Founder-led sales got us to $28k MRR. Every investor asks what happens when it isn't me

41 customers, every single one closed by me. Demos, pricing calls, the 11pm "quick question" messages — all me. It works: we're at $28k MRR, up from $11k a year ago. But in this raise the same question keeps landing in different costumes: "What does this look like when you're not the one selling?" and I don't have an honest answer.

I tried to fix it last year. Hired a salesperson at $70k base — agency background, great in the interview. He closed 2 deals in 5 months. Both were inbound leads I would have closed in my sleep. Letting him go cost me a quarter of emotional energy and I've been gun-shy since.

Now I can't tell what the raise-credible move is: an SDR who books meetings that I still close (cheaper, but the answer to "beyond you" is still "me")? A real AE bet before the round, so there's a data point by close? Or just say "founder sells until $50k MRR, that's the plan" and own it? The deck currently says "hire 2 AEs post-raise" and even I don't believe the slide.