✅ TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
If you're a bootstrapped startup, offering commission-only to sales hires is possible — but not always effective. Most solid salespeople won’t join unless they see a path to real upside, support, or ownership.
So the winning formula often includes:
Lean base + high commission
Clear path to equity or revenue share
Autonomy + ownership over sales process
Founders who’ve already proven they can sell

🧠 Full Breakdown
📌 1. Why Commission-Only Rarely Works on Its Own
Good sales reps don’t want to starve while they build your pipeline
Commission-only attracts job-hoppers, not builders
If you're still figuring out your sales script, product-market fit, or close cycle — it’s unfair to make someone else bet their rent on it

💡 2. What to Offer Instead
What You Can Offer- Why It Works
Low base + high commission-Shows you respect their time, rewards success
Equity / Options-Aligns long-term interests, attracts believers
Lead ownership-Gives them territory + sense of control
Revenue-sharing pilot-Even 5%–10% of early revenue can feel meaningful
Founder mentorship / trust-Early hires want to feel like insiders, not temps

🚫 Common Mistakes
Hiring sales too early before you’ve sold the product yourself
Offering 100% commission with no clarity, tools, or proof-of-concept
Promising “massive upside” without backing it up with any data or structure

🔍 What Founders Should Do First
Sell the product yourself — at least a few times
Write down the sales process
Create a simple comp plan with tiers and KPIs
Offer early hires ownership of process + upside

🧭 Final Word
You don’t need a huge salary budget to bring in motivated talent — but you do need:
A clear plan
Something real to offer (cash, equity, autonomy)
And honesty about the stage you're at
If you’re not offering security, you’d better be offering meaning, ownership, or legacy.

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Have questions or want to map out the right offer structure for your stage? Feel free to schedule a call.