Team Structure
Build Stage | $0-1M ARR | 1-10 headcount
Main challenge: Proving the business works. Founder-led everything.
GTM Team Structure
The model at Build stage: Founder + AI Agents
GTM complexity should be very low. Founder-led sales and marketing. The founder needs to hear direct feedback from prospects/customers and make product adjustments.
| Function | Human | AI Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | Founder | Automated: lead enrichment, CRM entry, follow-up sequences. Work: pitch iteration, proposal drafting |
| Marketing | Founder + contractors (design, website) | Automated: content distribution, social scheduling. Work: messaging iteration, content drafting |
| Customer Success | Founder | Automated: usage alerts, check-in scheduling. Work: customer interview synthesis, QBR prep |
| Partnerships | None (too early) | — |
| RevOps | Founder + contractors (CRM setup) | Automated: data hygiene, enrichment. Work: reporting, analysis |
When to Hire a Human
- Volume exceeds what founder can handle (e.g., 20+ demos/month, response time slipping)
- Deals require relationship continuity the founder can't maintain
- Customer feedback is getting filtered — founder no longer hears it directly
- The motion needs to work without founder magic (for fundraising)
- A function requires judgment on every interaction (complex negotiations, enterprise security reviews)
Key Hire Decisions
- Default: Don't hire yet. That's the point of Build — founder + AI agents.
- If hiring is necessary: fractional/contractor before full-time (test the role)
- Most common first GTM hire: SDR or demand gen marketer (top of funnel help)
- Avoid: Senior sales leader too early — no team to lead, and they'll want to "build process" before repeatability exists