How To Hire For Growth

In this episode of Rogue Startups, I dug into several pressing questions from the community. From knowing when to pull the plug on a marketing channel to the debate around hiring for support versus sales, we covered ground that matters deeply to founders and entrepreneurs. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways that can help you level up your startup game.

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1. When Should You Know if a Channel is Working?

A common dilemma many founders face is determining whether a new marketing channel is working. If you’ve ever wondered how long you should invest in a channel before calling it quits, you’re not alone.

Here’s how I break it down:

• Give New Channels at Least 90 Days: If you’re starting fresh with a channel, 90 days is the minimum timeframe to give it. Less than that is almost never enough.
• Existing Channels Need Time Too: Even for established channels that you’re tweaking or optimizing, 90 days is still a good baseline. After that, look at the data to guide your decision.
• Focus on Leading Indicators: Whether it’s impressions on LinkedIn, open rates in email campaigns, or early engagement in SEO, you need to assess the leading metrics first. These are the earliest signs that a channel is gaining traction.

For example, if you’re working on LinkedIn, impressions tell you whether your content is even being seen. Engagement and DM conversations are steps that follow, but focusing on what starts the funnel will help you decide if you should stick with it.

2. The Support, Success, or Sales Dilemma

Another big question I often get asked is, “How do I know whether I need to hire for support, sales, or customer success?” This decision depends largely on where your business is in its growth stage and the roles you want to fill.

• Support Roles: These are typically more reactive—answering support tickets, maintaining a knowledge base, and troubleshooting. If customers are having common issues, or if onboarding is a bottleneck, it might be time to bring in a support team member.
• Success Roles: Customer success is more proactive. The goal here is to ensure customers get the most value from your product. This role could be key if your customers are signing up but not converting to paid users, or if you’re looking to drive expansion revenue.
• Sales Roles: Salespeople hunt for new business and close deals. If you’re looking to generate new demand or work with enterprise clients, this is the hire for you. Sales is more aggressive in its pursuit of growth, but if your inbound leads just need a quick demo, you may not need a dedicated salesperson—success could handle it.

I suggest founders think about these roles in terms of function and their contribution to revenue growth. Where is the biggest gap in your customer journey?

3. Focus on Customers and Revenue-Generating Activities

As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get bogged down in tasks that feel productive but don’t directly drive growth. One of my favorite principles to live by is focusing on activities closest to your customers and revenue.

• Direct Conversations Over Complex Funnels: Fancy marketing automation systems might feel like progress, but especially early on, nothing beats direct customer conversations. Whether it’s cold outreach or calling people in your network, it’s the quickest way to gather real data and refine your approach.
• Avoid Procrastination via Fancy Funnels: Instead of hiding behind digital funnels and automation, get out there and sell directly. Speak to potential customers, get their feedba