Will AI Replace Salespeople? Why Fast-Growing Startups Are Still Hiring Reps

In episode 154 of Startup Success, Kate Adams talks with Connor Heggie, co-founder and CTO of Unify, an AI-native go-to-market platform used by revenue teams at companies like Perplexity and Decagon. Connor is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree who previously worked in machine learning at Scale AI and Helm.ai. AI was supposed to replace salespeople. Connor is betting on the opposite. He explains why B2B sales comes down to a search problem, why buyers still want a human accountable on six-figure deals, and why some of the fastest-growing AI companies are hiring more reps, not fewer. Key takeaways: Will AI replace salespeople? Why Connor says no Why B2B sales boils down to a search problem How a Wirecutter-style side project became the founding insight behind Unify How AI can make sales reps more effective Why changing direction with a 50+ person team was harder than convincing the market How core values unchanged since day one guide Unify's hard decisions Connor's advice to early-stage founders: be principles-driven, protect momentum, and remember the people who show up every day It's a candid conversation about building an AI company around people, even when "replace your humans" is the easier pitch. 🎧 Listen to Startup Success wherever you get your podcasts! Startup Success is produced by Burkland Associates, which provides fractional CFO, accounting, payroll, and tax services for venture-backed startups. Learn more: https://burklandassociates.com/ Full show notes and transcript: https://burklandassociates.com/podcas... Unify: https://www.unifygtm.com/ Connor on LinkedIn:   / connor-heggie   Follow us:   / burkland-associates     / burklandassoc     / burklandassoc   0:00 Meet the Engineer Building AI Agents for Sales Teams 2:55 The Wirecutter-Inspired Side Project Behind Unify 6:40 Why B2B Sales Is a Search Problem 9:20 Why Fast-Growing AI Companies Are Still Hiring Sales Reps 10:50 How AI Gives Sales Reps Superpowers 15:33 Why Founders Don't Want to Replace Their People 16:40 How to Lead Your Team Through a Strategy Shift 18:41 How Core Values Guide Tough Decisions 22:09 What's Next for Unify After Its Series B 24:00 Advice for Early-Stage Founders 25:48 Where to Find Unify #StartupSuccess #AI #Sales #GoToMarket