What Most SALES REPS Miss Before Joining a Startup, w/ Brian Trowbridge

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian Trowbridge, VP of Sales at FireHydrant, to explore the brutal truths of startup life.

From making high-stakes decisions with limited runway to navigating board dynamics and founder alignment, Brian unpacks what it really takes to succeed in an early-stage company.

We dive deep into how he evaluated FireHydrant before joining, what he looks for in founders and boards, and how sales leaders should think about burn rate, valuations, and growth expectations. If you're in sales and considering a startup role, this episode is a must-watch.

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🏹 Key Topics Covered

00:00 - Intro

01:00 - Startup chaos

05:00 From Startup Grind to Scalable Sales

09:17 The Hardest Hiring Lessons

13:46 Selling Without a Playbook

18:24 Coaching Reps to Think Critically

22:40 Building Repeatable Pipeline

29:03 Staying Grounded as a Sales Leader

35:17 Career Advice for Aspiring CROs

42:00 The Power of Humility in Leadership

50:30 The Role of Curiosity and Grit

💥 3 Biggest Lessons:

Chaos is a Feature, Not a Bug: Embrace early-stage ambiguity—true sales leadership is forged in unpredictability.

Hiring is Everything: The reps you bring on will define your success. Make every hire count.

Ask the Bigger Questions: Scaling isn’t just tactics—it’s teaching your team how to think.

🙌 Thanks for listening!

This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro

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🦄 Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com

Twitter: / huntersun1corns

Instagram: / huntersandunicorns

Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

💬 Notable Quotes

“If you have a mediocre RD, avoid it. I would even avoid a good company if I didn’t have a good RD.”

“You’re not just asking ‘did I make my number?’ You’re asking: does this company even exist in 12 months?”

“There’s no bigger mistake than hiring the wrong person—it costs you a year.”

“Some founders just burn through VPs. You need to know that before you join.”

“You’re wearing a hundred hats and trying to hit growth targets with minimal runway. It’s not for everyone.”

Tags #softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverse