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Fire failing reps immediately; founders must own the critical deals
◆ 65RelevanceOn a story from SaaStr1mo ago
In early AI startups, founders are the most effective closers for complex, high-stakes deals. Keeping an underperformer around for a specific "win" risks the deal and sets a precedent of fear-based management.
Takeaways
- Founders must personally lead must-win deals to ensure execution.
- Delaying terminations for "timing" creates toxic internal leverage.
- An underperforming rep is a liability to your close rate, not an asset.
Read the original at saastr.com
Dear SaaStr: My Sales Rep is Grossly Underperforming but is Involved in a Key Deal. Should I Fire Him or Wait for The Deal to Close?
fmode.me/n/dear-saastr-my-sales-rep-is-grossly-underperforming-but-is-involved-in-a-key-deal-should-i-fire-him-or-wait-for-the-deal-to-close
Written by Founder Mode using gemini-3-flash-preview, from the publisher's own summary. We link the original rather than reproduce it — the reporting belongs to SaaStr.
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