I need to hire good salespeople. Where can I find them?

I was speaking with a client recently who asked a question I hear often — and one that is deeply linked to leadership: “I need to hire good salespeople. Where can I find them?”

The honest answer? The World is full of good salespeople.

Some have already proven their value. Some are right in the middle of their growth and blooming phase. And some of them still don’t know it yet.

What’s often missing is not talent, but clarity and leadership.

The more important question is not where to find them, but: What does “good” actually look like in your organisation? And just as importantly: what kind of leader are you for them?

Good for which product? Good for which stage of the company? Good for which sales motion?

New Business and Existing Business growth are often treated as opposites, but in reality the distinction is more nuanced. I’ve seen exceptional New Business sellers thrive in account growth roles, and outstanding farmers successfully open new logos. It depends on the industry, the product, the maturity of the company and the leadership expectations behind the role.

What is true, though, is this: If your product requires heavy cold outreach, bespoke messaging, and a high volume of rejection, you need someone who wants that game. Not everyone does and that’s okay.

Winning new logos demands stamina. It requires resilience. It means doing hundreds of outreaches to secure a handful of meaningful conversations, without losing confidence or energy along the way.

So again: what does “good” mean?

If by “good” you mean fast wins and short sales cycles, ask yourself first: Is your product actually ready for that?

Highly aggressive New Business profiles are often driven by two things: the thrill of winning, and financial upside. If your product requires long-term education, trust-building, and patience, those profiles may leave quickly, not because they’re “wrong”, but because the environment and leadership don’t give them what they’re wired for.

These sellers are also often strong individual players. They self-structure. They lead their own way. The real leadership question becomes: Are you comfortable letting go of control and allowing them to fly?

On the other side, Existing Business growth roles require something different. Deep product and market understanding. The ability to nurture long-term relationships. Comfort with slower processes and delayed gratification.

These people are often motivated by meaning, partnership, and impact. They sell through trust, not pressure. They need time to truly understand their clients and to become part of their clients’ decision-making ecosystem.

Which leads to another honest leadership question: Are you patient enough to support that kind of growth? Do you actually know what is needed to get there?

There’s one more layer we don’t talk about enough and this is where leadership becomes decisive.

If you can’t afford the most senior profiles and choose to hire more junior talent, remember this: some of the best people don’t yet know how good they can be.

Junior sellers with the right attitude and hunger to learn don’t need micromanagement, they need inspiration. They need to be taught. They need to be mentored. They need to be coached.

If they are good and genuinely curious, they will require a constant, challenging growth path. Empower them. Don’t turn them into executors. Invite them to think, to question, to own outcomes.

This is how people flourish. This is how they bloom.

And finally, truly good salespeople, especially those who already know their value, don’t just get interviewed. They interview you.

They will assess whether your company deserves their energy, their reputation, and their commitment. They will ask themselves: Why should I stay here? What makes this place different?

The best talent has options. Competition is high. And the best players usually get the best choices.

So make them want to work with you, not for you.

Because revenue is never just an individual result. It’s the outcome of a system. A machine where every part matters.

If the best salespeople are interviewing you, what are they really seeing?