The First 5 Revenue-Driving Hires to Make After Funding
Just got funding? CONGRATS! Raising a round of funding is an incredible milestone for any SaaS company. But the celebration quickly turns into execution mode: how do you scale fast enough to hit the aggressive growth targets your investors expect?
The answer starts with people. More specifically, the right go-to-market (GTM) hires who can generate pipeline, close deals, and build a customer engine that scales.
At Sloane Staffing, we specialize in helping SaaS companies make these critical early hires. Based on years of experience working with funded startups, here are the first five revenue-driving hires you should prioritize after raising capital.
1. Account Executives – Your Revenue Closers
When the pressure is on to turn funding into ARR, your AEs are the ones carrying quota. These hunters should be experienced in your market segment (SMB, mid-market, or enterprise), comfortable selling SaaS, and ready to close deals quickly.
What to look for:
Proven track record of meeting or exceeding quota
Experience selling in your target verticals
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
Why it matters: Investors want to see traction fast. Strong AEs ensure your sales pipeline converts into booked revenue.
2. Business Development Representatives – The Pipeline Builders
Even the best AEs can’t close deals without qualified opportunities. BDRs are the front line of your GTM team, responsible for prospecting, outreach, and booking meetings.
What to look for:
Hustle and grit. BDRs are your volume drivers
Ability to learn your product and market quickly
Strong communication skills for cold outreach
Why it matters: Consistent pipeline creation is the lifeblood of growth. BDRs ensure your AEs always have warm leads to work.
3. Marketing Operations (MOPS) – The Engine Room
Funding gives you the resources to scale, but without the right systems in place, your marketing efforts will fall flat. A strong Marketing Ops hire ensures your tech stack (HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce, 6sense, etc.) is optimized and your data is clean.
What to look for:
Expertise in MarTech platforms
Analytical mindset to track campaign performance
Ability to build dashboards and automate workflows
Why it matters: Without MOPS, your demand generation won’t be predictable or measurable. This hire turns marketing activity into revenue impact.
4. Demand Generation Manager – The Growth Driver
You’ve got funding, but now you need awareness and leads. A Demand Gen hire builds and executes campaigns that drive inbound pipeline, whether through paid ads, ABM, webinars, or content syndication.
What to look for:
Experience in SaaS demand generation campaigns
Ability to design multi-channel programs
Strong alignment with sales teams
Why it matters: A great Demand Gen hire ensures your company isn’t just relying on outbound. They fuel pipeline growth with a steady flow of qualified inbound leads.
5. Customer Success Manager – The Retention Hero
Closing deals is only half the battle. Investors are watching churn rates closely, and happy customers drive upsells, renewals, and referrals. A CSM ensures your new customers see value quickly and stay long-term.
What to look for:
Experience onboarding SaaS customers
Strong relationship-building skills
Ability to identify expansion opportunities
Why it matters: Retention and expansion are critical to hitting ARR goals. A strong CSM ensures revenue doesn’t just come in — it stays and grows.
The first 12 months after funding are make-or-break for SaaS companies. The right hires in sales, marketing, and customer success can accelerate growth, reduce risk, and build the GTM foundation investors expect.
At Sloane Staffing, we help SaaS companies just like yours hire these roles quickly, often in under 30 days, so you can focus on execution, not endless recruiting.
