Director-level sales roles: how do candidates stand out without pre-existing buyer relationships?

Hey everyone,

I’m currently in the interview process for a Director-level sales role at a non-vertical cannabis company, and I’m looking for perspective from people who have hired for or held similar roles.

Quick background for context:

• 12 years in the beer industry
  
• 2 years in the Hemp THC beverage space
  
• Extensive experience launching markets, managing distributor partners, building field teams, and driving retail execution

One thing I’m thinking through in the hiring process is how candidates differentiate themselves when they don’t come in with established cannabis buyer relationships.

In alcohol and hemp, I’ve been successful by standing out by focusing on:

• Strong distributor management and accountability
  
• Clear go-to-market and rollout strategy
  
• Pricing, assortment, and rate-of-sale discipline
  
• Building field teams and execution standards that actually stick

My questions for this group:

• When hiring a Director-level sales leader, how heavily do you weigh existing buyer relationships versus proven ability to build structure, process, and execution?
  
• What signals can a candidate give early on if they don’t yet have a Rolodex of buyers?
  
• For non-vertical brands, what tends to matter most in the first 6–12 months: buyer access, operational discipline, ect?

I’m trying to pressure-test how others in the industry think about this, and how best to position myself during the interview process.

Thanks for the help and insight!