone who’s scrappy, resourceful, and comfortable working without a safety net. Look for candidates who have worked at startups or smaller organizations where they’ve had to build and adapt processes themselves.

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2. Early-Stage SDRs will be more expensive

Founding SDRs take on significant responsibility - they’re building the foundation of your sales function.

Expect to pay a competitive base salary to attract top talent. Cutting corners here can result in hiring someone who’s not ready for the demands of the role, costing you more in the long run.

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3. Prioritize experience in similar roles

Someone who’s been in the trenches before will ramp up faster and bring valuable insights to your team. Look for candidates who have:

• At least one year of experience as an SDR at an early-stage startup.
• A proven track record of hitting or exceeding targets.
• Demonstrated resilience in handling the unpredictable nature of startups.

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4. Mock calls and emails are non-negotiable

Resumes and interviews only tell part of the story. The real test is whether they can do the work.

During the hiring process, include mock calls and mock email exercises to evaluate:

• How they approach discovery.
• Their ability to tailor messaging to the prospect’s pain points.
• Their creativity in crafting compelling emails and follow-ups.

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5. Better to hire SDRs in pairs 

When hiring your first SDR, it’s better to hire two. Here’s why:

• It’s easier to identify what’s working and what’s not when you have two people to compare.
• They can learn from and motivate each other, especially in a high-pressure, early-stage environment.
• If one hire doesn’t work out, you’re not left starting from scratch.

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Bonus Tip: Map out the customer journey

Before onboarding, take the time to map out every stage - from lead generation to handoff with the sales team. When your SDRs understand how their role fits into the bigger picture, they can execute with focus and purpose.

How to Hire Founding SDRs

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1. Craft a clear job description

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Your job description should clearly define their role within your startup. Be specific about:

→ The tools and skills they’ll need.

→ The expectations for the role and how their success will be measured (common KPIs for SDRs include lead generation, lead quality, and conversion rates)

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2. Look beyond resumes

Decide whether you want to go for a seasoned candidate or a junior SDR who can adapt and evolve to growing demands. Look for: 

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→ Communication skills during interviews. Are they clear, confident, and engaging?

→ Problem-solving ability. Give them a hypothetical scenario and see how they think on their feet.

→ Coachability. Are they open to feedback and willing to improve?

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3. Prioritize behavioral interviews

Resilience is a mandatory trait. They need to be able to accept and overcome challenges. Ask questions that reveal their approach to challenges:

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→ Tell me about a time you dealt with rejection. How did you handle it?

→ What’s the last thing you taught yourself?

→ How would you approach a prospect who’s ghosted you after a great meeting?

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4. Test their grit

Sales is tough. SDRs need to handle rejection without losing momentum. Use roleplay exercises to see how they respond to difficult situations, like objections or tough questions from prospects.

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5. Don’t compromise on culture fit

Even if a candidate seems perfect on paper, ask yourself: Do they align with our values and vision? A bad culture fit can lead to disengagement, friction, and high turnover.

Red flags to watch out for

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x Overconfidence without substance: If they’re all talk and no depth, it’ll show in their results.

x Resistance to feedback: Coachability is non-negotiable in an SDR.

x Lack of curiosity: If they don’t ask thoughtful questions during the interview, they’re unlikely to ask good questions on sales calls.

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Hire for the long term

The productivity and performance of your first hire doesn’t end with hiring the ideal candidate. Here’s how you can ensure your founding SDRs can give their best: 

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1. Create a structured onboarding process

Even experienced SDRs need to understand your product, target market, and sales process. Proper onboarding ensures they can hit the ground running and start generating value quickly.

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Include comprehensive product training and role-playing exercises to sharpen their skills and prepare them for real-world scenarios.

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2. Optimise GTM efforts 

Identify which channels (eg., LinkedIn, email, phone) are most effective for your target market and equip SDRs with the tools and training needed to maximize their efforts in these channels.

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3. Iterate and optimize continuously

Hold regular feedback sessions with SDRs to discuss setbacks, successes and areas that need improvement and use their inputs to refine your approach and processes. 

In summary,

Hiring founding SDRs is tricky because it’s easy to overlook the factors that truly matter. 

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Too many founders zero in on experience

—how many deals they’ve closed, 

—how familiar they are with tools and miss what’s harder to quantify but far more important: coachability, cultural fit, and alignment with your team’s goals.

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Then there’s the hustle trap. Hiring someone purely because they’re “hustlers” can backfire quickly. Hustle without direction or alignment more often than not, results in wasted energy and inconsistent performance.

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What you really need are SDRs who bring a mix of skills and intangibles: 

the curiosity to ask the right questions, the ambition to push forward, the humility to learn, and the emotional intelligence to connect with prospects. 

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These are the people who don’t just hit their numbers, they create systems and relationships that sustain long-term success for your fledgling organization.