How Justin Bullock Builds Sales Teams That Scale: From New Relic to Recall

In this episode of Between Two Hires, host Tom Hannigan interviews Justin Bullock, VP of Sales at Recall and a seasoned SaaS sales leader with over a decade of experience at companies like New Relic, Envoy, and now a fast-scaling team at Recall. With more than 100 hires to his name, Justin shares proven insights on sourcing top talent, spotting red flags, and cultivating a leadership brand that draws in A-players.

Sales Hiring That Actually Works

Justin reflects on some of his most memorable hiring surprises. One standout? A candidate who followed up after a networking event with a subject line titled, “Ed’s Super Secret Cookie Recipe.” While there was no actual recipe, the follow-up showcased creativity and hustle—and the candidate later became a top-performing enterprise rep at Envoy.

On the flip side, Justin recalls a BDR candidate who mistakenly thought coffee was part of the interview—and asked for it twice. That one didn’t make the cut.

Justin’s Talent Strategy Playbook

1. Reputations Over Recruitment Tools
Justin believes your reputation as a leader is your most powerful recruiting asset.
When former team members actively promote your leadership, referrals and inbound interest skyrocket.

2. Ask Questions That Reveal How Candidates Think
Two of his favorite interview questions are:

• “What are you most proud of?”
  
• “How would you explain our company to your non-tech-savvy aunt at a barbecue?”
  

These prompts test for audience awareness, storytelling, and self-reflection—all critical traits in sales.

3. Go Beyond the Script in Reference Checks
One of the most revealing questions comes from Recall’s co-founder, Amanda:

“If I see you at a party six months from now and say it didn’t work out—what would be your first guess why?”

Even the most loyal references tend to answer candidly, offering valuable insight into risk areas.

Advice for Hiring Managers

Know Your Blind Spots
Justin acknowledges that his optimistic outlook can cloud his judgment during interviews. His solution? Include more skeptical team members in the hiring process to balance perspectives.

Internal Promotions: Trust the Data
When promoting SDRs to AEs, Justin prioritizes performance history over interview charisma. Metrics matter more than likability alone.

Currently Hiring at Recall

The team at Recall is growing rapidly. They’re currently hiring for:

• Enterprise Account Executives
  
• Mid-Market and Velocity Sales Reps
  
• Account Managers
  

“We’ve grown our AE team from two to six and plan to scale significantly. If you’re excited about solving real customer problems, let’s talk.”

Listen to the full episode of Between Two Hires for more hiring wins, red flags to watch for, and Justin’s philosophy on building high-trust, high-performance sales teams from the ground up.

Tom Wilkinson