In this episode, Lindsey Kratzer sits down with Cory Salmela, founder of Salmela Talent, a firm that helps venture- and PE-backed healthcare companies scale through a combination of executive recruiting and strategic advisory.

Cory’s worked closely with founders who are navigating the messy middle—from founder-led sales to building out real, scalable commercial teams.In this episode, Cory shares what it really takes to make the right early sales hires:

• When (and why) it’s time to move beyond founder-led sales

• How to find sales leaders with true market credibility—not just a shiny résumé

• Why culture fit still trumps raw experience for critical first hires

• What “efficacy” means not just for your product, but your sales story

• How great recruiting and go-to-market planning go hand in hand

Whether you’re recruiting your first VP of Sales or figuring out how to tell your story in a way that attracts top talent, Cory’s advice is founder-first and grounded in real-world experience.