Your investors are pushing for "commercial traction." Your board advises you to "hire a real VP of Sales." So you do. You spend a fortune to recruit a star performer from a top enterprise SaaS company—a proven "quota-crusher."
Six months later, your lab coat culture is in turmoil, your top scientists are frustrated by the constant demand for demos and premature product roadmaps, and you have zero meaningful partnerships. The star hire quits, citing a "lack of product-market fit."
What went wrong?
You tried to apply a playbook for selling a finished product to the delicate, multi-year process of co-creating a new technological paradigm. In the world of quantum, the traditional salesperson is not only ineffective; they are actively destructive. The person you need is not a salesperson. They are a new kind of commercial professional we at DM & Associates call the Physicist-Translator.
Defining the Physicist-Translator
This role is not about closing deals; it's about starting journeys. The Physicist-Translator is the crucial bridge between your lab and your partner's boardroom. Their key attributes are:
- Deep Technical Credibility: They typically hold a Ph.D. or have equivalent deep expertise in quantum physics, computer science, or a related field. They can speak with your scientists as a peer, earning their respect.
- Bilingual Fluency: They are fluent in two languages: the technical language of quantum mechanics and the business language of ROI, strategic advantage, and risk mitigation.
- A Consultative Mindset: They are an educator and an advisor first. Their primary skill is listening to a partner's complex problem and translating it into the framework of a quantum challenge.
- Infinite Patience: They thrive on building deep, trust-based relationships over years, not closing deals in a quarter. They are motivated by solving monumental problems, not by a commission check.
Where to Hunt for these Unicorns
You won't find these individuals on the typical sales leaderboards. You must hunt where credibility and intellect intersect with a desire for real-world impact:
- National Research Laboratories: Look for senior scientists who are brilliant but feel their work is too disconnected from industry. They are often eager to apply their expertise to tangible problems.
- Deep-Tech Practices of Consulting Firms: Top consulting firms have practices dedicated to advising clients on frontier tech. These consultants are trained translators, skilled at bridging technology and business value.
- Senior Application Scientists: Look at companies selling complex scientific instruments (e.g., in genomics, materials science). Their senior application scientists are already skilled at helping customers solve hard problems with advanced technology.
How to Compensate Them
A commission plan based on "Total Contract Value" will incentivize them to close bad deals quickly. It's poison for your long-term strategy. Their compensation must be tied to the strategic milestones of the Advantage Pathway:
- Key Performance Indicators: Securing the first Lighthouse partner; the successful completion of Phase 0 Benchmarking; achieving the first "Quantum-Informed" ROI in Phase 1.
- Equity is Essential: A significant equity stake is non-negotiable. This person is not just selling a product; they are a co-architect of the company's entire commercial future and must be compensated as such.
Your first commercial hire is one of the most important strategic decisions you will make. Don't look for someone to "crush a quota." Look for a patient, credible partner who can translate your world-changing science into the language of enterprise value.
Find Your Physicist-Translator
Defining this unique role and writing a job description that attracts the right rare candidates is a challenge in itself. To give you a head start, we've created a comprehensive guide.
Download our free Founder's Guide & Job Description Template for the Quantum 'Physicist-Translator' Role. This resource provides a full template you can adapt, along with key questions to ask during the interview process to identify this unique blend of skills.
