The First Sales Hire:
Why Most Founders Get It Wrong

The wrong first sales hire is a costly mistake. Most founders make it anyway.
Learn what has to be true before you spend real capital on sales hires or AI tools.

The First Sales Hire: Why Most Founders Get It Wrong

The wrong first sales hire is a costly mistake. Most founders make it anyway.

You feel the itch. Growth is flat, the pipeline is thin, and the fix looks obvious: hire a salesperson. Or buy the AI tools that promise the same job for less.

Both can work. Both fail far more often than founders expect, and the failure is slow, quiet, and dear (€100,000+ in cash and 12–15 months of burned runway is common).

This hour is about what has to be true before you spend that money.

Applications are open!

Register Now

About the Speaker

Per-Fredrik (Fred) Hagermark

Fractional VP of Sales

Fred Hagermark works with founders who still carry the selling themselves and are about to spend real money on a first sales hire or AI tools before the motion is proved. He gets in the room and sells alongside them, so the spend goes in after the engine works, not instead.

30 years in commercial roles across Europe and the US.
10 years building LinkedIn's learning business across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
Scaled new markets with zero marketing budget, leading a sales organisation that delivered €40m in new customer revenue.

Knowledge you will Gain

Making your first sales hire is about more than finding the right person. This Masterclass will help you understand whether your sales process is ready to scale, where the gaps are and what needs to change before committing valuable capital.

Understand When You're Ready for Your First Sales Hire

Learn what needs to be in place before bringing in your first salesperson, from a repeatable sales process to a clear understanding of your customers and pipeline.

Avoid Costly
Sales Hiring Mistakes

Explore why early sales hires often fail, the warning signs founders overlook and how to avoid investing in people or AI tools before your sales process is ready.

Assess and
Strengthen
Your Sales Process

Put your own sales numbers to the test, identify the bottlenecks holding back growth and leave with a practical diagnostic tool to help you decide what to do next.

An Interactive & Immersive Schedule

This Masterclass will cover the following topics:

This Masterclass combines a hands-on sales workshop with an open clinic and opportunities to connect with fellow founders.

1. Arrival & Coffee | 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Kick off the morning with coffee and connect with fellow founders at Republic of Work.

2. The First Sales Hire: Live Workshop | 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM

Join Fred Hagermark for a practical, step-by-step assessment of your sales process. No slides or presentations, just a live framework to help you understand whether your business is ready to scale sales.

3. Open Clinic & Pipeline Teardowns | 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

Bring your sales numbers, pipeline challenges and questions for direct, practical feedback from Fred. Identify what's holding back growth and what needs to improve before making your first sales hire.

4. Lunch & Founder Networking | 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Wrap up the morning over a light lunch and connect with other founders navigating similar sales and growth challenges.

Course Details

When: Thursday, 19 November 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Location: Republic of Work, South Mall, Cork

Format: In-person. No slides, no deck. Fred draws it live. Bring your numbers.

Who It’s For: Early-stage tech and B2B founders who are managing sales themselves, considering their first sales hire or exploring AI tools to support growth.

Description: Your first sales hire can accelerate growth, but only if your sales process is ready. The First Sales Hire: Why Most Founders Get It Wrong helps founders understand when to hire, what needs to be working first and how to avoid costly mistakes. Through a live workshop and practical sales clinic, you'll assess your current approach and leave with a one-page diagnostic tool and clearer next steps for scaling sales.