For AEs going early-stage

Select, land, and thrive
in the right Founding AE role.

Whether you're eyeing the move, actively evaluating, or already in the seat — this is where you get the unfiltered perspective.

Considering → Evaluating → In the role
I'm Open to the Right Role → Not actively looking? Still worth being in the loop.
01 · Select
Know what good looks like before you say yes.

Most AEs evaluate Founding AE roles the wrong way. They focus on the product. The signal is in the founder, the stage, and the setup — not the pitch deck.

02 · Land
Position yourself as the obvious choice.

Early-stage founders don't hire on resume. They hire on conviction. How you show up — what you ask, what you signal — determines whether they see you as a builder or just another AE.

03 · Thrive
The first 90 days set the trajectory.

Founding AEs who win don't come in with a playbook. They come in with curiosity, earn trust, and build the system before they try to scale it. Most people get this backwards.

Field notes

The reading list.

Founding AE Hub · Candidate Lens
What I Look for in a Founding AE

Not quota attainment. Not enterprise logos. The traits that actually predict whether someone thrives when there's no playbook, no brand, and no one to catch the ball if they drop it.

Read →
Founding AE Hub · Opportunity Lens
What To Look for in a Good Founding AE Opportunity

How to evaluate the company, not just the role. Founder access, PMF signals, ICP clarity, comp structure, runway — and the one question that tells you everything.

Read →
Founding AE Hub · LinkedIn & Positioning
How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for a Founding AE Role

Enterprise logos don't impress early-stage founders. Stage fit does. How to reframe your profile to signal the right ambition — without starting over from scratch.

Read →
Founding AE Hub · First 90 Days
How to Thrive in Your First 90 Days as a Founding AE

You got the role. Now what? The Founding AEs who win don't come in changing things. They come in learning everything — and earn the right to build by understanding what the founder already knows.

Coming soon
Stay in the loop

Not actively looking.
But open to the right thing.

Most of the best Founding AE moves don't start with a job search. They start with a conversation. If something exceptional comes across my desk that looks like a fit — right stage, right founder, right upside — I'd rather reach out than have you miss it.

No resume. No commitment. I'll reach out if I see something that makes sense. You ignore me if the timing isn't right.

What stage you're at and what you're optimizing for
What kind of company and founder you'd want to bet on
What would make you pick up the phone
Free · No obligation

Tell me where you are.
I'll reach out if something fits.

Your information is only used to reach out about potential opportunities. Never shared or sold.

✓

You're in the loop.

I'll reach out personally if something looks like a fit. No noise in the meantime.

Role Intel

Evaluating a specific role?
Send it to me.

Job descriptions are written by recruiters, not founders. Before you put time into a role, get my read on it. This is open to any company — not just my listings.

I'll tell you what I actually think about the company, the stage, the comp, and whether the setup is right for you to win.

Is the company ready to hire sales — or are they hiring hope?
Does the comp reflect the risk you'd be taking?
What the investors signal about the trajectory
Whether the founder is someone you can sell with
What I'd want to know before saying yes
Free · Personal response

Tell me about the role you're looking at.

I respond personally. Typically within a few business days.

✓

Got it. I'll take a look.

Expect a personal response within a few business days.

Dave Rubinstein — Founding AE Recruiter and GTM Advisor
About Dave

Why this exists.

I've had over 250 conversations with B2B founders across 40+ countries, and I've spent the last year deeply focused on the Founding AE role — what makes it work, what makes it fail, and what both sides consistently get wrong. Founders don't know what to look for. And AEs don't know how to evaluate what they're walking into.

The frameworks here are what I actually use. The role intel is my honest read, for free. And if you tell me you're open to the right thing, I'll treat that seriously — not as a lead, but as a conversation worth having when the timing is right.

If you're a founder or VP Sales building your first sales team, reach me at [email protected].

LinkedIn → 100Founders Newsletter → Field Notes →
There's also a small private community for AEs at every stage of the early-stage journey — considering the move, in the role, or past it. Monthly Zoom, async discussion, no noise. Reach out on LinkedIn if you want in.