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Forward Share Network
Preparing for Your First Head of Sales – Andre DeRussy
Get Matched in 48 Hours →Most first VP Sales hires fail not because the candidate was wrong, but because the company was not ready. Without a repeatable sales motion, a defined ICP, a working qualification framework, and at least one proven rep, a VP Sales has nothing to scale – and great candidates know it. Andre DeRussy builds that infrastructure before the hire goes live, so the VP Sales can succeed from day one.
Why first VP Sales hires fail – and what founders get wrong before the search
The most common failure pattern: a founder closes $2M ARR on warm relationships, raises a Series A, and immediately opens a VP Sales search. The candidate they hire is a seasoned enterprise sales leader who expects a defined motion, territory plans, and a working SDR function. None of that exists. The hire spends the first six months trying to build the infrastructure they expected was already there, hits their quota miss at month nine, and exits. The company loses six to twelve months and significant cash.
What needs to exist before you can hire a great VP Sales
A great VP Sales candidate evaluates your company as carefully as you evaluate them. They want to see: a defined ICP with evidence that it closes repeatably, at least one rep who is executing a sales motion the VP Sales can document, a CRM with clean data, and a founder who is prepared to step back from deals. Andre builds these four elements as a fractional expert operator first – so that when you post the role, top candidates see a company worth joining, not a company that needs a sales founder.
How Andre runs the VP Sales search and onboarding alongside the infrastructure build
Andre works on two parallel tracks. The first is the infrastructure build – documenting the existing sales motion, cleaning the CRM, codifying the qualification framework, and coaching the existing rep. The second is search support – writing the job description, reviewing candidates, and conducting the structured interview that evaluates whether a candidate can operate inside an early-stage motion rather than just manage one. He then stays through the first 90 days of the VP Sales hire to ensure a clean handoff.
A STAR case from the Forward Share Ventures network
Situation: A founder-led B2B infrastructure company had closed $1.8M ARR entirely through founder relationships. Post-seed, they wanted to hire a VP Sales but had no sales playbook, no CRM hygiene, and no reps. Three candidates declined offers after diligence because the sales motion was too undefined for a VP Sales to inherit.
Result: Andre joined for a 90-day infrastructure build before the search reopened. He documented the existing sales motion from founder interviews, hired and onboarded one SDR, rebuilt the CRM from scratch, and wrote the VP Sales job description. The company reopened the search with a documented motion and a live rep. The VP Sales hire accepted within 45 days of the relaunched search and hit quota in their first full quarter.
"A great VP Sales candidate is evaluating you the same way you are evaluating them. If you cannot show them what they are inheriting – a motion, a team, a CRM – the best candidates will walk. I help founders build what a VP Sales actually needs to see before the search goes live."
– Andre DeRussy, Sales & Revenue Expert Operator, Forward Share Ventures
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request an introduction to this expert operator?
Submit a brief through the match form at Forward Share Network. The team reviews your situation, confirms the expert operator's availability, and arranges a 20-minute introductory call – typically within 48 hours of your submission. No commitment is required before the intro call.
What engagement formats are available?
Three main structures: a structured advisory seat (one 60-minute session per month plus async availability), a scoped consulting project (30, 60, or 90 days with defined deliverables), or a strategic advisory retainer for ongoing functional partnership. The right format depends on your situation and timeline.
How much time does a typical engagement require?
Advisory engagements run roughly 2–3 hours per month per company, including the structured session and async exchanges. Scoped projects are more intensive for the duration – scope and time commitment are defined at kickoff. Most expert operators carry 2–4 active engagements simultaneously.
Are there placement fees or exclusivity arrangements?
No placement fees. Forward Share Network operates on an engagement model, not a transactional staffing model. Expert operators are not exclusive to any company – they bring the perspective of working across multiple situations simultaneously, which is a core part of the value.
What if my situation changes mid-engagement?
Engagements are structured with defined check-in milestones – typically at 30-day intervals. If your situation shifts, scope can be renegotiated at the next milestone. For scoped projects, the team can also configure a scope amendment before the halfway point if circumstances change materially.
Ready to match? No prep needed. 20 minutes.
Get Matched in 48 Hours →How It Works
Tell us your gap
20-minute read with Vish. We map the function, stage, and urgency — no deck required.
We match in 48 hours
You receive 1–3 STAR-verified operators matched to your exact situation — reviewed and accountable.
Deploy in days
No contract lock-in. Start with a sprint or ongoing engagement. Cancel any time.
How We Compare
The honest breakdown — what separates a Forward Share expert operator from your other options.
| Criteria | FSV Expert Operator | Staffing Agency | Full-Time Hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to deploy | 48 hours | 3–6 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Commitment | Cancel anytime | Contract-locked | 12+ months |
| Track record | STAR-verified outcomes | Resume-screened | References only |
| Cost model | Engagement-based, no fee | 20–30% placement fee | Base + equity + benefits |
| Quality | Top 5% — curated from 400+ | Available candidates | Best hire at this stage |
| Risk | Low — no long-term lock-in | Medium — fee non-refundable | High — mis-hire is 1.5–2× salary |
Find Your Expert in 48 Hours.
No prep needed. 20 minutes. You'll leave with a clear read on your gap — and the right operator to close it.
STAR-Verified · No Placement Fee · Cancel Anytime