Founding Account Executive

We're a SaaS platform helping 200,000+ small businesses through government and nonprofit partners. We're growing fast — this is the first sales hire who owns how we scale.
Remote, US • Full-time • Reports to Founder • Target start: 6–8 weeks
The role
You're our first dedicated sales hire — solo at the start, building the motion from scratch. You'll personally close net-new ARR while designing the process, writing the playbook, and standing up the AE team that scales beneath you.
This is a founding role with a defined path: Founding AE → Head of Sales within 18–24 months, tied to revenue milestones and documented in writing within your first 30 days. No ambiguity, no verbal commitments — a real ladder with real numbers.
Compensation
Base salary: $80–110K
Commission (net new ARR): $90–110K Uncapped
Total OTE: $180–220K + MBO bonuses
Ramp protection: 100% of commission target guaranteed for your first 90 days while outbound pipeline builds.
What you'll own
✓ Personally close net new ARR — no handoff, you're in the field
✓ Build and run the outbound motion into funded cohorts and public-sector programs (SBDCs, CDFIs, state economic development agencies, higher ed)
✓ Design and own the full sales process — from PLG free-tier conversion through mid-market enterprise close
✓ Hire, ramp, and coach the AE team that scales the motion
✓ Build the pipeline model — close rates, ramp times, CAC, forecasting
✓ Lead strategic account relationships with funder-side partners (state agencies, cohort program administrators)
Must-haves
✓ 3–5 years full-cycle B2B SaaS closing experience with proven quota attainment
✓ Self-sourced pipeline — you've built outbound without marketing leads or SDR support
✓ Closed deals personally in the last 6 months
✓ Sold into public sector, higher ed, nonprofits, or CDFIs — required, not preferred
✓ Fluent in PLG + sales-assisted motion
✓ Thinks in pipeline math — close rates, ramp times, CAC
Strong fit
★ Sold into state or federally funded cohort programs (SBDC networks, EDA/MBDA grantees, statutory small-business support programs)
★ Coached at least one AE or SDR to quota
★ Experience scaling sales at an early-to-growth stage SaaS company
★ Genuinely lights up about serving underrepresented entrepreneurs
Not a fit if you
— Haven't closed a deal in 12+ months
— Only sold pure top-down enterprise
— Expect an inherited pipeline, an SDR team, or a validated playbook on day one
The interview process
• 30 min with David — chemistry, mission fit, motivations
• 60 min with David — walk through 3 recent closes + your outbound motion
• Working session — draft a 90-day plan for Catalyzer using real data on our funded-cohort target segments
• Team fit — 30 min with two operating leaders
• Offer within 48 hours — of final interview if it's a yes