EsteComoEs

Head of Sales

Personal Narrative

Member

Contributor

Narrator: it did not go well

Welp ya'all weren't kidding. I thought I could hack it at a Series A, as I've worked at a few other series C companies.

But Series A companies with these lunatic founders are a complete shit show.

All ya'all considering going to a Series A, be ye warned and don't be like this fool.

🙅 harassment

👀 job search

😡 rant

18 comments

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Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

So although pre-series B is certainly risky, I would say that in this case it was more about the person running it and less about the stage of the company, As and example I had an asshat of a VP at my series D organization in a prior company. I would share that joining something early on can be great if the founders have been in sales prior. The tricky part is you don't know what it will be like until you are on the inside as you have learned here the hard way.

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

This is true. It’s more likely that a series A founder is one of those asshats in my opinion hahah

punishedlad

Tycoon

Business Development Team Lead

Been with multiple Series A/Seed Stage companies and it seems that yes, these ass hats are a dime a dozen.

Only one of them was a genuinely good person, he just lacked leadership experience and things ended up going south as a result.

Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

So, it's more likely in a series A that you are directly exposed to it whereas in a series C its a few layers deeper usually. I'm of the opinion that the devil you know is better than the devil you don't

Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

It is really difficult to know if someone is a good person or not in an interview process, usually if you make it to a VP or C level exec in the interview process they want you to work there and will put on their best face, then 6 months in the true colors will have shown, truth is you won't know until you are actually there and can only gauge so much from the 30 minutes to an hour you have in the initial interview process.

EsteComoEs

Personal Narrative

Head of Sales

I find myself agreeing with you on everything you say.

Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

These stripes were earned with deep cuts and still healing... Vernon Law said "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward."

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

A series A is not an easy ride. You need to be as fanatical as the founder. You can’t be hung up on things like training or mngt direction - you need create your own.

punishedlad

Tycoon

Business Development Team Lead

100%

And if you're not prepared to be left flapping in the wind, Series A is not for you.

EsteComoEs

Personal Narrative

Head of Sales

I’d have to agree with @justatitle especially for this experience. The main driver of your experience is more about who is running the company, less about the stage of the company. But if you have a lunatic and ignorant founder, in a series A, then that’s worst case scenario.

I should have also mentioned that the person is so young that this is their second real corporate job after their schooling. Just like dating, I can handle someone who is crazy, but I can’t handle someone who is stupid and crazy.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I’ve been wondering what happened to you. Thanks for the follow up and the cautionary tale. I take it you ended it?

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

Dammmnn sorry to hear this. Another series A horror story

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

Different stage for the company, so it will be handled differently. If they last to series C, it could look like a lot of the others that you worked for.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Sorry to hear this!

detectivegibbles

Politicker

Sales Director

Woof. So sorry to hear.

Sounds like youth and lack of leading others is biggest issue. Coupled with ego surely.

I was 5th employee at a bootstrapped company.

Incredible founder and leader, just had some market fit issues. Ended up pivoting company when I left. Still chat with him today.

MeowMeow

Politicker

Senior Enterprise Account Executive

Damn. Series A,B or whatever are hard with good leadership. Working for someone like that sounds impossible. Sorry to hear but it sounds like you’ll be better off in the long run.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Yeesh my friend.

Goomba

Opinionated

Director

Yeah so if you joined a pre-series B, you're signing up saying "I'm that MF that creates entire processes while leaving revenue in my wake" if you aren't that person, stay your ass at a larger org and grow there.
Small agile startups that need to survive have to have A and B players only.
Sure egos are stupid, but as long as the pay is there, or whatever drew you is there, you gotta pay the cost to keep it.

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EsteComoEs

Narrator: it did not go well

18 comments

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