May 1, 2025 Bridging the Gap: How Fractional AEs Can Transform Your Growth Strategy

Special Guests: Drew Epperson and Craig Johnson from Altezza, bringing real-world fractional sales expertise.

Stuck in the "Valley of Death" between founder-led sales and a full enterprise sales team? You're not alone. Most B2B companies face this critical growth challenge where hiring too early burns cash, but waiting too long kills momentum.

Perfect for B2B companies experiencing: • $500K-$5M annual revenue with inconsistent growth • Complex sales cycles (30+ days) beyond founder's network • Investor pressure to scale without clear path forward • Lead-to-close inefficiency and slow sales cycles • Limited marketing/sales processes

The Three Stages of Sales Evolution:

Stage 1: Founder Network Selling to personal connections with high trust/conversion but limited scalability

Stage 2: Growth Leader & Lead Generation Hired leadership, beginning formal processes, expanding beyond network

Stage 3: Enterprise Sales Team Multiple full-time AEs, specialized roles, mature processes

The Problem: The Valley of Death The dangerous gap between Stage 2 and Stage 3 where companies either burn cash on premature scaling or stagnate without growth infrastructure.

Real Case Study: The Cost of Premature Scaling

Premature Approach: • 3 Full-time AEs: $450K annual cost • Lead flow: 20 qualified leads/month • Result: Unsustainable burn rate, only 60% of sales target

Fractional Bridge Approach: • 1.5 Fractional AEs: $180K annual cost
• Same lead flow: 20 qualified leads/month • Result: 60% cost reduction, 110% of sales target

The Fractional Solution: Experienced sales professionals working part-time with performance-based compensation and process development focus, providing cost-effective scaling, flexible capacity, expertise on demand, and risk mitigation.

What You'll Learn:

Implementation Roadmap: • Assessment: Pipeline metrics, process evaluation, cash flow analysis • Requirements: Industry expertise needs, time commitment, technology integration • Success Metrics: Revenue targets, process documentation, knowledge transfer • Transition Planning: Growth triggers, hiring timeline, handoff strategy

Critical Success Factors: • Marketing-sales alignment with consistent lead generation engine • Technology enablement with proper CRM and analytics • Finding the right talent through specialized agencies and industry networks • Compensation models: $5K-10K base + 10-15% commission + equity options

Transition Indicators: When to move to full-time AEs: consistent 3+ month pipeline, predictable conversion rates, complete process documentation, financial stability, and market validation.

Key Takeaways:

1. Don't prematurely scale your sales team
2. Fractional approach creates sustainable bridge
3. Align marketing and sales capabilities
4. Focus on process development
5. Plan transition from day one

What You'll Get: • Fractional AE Implementation Guide • Transition Planning Template • Sales Process Assessment Tool • Clear roadmap for sustainable growth scaling

Stop burning cash on premature sales team scaling. Learn the systematic approach to bridge the gap between founder-led sales and enterprise sales teams.

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