So, you’re thinking about bringing on a sales team. Or maybe just that first magical sales hire. You’ve heard it’s the key to scaling your business, and you’re ready to see your revenue skyrocket, right?

Well, hold onto your coffee, because while hiring a sales team sounds like a dream, it’s got a few realities you need to face first.

But, don’t worry, with every reality comes an opportunity. If you play it right, you could have a sales powerhouse on your hands.

Let’s break it down.

Hiring A Sales Team: Five Harsh Realities

1. No One Will Be as Committed to Your Business as You Are

Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one—not even your shiny new sales rep—will ever care about your business the way you do. You’re the founder, the visionary, the one who eats, sleeps, and breathes the hustle. You’ve got the passion. You’ve got the drive. But that doesn’t mean your sales team won’t help you grow. They just need something to ignite that drive.

Opportunity: This is where profit sharing or commission comes in. No, I’m not saying you should hand over all the profits (unless you’re feeling extra generous), but giving your sales team a financial stake in your company will make them feel like they have some skin in the game. This little incentive goes a long way in fostering that sense of ownership and will probably get them to sell a lot harder.

2. You Are Impossible to Replace (But They Can Still Help You Grow)

You’ve built your business from the ground up. You’ve cultivated the relationships. You’ve made the referrals. You’ve earned the trust. So, yeah, no one can replace that personal magic you’ve created. But you can definitely use help in scaling it.

Opportunity:
This is where having a solid product ladder comes into play. If you’ve got an easy-to-understand system that guides your sales rep on how to upsell, cross-sell, and down-sell, they can start running with it and growing your business—without needing to reinvent the wheel. So, while no one’s going to replace you as the heart and soul of your company, a solid structure can make sure your sales team still brings in the big bucks.

4. Just Because They’ve Got Sales Experience Doesn’t Mean They’ve Been Trained Properly

Oh, sure, they’ve been in sales before. But just because someone’s been selling something doesn’t mean they know how to sell your specific product or service. Most businesses don’t invest in proper sales training, which to me is crazy.

Opportunity:
Train your sales team. Train them well. Have them learn everything: how to communicate, how to follow up without being annoying, how to present proposals, how to manage their time, how to upsell and down-sell like a pro. The better they are at their job, the better they’ll represent you and your brand. This investment will pay off tenfold as they become more effective at closing deals and maintaining the positive reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.

5. If They Don’t Have a Competitive Edge, You’re Toast

Here’s the cold, hard truth: not everyone is cut out for sales. Just because someone is great at being the office “people person” doesn’t mean they’ll thrive in a role that requires rejection, persistence, and a healthy dose of competition. If they’re not driven by goals and a little bit of winning, they’ll burn out faster than you can say “quota.”

Opportunity:
During the interview process, pay attention to how they sell themselves. If they can convince you to hire them, there’s a good chance they can sell anything. But if they can’t even close you during the interview, imagine how they’ll perform with a cold lead. You need someone who’s competitive, goal-oriented, and persistent enough to get past all the “no’s” and still come out the other side hungry for more. When you find that person, they’ll blow your goals out of the water. Trust me.

A Bonus Tip: Track Everything, Or It’s All Pointless

Finally, one more piece of advice for you: track, track, track. You need to know exactly what your sales team is doing. Otherwise, they can tell you all sorts of optimistic stories about leads “on the verge” of closing, and you’ll be none the wiser. Track the conversations. Track the follow-ups. Track the sales. Track the progress. If you don’t, you’re just crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. And we both know how well that usually works out.

With a solid tracking system in place, you’ll be able to see where they’re getting stuck and where they need help. You’ll be able to adjust strategies, tweak pitches, and provide the support they need to close more deals. Otherwise, you might find yourself in an endless loop of confusion and frustration, and nobody wants that.

Hiring a Sales Team is Still the Right Move

If you’re sitting here reading this and thinking, “I don’t really know how to train my team,” or “I don’t have time to train my team,” then it might be time to check out my Sales Accelerator. It’s the perfect solution to not only train your team but also make sure they hit the ground running with proven systems and strategies. Whether you’re about to hire or already managing a team, the Sales Accelerator can help you set them up for success from day one.

So, there you have it. The harsh (but necessary) realities of hiring a sales team, with a sprinkle of opportunity for each. Bring in the right person, set them up with the tools they need, and watch them help scale your business. But just remember: no one’s going to do it for you, and your enthusiasm doesn’t magically translate into results. It takes the right training, systems, and incentives to turn that enthusiasm into cold, hard sales. So go ahead, hire that first sales rep—or five—but make sure you’re ready to help them succeed. Your business—and your sales team—deserve the best.