A leading IT & cybersecurity firm successfully hired a market-making SLED Account Executive to launch a new business vertical, overcoming zero existing market presence.
Challenge
A well-established IT and Cybersecurity Value-Added Reseller (VAR), serving primarily federal government clients, sought to diversify its revenue streams by expanding into the State, Local, and Education (SLED) market. The goal was to build a new sales vertical from scratch.
The primary challenges were significant:
- No Existing Footprint: The company had no prior presence, reputation, or customer base in the SLED space.
- The Need for a “Player-Coach”: They required a candidate who was not just a salesperson, but a market builder with a pre-existing “book of business” and established relationships to accelerate entry.
- Intense Talent Competition: Experienced SLED sales professionals with proven multi-million-dollar track records are in high demand, making identification and recruitment difficult.
Our Approach
A highly targeted search strategy was deployed to find a candidate who could act as a foundational pillar for the new SLED division.
- Targeted Talent Pools: We focused exclusively on professionals from IT consulting firms and VARs with direct SLED sales experience.
- Proven Performance Metrics: We prioritized candidates with a verified history of selling $1M+ annually and managing complex SLED accounts.
- Strategic Expansion: The search was expanded to a national scale for fully remote candidates in key time zones (EST/CST) to access the deepest talent pool.
- Rigorous Screening: Candidates were vetted for technical knowledge in cybersecurity, cloud, and IT infrastructure, as well as their experience with the SLED procurement process (RFPs/RFIs).
Outcomes
The focused approach yielded a highly qualified shortlist and a single, perfect hire, achieving the client’s primary objective.
The Recruitment Funnel:415 Candidates Sourced → 13 Qualified Submittals → 1 Successful Hire
Candidate Quality Benchmarks:
- 7+ years of average SLED IT sales experience among finalists.
- $1M+ in average annual revenue historically generated by top candidates.
The Strategic Impact: Before → After
| BEFORE | AFTER | |
|---|---|---|
| Market Presence | No SLED footprint or customers | A seasoned expert is now building the foundation |
| Revenue Diversification | Reliant on federal contracts | Actively pursuing SLED opportunities for balanced growth |
| Growth Capacity | No dedicated SLED sales function | A new vertical is launched, led by a proven market builder |
Client Testimonial
“The team understood exactly what we needed — not just a salesperson, but a market builder. They delivered candidates who were immediately relevant, experienced, and ready to make an impact. We’re thrilled with the outcome and confident our new hire will help us establish a strong foothold in the SLED market.”
— VP of Sales, Leading IT & Cybersecurity Firm
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