Determine How to pay your first salesperson before you hire one

Thinking about hiring your first salesperson?Many founders and small business owners reach the same point. You are doing the selling, delivering, invoicing, following up, and managing customers yourself — and the idea of hiring someone on commission-only starts to feel like the smart, low-risk move.But commission-only is not always as low-risk as it looks.In this episode of Sales Compensation Decoded, I explain what you need to think through before hiring your first salesperson. We cover why commission-only can create problems, what needs to be in place before you hire, and how to structure a first sales hire in a way that gives both the business and the salesperson a fair chance to succeed.In this episode, you will learn:Why commission-only can be risky for a first sales hireThe three things you need before hiring a salespersonThe real cost of getting your first sales hire wrongWhy base + commission is usually stronger than commission-onlyWhy a written plan, ramp period, and review point matterThe question many founders avoid: are you ready to manage?If you are a founder, small business owner, or entrepreneur thinking about hiring your first salesperson, this episode is a practical place to start.Because how you pay people shapes how they sell.