How to Crush the Director of SDR Role with Rippling’s Sr SDR Director

Why It Matters

The model shows how disciplined cross‑functional infrastructure can turn a modest SDR function into a high‑velocity growth engine, offering a blueprint for fast‑scaling SaaS companies seeking to expand outbound revenue without sacrificing rep productivity.

Key Takeaways

• Rippling grew SDR team from 9 to 350 in three years.
• Outbound success hinges on dedicated RevOps, enablement, and ops support.
• Leaders without outbound experience can thrive with strong cross‑functional resources.
• Scaling new product verticals requires rapid hiring and specialized training.
• Balancing quota changes with SDR morale is critical for sustainable growth.

Summary

The conversation features Rippling’s Senior SDR Director outlining how the company built an outbound sales development engine from scratch, turning a nine‑person inbound team into a global force of roughly 350 SDRs.

Key insights include the rapid scaling timeline—expanding to 70 reps in the first year and to 350 today—driven by a rigorously designed playbook, mandatory cross‑functional support (dedicated RevOps, enablement, territory ops, and marketing), and a deliberate shift of inbound reps into outbound roles despite their limited cold‑calling experience.

He cites concrete examples such as the launch of a new IT‑focused SDR vertical that grew to 20 reps in months, the pivotal role of enablement leader Donnie Goodrich in offloading sequence‑building tasks, and a heated internal debate over frequent quota hikes that underscored the tension between growth targets and SDR morale.

For SaaS firms, the take‑away is clear: outbound success now requires specialized operational teams and leaders who can leverage those resources, while maintaining a balance between aggressive growth metrics and sustainable compensation structures to retain talent.

Original Description

In this episode, Jason and Rippling’s Senior SDR Director, Bert Brokaw, talk about what it really takes to crush the Director of SDR role, from leading managers and aligning with executives to building a high-performing outbound culture. Tune in to learn how top leaders grow strategic SDR teams that consistently deliver results.

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