Fractional AE for Startups: Is It Right for You?
A guide for seed to Series A founders on when to use fractional sales resources.
TL;DR
A Fractional AE is ideal for startups that need qualified leads but can't afford or don't need a full-time sales hire. If you're a founder spending 10+ hours/week on lead research, a Fractional AE gives you that time back for $1-2.5k/month.
The Startup Sales Challenge
Early-stage startups face a dilemma: you need pipeline to grow, but you can't afford a $150k AE and don't have time to manage a junior SDR. So the founder ends up doing sales, spending hours on LinkedIn and research instead of product.
A Fractional AE solves this by handling the research and qualification phase, delivering qualified leads ready for you to close.
Is a Fractional AE Right for Your Startup?
Great Fit If:
- You're pre-Series B
- Founder is doing sales (and wants to stop)
- You have product-market fit but no pipeline
- You need leads this month, not in 6 months
- Budget is limited but you need results
- You want to test outbound before hiring
Not Ideal If:
- You don't have product-market fit yet
- You need someone to close deals
- You want to build in-house sales org now
- Your sales cycle requires real-time support
- You don't know your ICP
Startup Stage Guide
Pre-Seed / Seed
Founder is doing everything. Limited budget. Need to validate outbound.
Verdict: Fractional AE is perfect. Start with $1k/month, get 50 leads.
Series A
Proven product, some revenue, need to scale pipeline.
Verdict: Fractional AE + your closer. Or Fractional AE while you hire full-time.
Series B+
Building a sales team, predictable revenue.
Verdict: Usually time for full-time hires. Fractional AE can supplement.
What Startups Get from a Fractional AE
- 50-100 qualified leads per month
- Verified emails (95%+ accuracy)
- Personalized first lines for outreach
- ICP refinement and insights
- No hiring, training, or management needed
- Month-to-month commitment