My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Building a strong sales team is a guaranteed path to acquisition, regardless of the product being sold
The Reasoning
Sales talent is in extremely high demand across all industries. Companies will acquire businesses primarily for proven sales teams rather than technology or products, making sales team building a de-risk acquisition strategy
What Needs to Be True
- Sales talent remains scarce and valuable across industries
- Acquiring companies value proven sales performance over industry experience
- Cost of building internal sales teams exceeds acquisition costs
- Sales methodologies transfer across different products/industries
Counterargument
Some industries require deep technical or regulatory knowledge that can't be easily transferred, and product-market fit may be more important than sales ability in early stages
What Would Change This View
Data showing acquisition premiums focused on technology/IP rather than sales teams, or evidence that sales skills don't transfer across industries effectively
Implications for Builders
Prioritize sales team building over product development in certain phases
Recruit from unconventional but high-performing sales backgrounds
Focus on acquisition strategy through sales team value
Consider sales-first business models even with mediocre products
Example Application
“SaaS startup with mediocre product but exceptional sales team (recruited from direct sales) gets acquired by larger tech company primarily to obtain the proven sales talent”