The PLG Dilemma: Why Sales Remains the Overlooked Key to Revenue

The emergence of product-led growth (PLG) has transformed the startup landscape, putting engineering and product teams at the center of driving innovation. However, as

, points out, this evolution has resulted in a critical oversight: diminishing the importance of sales leadership, especially for non-technical professionals responsible for turning technical achievements into business results. In today’s saturated market, where the idea that "exceptional products sell themselves" no longer holds true, non-technical executives need a clear strategy to connect innovation with revenue generation.

The PLG Paradox: Rethinking Sales as a Strategic Function

The PLG approach, which places product usage at the heart of growth, has caused many startups to overlook the value of structured sales processes. While technical founders concentrate on building scalable products,

as a systematic and disciplined operation. Olusanya stresses that in PLG-driven companies, sales is less about persuasion and more about constructing a "revenue blueprint" that synchronizes product development with market needs.

A major obstacle is the "language gap" between technical and business teams. Engineers communicate in terms of APIs and microservices, while finance professionals focus on metrics like ROI and payback time. Non-technical leaders must serve as chief translators, converting technical progress into measurable financial benefits.

as a cost rather than a driver of revenue.

Three Foundations for Building Revenue Systems

Olusanya identifies three essential pillars for non-technical leaders to create enduring revenue frameworks:

1.

Non-technical executives need a thorough grasp of their product’s structure—not to develop it, but to position it strategically. By pinpointing the "narrow wedge" where their product excels, they can align product momentum with revenue objectives. For instance, when engineering teams launch new integrations,

toward customers who depend on those platforms.

2.

Just as engineers are expected to deliver robust code, sales leaders must provide accurate forecasts. This means moving beyond spreadsheets to systems like CRMs, with well-defined exit criteria for each stage of the sales cycle. , non-technical leaders can build predictability and gain investor confidence.

3.

To appeal to CFOs, proposals should emphasize risk, expense, and returns. Olusanya suggests centering each deal on three key metrics: the cost of doing nothing, potential revenue increase, and net dollar retention (NDR).

from a simple transaction to a strategic business initiative.

From Salesperson to Strategic Ally

The responsibilities of non-technical leaders in PLG startups are shifting from being mere sellers to becoming strategic partners. By positioning themselves at the crossroads of product, sales, and finance, these leaders help ensure that innovation translates into scalable business outcomes rather than remaining a costly experiment. As

, the real blueprint for impact is crafted not in code, but through go-to-market planning and financial interpretation.

For startups operating in the PLG space, the key question is no longer whether to focus on sales, but how to design it for maximum effectiveness.