The Operating System for Outbound Teams
I help early-stage SaaS companies build and refine a repeatable outbound motion - defining the ICP, messaging, processes, comp plan, and systems needed to make human and AI-powered outbound work.
From Stage 2 Capital’s GTM Newsletter
"Should I Try an AI SDR or Hire My First SDR?"
Co-authored with Liz Christo at Stage 2 Capital on how early-stage founders should think about AI, outbound, and building the right foundation before automation.
Most outbound teams fail before they start
Founders hire their first SDR and hand them a laptop and a quota. No structure. No clarity. Then 90 days later the pipeline isn't there and everyone wonders what went wrong.
It’s not a people problem. It’s a structure problem.
Before you make that hire, you need to answer these questions:
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Your comp plan shapes behavior. Without a well-structured plan that rewards quality pipeline, you'll incentivize the wrong activity from day one.
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A defined ICP isn't just a nice-to-have. Without it, your SDR sprays and prays — burning time on the wrong accounts and never building a replicable motion.
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If you haven't defined what a good meeting looks like, your SDR will fill the calendar with anyone willing to show up. That's not pipeline - that's noise.
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SDR turnover is 30–35% within 18 months. The reps who leave aren't lazy - they can see the ceiling. Define the path before day one.
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Weekly 1:1s with real feedback loops — not just a numbers check. The reps who grow fastest have a manager in the trenches with them, not managing from a dashboard.
Testimonials
“Alton taught me to think differently and set myself apart from every other SDR in the prospect's inbox. He challenged me to think like a closer — treating every outreach as a conversation, not a daily metric.”
SDR → Account Manager, Oracle NetSuite
“Alton helped me shift from pitching a blanket solution to taking a consultative approach. He showed me how to focus on the prospect's specific challenges rather than leading with 'I' statements. That mindset shift built more trust and led to more productive conversations.”
SDR → Account Executive, Oracle NetSuite
“Working with Alton early in my career helped me think more strategically about outreach — balancing volume with quality and approaching every conversation with a consultative mindset. Those lessons made me a stronger SDR and continue to guide me as an AE today.”
SDR → Account Executive, Oracle NetSuite
ABOUT
I’m Alton Heller.
7 years in SaaS sales
SDR and AE at Firstup.io, Jump.ai, and Oracle NetSuite
Still in the trenches
Current, real-world perspective - not theory from 3 years ago
I began my career as an SDR in San Francisco fresh out of college. My leadership team measured my success by dial count.
At that point, I decided to focus on my impact to the organization - creating high-quality pipeline that impacts revenue. I figured it out, made it to AE, and spent years watching the same broken pattern repeat itself at every company I joined.
Founders hire their first SDR and hand them a laptop and a quota.
No comp plan.
No defined ICP.
No sequences.
No clarity on what a good meeting looks like or what success looks like in 90 days. The SDR is expected to build the motion and hit a number at the same time.
It doesn't work. It never works.
I built SDR Academy because the structure exists, but early-stage founders and sales leaders don't have easy access to them. That’s what SDR Academy set out to fix.
How I Help
Three paths, depending on what support you need.
THE FULL BUILD
Done for you
We build your entire outbound infrastructure from scratch. Everything your SDR team needs to execute - not figure out.
ICP identification
Comp plan design
Sequence build-out
Ramp structure & onboarding plan
Scripts and templates
Custom outbound infrastructure
ADVISORY
Skip the trial and error
Ongoing support for founders and sales leaders optimizing outbound. Get direct guidance on hiring, execution, and performance without the cost of a full-time sales development leader.
Weekly strategy sessions
Slack/text between calls
Hiring guidance
Performance reviews
Accountability & execution support
VENTURE PARTNERSHIPS
PE/VC Firms
For firms supporting portfolio companies that require outbound infrastructure but don’t have the internal resources/bandwidth to build it.
I work directly with your portfolio founders to build the motion from scratch.
Full outbound infrastructure build for portfolio companies
Ongoing advisory in tandem with your firm when the LPs don’t have capacity
Ready to build?
Ready to build your first outbound motion? Tell me where you are and I'll tell you where to start
For PE/VC firms, tell me about the action taken thus far and where the gaps are.