How to Get Hired as an AE at a VC-backed Startup | Matt Stinson (CRO at Starbridge)

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Stinson, CRO at Starbridge, to talk about what top performing startups look for when hiring AEs, and how candidates can stand out fast.Matt breaks down how Starbridge is scaling their sales team, why they care so much about ramp speed, and what signals tell him someone will thrive in an early stage environment. We also get tactical on references, back channel diligence, and the exact questions he asks to find the truth behind a resume.TOPICS WE COVERWhat “ramp fast” actually means and how hiring managers judge itThe biggest hiring signals for early stage AEsHow to use references the right way, including back channelThe best reference question: “If I call you in 6 months and they failed, why?”Red flags like the “lone wolf” rep and why that mattersHow candidates should treat interviews like a sales processABOUT THE GUEST Matt Stinson is the Chief Revenue Officer at Starbridge. He has sold into and led teams across government and education markets, including K 12 and higher education. At Starbridge, the team is building tools that help sellers identify the right accounts to reach out to, when to reach out, and what messaging to use to generate more pipeline.Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-armendarez/Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.techsaleswithcarter.com/newsletter/Learn more about Starbridge: https://starbridge.ai/