The founder closes half the deals. The new hire closes one in eight.

When founder-led selling is handed over, win rates usually collapse, and the reason is rarely that the new salesperson is worse at selling.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for The founder closes half the deals. The new hire closes one in eight.

A pattern repeats often enough in owner-managed businesses to be worth treating as a default expectation: the founder converts a large share of the opportunities they touch, a salesperson is hired to take the load, and the salesperson’s conversion rate lands nowhere near it. Six months in, the diagnosis is usually about the hire: wrong person, wrong background, not hungry enough. Occasionally that is true. More often the number is measuring something other than sales ability, and the business is about to replace a hire when it should be redesigning…

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Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

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