u/yc01

I am a founder of a small SAAS company who is looking for our 1st real Account Executive (AE). I don't want to call us a startup because we are not. We are bootstrapped and small and it took many years to figure out our ICP/PMF. I did hire a few people in sales over the years not knowing what I was doing and mostly failed.

The good news is that there is real PMF and I am really seeing that vision/growth that I have always wanted as a founder. 75%+ of our customer base is now our ICP after experimenting for years with the product.

So I am in the market to find someone who will be the only salesperson other than me to sell our SAAS product. Naturally, this role is usually called "Founding AE" etc but I find that cringy.

For me, it is about getting that sales person (call them whatever) who has sold a software product before and is entrepreneurial (even though they wouldn't need to work like a founder).

- Does this exist or am I chasing a unicorn ?
- If such role exists, how do I find someone like that ? I don't think this can just be a regular job posting or am I over thinking this ?
- What would be a good base salary for this (US east coast/Philadelphia region)

EDIT: People asked to clarify a few more things:
- Product is complex platform and has various moving parts.
- Hybrid (2 days together in office, 3 days WFH)
- SMB is our primary ICP
- Average sales cycle can vary as sometimes the customers are just in early search phases. But those ready to buy, it can be 4-6 weeks
- Product currently is mostly sales led but with AI, we are trying to play with a smaller self serve option to see if it works well. For sales led pricing, it can be usually average from $12K (floor)-$20k/Year (average, enterprise plan will higher usage pay more).

So I just read that they are stopping taking new customers on Laravel Vapor because now they want to focus on Cloud. Technically they will support existing customers but clearly the focus is on Cloud now. With VC funding, wouldn't it also make sense to force customers out of Forge because their incentive is to encourage use of Laravel Cloud instead ?

This worries me a bit as a huge Forge user.

Single Owner. Clean Carfax. Worth it ? I don't mind doing a full maintenance after purchase even though dealer has done some things like replace transmission fluid etc. Dealer asking $8k all in.

I dont even have to drain. My pool leaks and I have to keep adding water so the CYA never goes high enough. Problem solved!!

I sold my car to Carvana and thought to share my experience.

Overall, I am very happy with the whole process and if I had to rate my experience, I will give it a 10/10 (no affiliation, a really happy seller)

I went online on their website and entered my car details for a quote. The quote was instant and better than couple of other dealers in the area. At least $1500 more. I immediately agreed to it and they had the option to either drop off to their location OR get picked up from my home. I chose to pick up from my home. They had a slot ready for next day.

Their communication and website update is top notch. All steps were clearly laid out and what to expect etc.

On the day of pickup, they sent me updates and the actual driver called me beforehand to give me an ETA. She arrived right on time and got everything done within 20-30 mins max. She connected a diagnostic tool to the car to check everything and then did a quick visual inspection. Boom. Done.

She then showed me her IPad where she was going to push a button to confirm payment. She does it and boom, I get a notification confirming that the sale is processed.

Note that you can choose to either get a physical check on the spot OR setup ACH earlier. I chose ACH option so I had to wait next morning to get the money hitting the bank which it just did.

Incredible experience as a seller and thank you Carvana for making life easy.

I am maintaining my own pool this year (terrible experience with last pool guys/companies) and even though I am now confortable doing the regular maintenance (water test, chemicals as needed etc), I am not yet comfortable opening and closing the pool.

I know that Leslies is a big brand store and they like to sell their own chemicals etc if you go to them for water test but I had good experience with their service before (they fixed an issue with my heater which my pool company messed up).

So, I am thinking of using Leslies for Pool Closing and Opening. Does anyone else use them for these services ? I am in Cherry Hill area if that matters.

I have a 50k Gallon concrete Pool with 3 skimmers. Don't have skimmer socks yet but wondering if they are worth it overall ?

This season, I am finally trying to do my own weekly maintenance (5+ year owner of an inground concrete 45-50K gallons). My previous pool guys would throw in 3 inch Chroline pucks every week during their service and that has been the case since I bought the house.

Now I am reading everywhere how bad that is for your pool etc etc and liquid chlorine is better way. But liquid chlorine burns much faster than pucks and also requires stablizing etc and requires more frequent top up. I don't have that much time.

Yes, a chlorinator machine is the best solution but right now I dont have it.

So my question is: Is it really that bad to leave 3 inch Chlorine pucks in skimmer baskets especialy if the punp is running 12+ hours a day ? I really don't want to do Liquid Chlorine every other day.

I have owned a pool for 5+ years (freeform 50K gallon concrete). Beginning this season, I fired my pool "guy" because they were terrible and caught them lying multiple times. Anyway, I decided that I will have a company open and close but I will do weekly maintenance myself.

I just cannot wrap my head around this question. Why would we ever use a Pool Vacuum that connects to the skimmer and sends all that crap back into the plumbing and the filter etc ? Why ? Thats the default I see from the Pool guys.

Now I know that Portable ones exist as well and can be expensive but is cost really the issue ? Again, I cannot get why I would want to send crap and debris back into my plumbing and filteration system while vacumming ?

I have a huge 50,000 Gallon free form concrete pool (bought this home 5 years ago) and really tired of the pool people who just don't care. Initially, had a pool guy who would keep saying that my pool has a leak and every other week, it would turn green for him to come back and shock it. He would also ask us to keep backwashing 2-3 times a week without telling us about DE powder (we have a DE Filter). We literally backwashed like an idiot without adding DE for many weeks/2 seasons. He was rude as well. Fired him.

Then hired the company who actually upgraded the pool (they added a deck jet and slide). Turns out that this "company" (charging $4000 for season) literally didn't close properly (never cleaned the filter), opens poorly (i found drain plugs in the pool lol) , and they keep clogging my skimmer lines (vaccuming without a plate and shoving debris in there). I literally have to email the owner to send the same people 4+ times just to get the pool in shape.

I m just so tired. I really wanted to just hire a Pool "guy" or "company" and be done. But no. They won't let me.

So I have decided to take matters in my own hands. This season, I got them to open the Pool but thats it. I am doing the weekly maintenance myself. Just ordered the Taylor Test Kit, learned everything about my pool plumbing, got Chlorine tablets from Leslie's and ready for take this one myself.

Just here to rant and get your best wishes. Realy tired of trying to work with people who just don't give a shit.

EDIT: Ok So this post blew up so here is a pic of my pool after the company guys visiting 4 times already as part of opening. Still a bit cloudy but getting there. What do u all think ?

https://preview.redd.it/2b85ge1zjh5h1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8173dfa7805ab5738fcb6e41bb7ee6396ae9531