I have noticed that there is a bit fo a disconnect when we address sales whether for an estalblished company or a start up, trying to work out the balance sheet. It is common for people to mistake marketing and sales but the truth is that most of the time, there is a very distinct difference between sales and marketing. Sales is a very standard practice and various sales strategies are the same whether you are again, dealing with a start up or an established company. Which is why you will find a Sales Department in established companies using the same sales technqiues as a start up. When Small Medium Enterprises are starting up, they often spend quite the figure of dollars on sales to ensure that they know what to do to keep the start up afloat. As a Business Development expert , I always advice clients that you need to spend money to make money if you need the Start up to gain momentum in terms of growth, but also gain visibility in the niche market space. For example, if you are a Yoga instructor, your training attire and your feet need to look the part. Happy housewives are looking to make sure your feet are not crusty... they just did not join up to have a smilar slim figure *which is why we need to allow Fitness instructors to maintain, their body is their walking business card. To a regular observer you may be wasting money investing on monthly pedicures but you are not : especially if the reverse warrior pose or tree pose is your most celebrated yoga pose. The same way for a start up, sales executives with a wealth of knowledge in sales need to be the first group of people you hire because, let us face it, you sought out to be an entrepreneur to solve a problem, make an impact and ofcourse, make money.