Is my CRO getting "The Dude" treatment as in "The Big Lebowski"?

I am at an early stage start-up for a little over 6 months, and leadership is working towards series A. But, things feel super off, sort of like the CRO, and the whole sales team honestly, is going to be scapegoated when the wheels fall off. Like The Dude in The Big Lebowski was being used to make some money disappear, the sales team here seems to be failing, and "They yell a lot, but no one does anything...".

No one has ever made quota and honestly, the numbers they toss about for our "goals" are just nonsense. Sales ops is a disaster, and the CRO is a great dude and solid salesperson, but clueless about how to be CRO it seems.

My question for the WR is, is this a scam? Has anyone been though something like this. Should I be worried?

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TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

i mean yeah you should be worried. You are working at an early stage start up.

Statistically speaking you should always be worried that things will fail.

BUT you probably knew that to some degree when you started.

The good news is you are an AE at a seed stage company. You have seen a ton. If shit hits the fan and the company goes under or you get fired, its not your fault.

All you have to do is share with the next company that you want to work at what you learned and how its made you a better AE.

The ones that have to worry the most are the C level ppl that have other people coming to them for money.

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

I’ve seen it a couple of times. The goals will get adjusted down a little. There will be some wiggle room and no one will be fired. More likely, more people will be brought on until someone hits, and then there will be a shuffle.

If you are selling anything, then you are golden. If the mess is a stopping you from doing anything, get out.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

This does honestly sound par for the course in an early stage start up. Do your best to sell as much as you possibly can, and you may want to start putting the feelers out for your next spot. But - a bit of a bumpy ride is honestly to be expected.

butwhy

Politicker

Solutions Engineer

Not a scam, but this happens all the time from Series A to Series C. CRO takes the hit and they just churn the whole sales team. I would make sure your resume is recent and you start a pipeline of communication with recruiters. Just in case.

LordBusiness

Politicker

Chief Revenue Officer

Being a Leader if an early stage sales team is HARD AS FUCK. Mostly because a huge part of being a sales leader is being able to say NO! And in most early stage companies the sales leaders are getting their “first shot” and don’t have the cred to tell the founders that they have massive blinders on. So they take on ridiculous goals to get the job, when the aren’t ready ——and then crash and burn in 18 months. Happens ALL the TIME

SADNESSLieutenant

Politicker

Officer of ♥️

Ah the famed pre Series A startup - 90% of these fail. so yes. if it feels like a scam, looks like a scam, and acts like a scam. What is it?

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Oden

Is my CRO getting "The Dude" treatment as in "The Big Lebowski"?

6 comments

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