AI SDR
An AI SDR is a software agent that does the work of a sales development rep: researching prospects, writing personalised outreach, sending sequences, and booking qualified meetings, all without a human typing each message. It reads your CRM, enriches a lead, drafts an email that references something real about the account, and follows up on a schedule.
For a lean founder this is the obvious early hire that isn't a hire. Top-of-funnel prospecting is grindy, repetitive, and the first thing you stop doing when you get busy, so handing it to an agent keeps the pipeline moving while you build or deliver. The catch: an AI SDR amplifies whatever you point it at. Aim it at a sloppy list with a weak offer and it sends bad email faster. Get the targeting and message right first, then let it run the volume.