How I Replaced 10 SDRs with 1 Architect + Automation: Complete Case Study
"Before 0%—he built this from scratch in 2 years." — VP Sales, Series A Cybersecurity Company
Project::Sentinel — Results
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💰 Calculate Your ROI →The Challenge
Series A Cybersecurity Company | GTM Engineering Lead
When I joined this Series A cybersecurity company, they had zero pipeline. The company needed to:
- Build an entire GTM motion from scratch
- Reduce headcount costs without sacrificing pipeline quality
- Replace a 10-person SDR team with automation while maintaining or improving output
- Operationalize a dormant partner channel across NA & LATAM
The traditional playbook—hire more SDRs, scale outreach volume—wasn't an option. The company needed architecture, not activity.
What I Built
1. Automated Signal Detection System
Instead of blasting everyone, I built a system that identifies high-intent signals:
- Job changes in target accounts (CISO, VP Security, IT Directors)
- Funding announcements and expansion signals
- Technology stack changes (migration to cloud, Zero Trust initiatives)
- Security incident mentions in news and social media
- Competitive displacement opportunities
2. AI-Powered Outreach Sequences
I orchestrated 5 LLMs (Llama 3.3 70B, Mixtral 8x7B, Gemini Pro, GPT-4, Claude 3.5) to:
- Generate personalized, engineer-to-engineer messaging
- Adapt messaging based on persona (CISO vs. VP Engineering vs. IT Director)
- Incorporate real-time signal data into outreach
- A/B test messaging variations automatically
3. Pipeline Scoring and Prioritization
Built a scoring engine that ranks opportunities by:
- Signal strength (recent job change, funding, tech stack changes)
- Fit score (company size, industry, tech stack)
- Engagement velocity (response rate, meeting acceptance)
- Partner channel alignment (NA vs. LATAM, reseller relationships)
4. Just-in-Time SDR Training System
Instead of 3-month ramp times, I built a 5-day certification program:
- AI-powered training modules with real-time feedback
- Gamified learning with XP scoring
- Multi-agent interview simulator (CEO, CFO, VP personas)
- Voice Lab for real-time speech coaching (WPM, filler detection, presence scoring)
5. Built Entire GTM Motion from 0% Pipeline in 2 Years
This wasn't just automation—I architected the entire revenue system:
- US outbound sales motion from scratch
- Partner channel operationalization across NA & LATAM
- Zero Trust / PAM positioning narrative shift
- RSA 2024/2025 demo flows and field playbook
- Post-RSA follow-up automation
The Results
160% YoY Pipeline Increase
Built from zero pipeline to measurable, predictable growth. The signal architecture replaced brute-force volume with precision targeting.
$424K Annual Savings
Replaced 10 SDRs with 2 SDRs + automation. The system pays for itself in the first quarter.
77 Meetings/Month (+71% Output)
With 10 SDRs: 45 meetings/month. With 2 SDRs + automation: 77 meetings/month. Quality improved because we targeted signals, not spray-and-pray.
5 Days SDR Ramp (18× Faster)
Industry average: 3 months. Our system: 5 days. Just-in-time training with AI-powered feedback and gamified learning.
"Leon's signal architecture replaced our 10-person SDR team with 2 SDRs + automation. We're doing 77 meetings/month vs. 45 before. Before 0%—he built this from scratch in 2 years."— VP Sales, Series A Cybersecurity Company
The Architecture
This wasn't about buying tools. It was about building systems:
- Signal Detection: Multi-vector data ingestion (LinkedIn, ATS, VC portfolios, Twitter, Reddit, HN, financial news)
- LLM Orchestration: 5 models working together—Llama for research, Mixtral for outreach, Gemini for analysis, GPT-4 for personalization, Claude for strategy
- Pipeline CRM: Custom deal tracking with stage probability, comp negotiation, and 90-day planning
- Intel Agent: Resume vs JD analysis with skill matching, gap identification, and fit scoring
- Comms Studio: LLM-powered outreach generation with persona-targeted messaging
Key Learnings
1. Signal > Volume
77 meetings/month from 2 SDRs beats 45 meetings/month from 10 SDRs. Why? Because we targeted signals, not spray-and-pray.
2. Architecture > Activity
Building the system took 2 years. But once built, it scales. The 10 SDRs were doing activity. The system does architecture.
3. Systems > Headcount
You can't scale headcount infinitely. But you can scale systems. The $424K savings is just the beginning—the system continues to compound.
4. Just-in-Time > Just-in-Case
3-month SDR ramp is "just-in-case" training. 5-day ramp is "just-in-time" training. The system teaches what's needed, when it's needed.
What This Means for You
If you're running a GTM team and thinking "we need more SDRs," consider this:
- What if you replaced 10 SDRs with 2 SDRs + automation?
- What if you increased output by 71% while reducing headcount by 80%?
- What if you reduced SDR ramp from 3 months to 5 days?
- What if you built a system that compounds instead of a team that scales linearly?
This isn't about eliminating jobs. It's about deploying human capital on high-value activities—the close, the relationship, the strategy—while automation handles the research, prioritization, and outreach.
Calculate Your ROI
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Conclusion
Revenue is not arithmetic. It is architecture.
You can't scale headcount infinitely. But you can scale systems. The $424K savings is just the beginning—the system continues to compound.
Before 0% pipeline. After 2 years: 160% YoY growth, 77 meetings/month, $424K savings, 5-day SDR ramp.
I build the engine, not just run it.
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