The question
For an early software company, the first sales resource is a big decision. Do you hire someone full time, or work with an independent agent or agency? Both can work. The difference is in cost, speed and control.
Cost and risk
A full-time hire means salary, tax, equipment and management time from day one, whether or not deals close. An independent agent paid on commission moves that cost to the point where revenue appears. The trade-off is that the agent also decides how much of their time your product gets, because they typically work with more than one company.
Speed
An experienced agent usually starts faster, since they already have a network and a way of working. A new hire needs onboarding, tooling and time to learn the product before they are productive.
Control and culture
An employee follows your processes and becomes part of the team, which matters for complex, long sales cycles. An agent works to a brief and an agreement. Clear reporting and a shared definition of a good lead keep things aligned.
A sensible path
Many companies start with an agent or agency to test the market, then hire full time once they know what works. The agent's learning about objections, pricing and buyers becomes the playbook for the first employee.