SaaSy Talk Unfiltered | SaaSy Talk S02.03: Fancy Titles

SaaSy Talk S02.03: Fancy Titles

April 4, 2024 / 40:37/S2:E3

About The Guest(s): Amy Volas is a sales fanatic turned entrepreneur, bitten by the startup bug many moons ago. Having sold $100MM in revenue, and two successful exits, she founded Avenue Talent Partners (ATP) to help startups make confident hiring decisions by improving the art and science of executive sales and customer success hiring. ... without the cringe. She is an LP at Stage 2 Capital, advises a handful of founders, and is writing a book about startup hiring pitfalls. Off-duty, Amy combines her love of nature with a quirky fascination for Windex.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Amy Volas joins Ricky & Sean to discuss the hiring process for early-stage startups. She emphasises the importance of taking a strategic approach to hiring and understanding the specific work required for each role, rather than getting caught up in job titles. Amy shares valuable insights on common pitfalls in early-stage hiring and provides actionable tips for founders to navigate the complexities of building their teams. She also discusses the challenges of hiring based on someone's past experience and highlights the need to focus on their ability to do the work required for the next phase of the business.

Key themes discussed in this episode include rethinking the hiring process, understanding the work over titles, navigating venture capital and hiring challenges, and identifying true achievers in interviews.

Key Takeaways:

Hiring is not an experiment; it requires time, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of the work required for each role.
The interview process should focus on understanding the specific work needed and determining if hiring is necessary in the first place.
Job titles can be misleading, and it's important to focus on the skills and abilities required for the role rather than getting caught up in titles.
Hiring based solely on someone's past experience may not guarantee success; it's crucial to assess their ability to do the work required for the next phase of the business.
Choosing the right venture capital partner is essential, as their support and guidance can greatly impact hiring decisions and the overall success of the business.

Notable Quotes:

"Hiring is not an experiment. The interview process is not meant to quantify and qualify what good looks like. It's to slow down, to take a breath, and to actually figure out, do I even need to hire for what I think I need to hire?" - Amy
"Just because someone has been at big logos and has seen a company grow doesn't mean they know how to do the work that needs to be done to get your business to the next level." - Amy
"Revenue expansion and retention solve every problem. Instead of seeking validation from everybody else, listen to your customer, listen to your team, look for the patterns and themes, and let that guide you." - Amy

Chapters 00:31 Meet Amy Volas: A Journey Through Sales and Leadership

01:59 Navigating the Complexities of Early-Stage Hiring

05:03 The Misconceptions of Hiring Based on Titles

06:44 The Importance of Understanding the Work Over the Title

12:31 Navigating Venture Capital and Hiring Challenges

16:37 Choosing Wisely: The Impact of Hiring Decisions

23:06 The Reality of 'Been There, Done That' in Hiring

25:03 Decoding the 'Been There, Done That' in Hiring

25:23 The Power of Outbound Strategies: A Real-World Example

26:29 Career Progression Myths in Tech

29:04 Identifying True Achievers in Interviews

30:18 Amy's Personal Success Story