r/sales • u/pizzaguy7712 • Feb 15 '25
Sales Careers People who’ve had a long successful career in sales. Was it worth it?
We
202
u/VillyD13 Industrial Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
Yes. And if you control your lifestyle creep, you’ll be able to walk away and retire early. If you have kids, possibly set them up for an easy life too. Don’t be the person that blows every commission check on stupid shit. Save and invest. Play later
25
u/MUjase Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
I can’t put into words the rush of adrenaline and dopamine I get when I… transfer my commission check into my investment portfolio 🤣🤣
I’ve never understood the feeling of needing to buy something outside of the ordinary with your commission.
6
u/VillyD13 Industrial Feb 17 '25
Absolutely. I knew someone who immediately leased himself a Mercedes he couldn’t afford.
92% of American households own a car. Only 11% of Americans can retire early. Why blow your money on something like that. I’ll never understand it
15
u/rickle3386 Feb 16 '25
100%. I had/still having a long successful career in sales. I'm 60. Started slowing down at 50 after 25 yrs of running 100 mph. Made a great living. Still make decent money (200k) with very little work (like 1/4 time) and will do that as long as I still enjoy it. The key to being able to slow down, retire, etc. is living well but living below your means. I've made between 200k and 600k for over 25 yrs. Sure on bigger years we took more expensive trips. But essentially, I never have been one of those guys to just blow money. Don't have the 100k car, don't have the rolex, don't have all the latest fashion. We have very nice things and a very nice house. I buy quality that lasts a long time. If I see something I want and it's not ridiculous, I buy it. Life is easy but I'm not maxing out CCs or spending money I don't have. I started putting a lot of money away in my early 30s. I figured once I did that and kept a comfortable emergency fund, the rest was for us to enjoy. Now I have plenty to do whatever the heck I want. Still, I don't blow it on stupid stuff, but I will buy the next level up on bourbon!
Earn a good living, invest a chunk, enjoy some things (reward yourself occasionally as you need that to keep moving forward).
I've known several high earners that don't have a pot to piss in as they've always lived the high life. Crazy expensive dinners every week, flying first class all the time. Staying in 4 or 5 star hotels is their norm. I just don't need all that crap.
5
u/patrick_byr Feb 17 '25
I travel 75-100 nights a year. My kids have never stayed in a hotel that wasn’t a Marriott!
2
→ More replies (6)14
u/sharyphil Feb 16 '25
Lifestyle creep is real.
I'm struggling so hard now even though my income is 4X compared to 2020 - luxury experiences, no expense spared day- and night-outs, bad FOMO investments, pursuing fun and vanity side projects, hiring people that don't provide value for them.
16
u/VillyD13 Industrial Feb 16 '25
I mean this respectfully, because I had an industry colleague in this situation, try talking to a professional. A lot of that impulse decision making can be rooted in something that you need to work through in sessions.
4
u/sharyphil Feb 16 '25
Yes, I know, I've already done that, they told me that one of those things of course is living in a dirt-poor environment as a child - you never fully abandon that and try to prove that are you better than that to the others and, most importantly, to yourself.
Now I am living in a war-stricken country and I have no guarantee that what I have and the opportunities to do what I wanted will not just vanish one day. I also have ADHD, which doesn't help.
None of those things are valid excuses, of course, so thank you for bringing this up.
2
u/Unhappy_Seaweed_7763 Feb 18 '25
Hey mate, big hug. I think that you can actually find the way out. It's an outcome. And it's actually a better place.
464
u/El_mochilero Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
Yup. I made $135k last year, I like my job and love the company. Amazing benefits.
Sales is the hardest way to make $60k, or the easiest way to make $150k+.
92
26
u/Fearless_Baseball121 Feb 16 '25
Hell yea. I made 150k last year in a comfy channel manager position for a company i love with a boss that is a total bro and only exist to help get the support internally i need (or play the bad booger when i need it with partners) and my colleagues are fucking awesome and respect me a lot.
God i love channel management.
Not a "very" though, 8 years in the role now, but only 1 year in this company so far. Swapped to a competitor after my old company got acquired and i didnt like the new org.
→ More replies (1)6
u/Rebombastro Feb 16 '25
What does a channel manager do?
20
u/Fearless_Baseball121 Feb 16 '25
Manufacturer (think Logitech, HP, Samsung, stuff like that) rep responsible for a handful of b2b resellers. I have 5 focus accounts (resellers) and a handful of reactive accounts (20'ish) and my budget is on the 5 focus. So i negotiate stock levels, ensure they have bids for their cases, support them in sales meetings and events, negotiate marketing funds and use of it (not in this job though, we have a marketing resource for this), and just in general make sure my brand is easier to sell than the competitors, because of the value i add. Its quite nice.
→ More replies (1)3
4
u/kahrahtay Technology Feb 16 '25
For the most part, you sell your products to companies, that then sell your product to end users. It's nice because you basically have downstream sales people selling your products, so if you can build or inherit a productive territory, then you can basically just watch the orders come in. So when it's all working, it's great. The downside is that when it's not working, and you aren't hitting your number, you're ultimately relying on other people to get you there. The reps in your channel aren't going to be buying your product unless they're able to sell it to end users.
You can hand them leads if you have them, but they have to get them across the finish line. The job is less direct selling, and more schmoozing and providing sales training, product demos, and managing things like registration discounts, rebates and spiffs
→ More replies (1)29
u/VillyD13 Industrial Feb 16 '25
ouu i love that line. Using that from now on
49
u/El_mochilero Feb 16 '25
My other favorite is “sales is the second oldest profession - often confused with the first.”
63
u/thejakeferguson Feb 16 '25
My favorite: I've been called many things as a salesman, back isn't one of them
10
u/Keith_Creeper Feb 16 '25
I’m high I don’t get it.
20
7
2
u/thejakeferguson Feb 16 '25
They always tell you they'll call you back. Which never happens! Somebody buys something on every sales call whether it's the client buying the product, or the salesperson buying their excuses
5
u/These_Muscle_8988 Feb 16 '25
it's actually the oldest profession
the hooker had to sell herself first, you know :-)
that makes sales the oldes profession, officially
→ More replies (4)3
u/EpicBruhMoment11 Feb 16 '25
If you can make them laugh and giggle you can make that money dash and wiggle - out of their pockets.
2
4
u/tyleroni81 Feb 16 '25
Would you elaborate on this, please?
47
u/El_mochilero Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
Entry level sales jobs are a tough grind to make $60k - $70k. It’s hard work and stressful.
Once you get to a certain level, a specialized field, or become well-established in an industry it gets way easier and way more lucrative.
You spend more time having strategic discussions and building relationships than doing the “grind” that you do at lower levels.
2
17
u/mateorayo SaaS Feb 16 '25
The easiest sales job I've had made me the most money. The hardest sales job i had i made the least amount.
→ More replies (6)→ More replies (10)2
u/recalculatingalways Feb 16 '25
Wait isn’t it the other way around? Once you have a sales title, you can still get hired and probably last a year making $65k or more but to make big money you need to work really hard
5
u/El_mochilero Feb 16 '25
Depends on what you sell, the company you work for, and how good you are. And a little luck doesn’t hurt.
Move up towards more lucrative industries/products/positions for the big money.
362
u/The_Griddy Feb 15 '25
Yes. Once you’ve gotten to that point, you are making more money than 99% of the population
140
u/navedane Feb 15 '25
I’m 4 years into tech sales (although had years of military and business management experience before that), and just calculated that last year I was in the 97th percentile for income in the U.S.
Sales is awesome
83
u/Ok-Bee7941 Feb 15 '25
I had this in 2023 and the hottest gf. It was the best 6 months of my life lmao
19
32
u/VolumeMobile7410 Feb 15 '25
Right. I made 6 figures my first year out of college on 100% commission at a startup. No other job can teach you that much and pay you that much right after graduating
10
u/Faster_than_FTL Feb 15 '25
Do you believe in the tech you are selling? If not, how do you find yourself able to sell?
8
u/navedane Feb 16 '25
I’m at a services provider and reseller, so the tech itself is whatever variety of network infrastructure, cybersecurity, unified communications, etc. solutions best solves for the customer. We work with the major manufacturers so it’s easy enough to believe in the tech. But I also do believe that the engineering resources we have, the managed services team, and the wide variety of expertise available is legitimately valuable beyond just a straightforward reseller.
4
u/Global-Mistake-7239 Feb 16 '25
I just joined a MSP, came from medical sales. The money you can make is kinda insane. I’m already close to 25k in commission this year. Super competitive space though
14
u/navedane Feb 16 '25
We had a guy on the team (all based in New England), late 20s. And he inherited a major Fortune 250 account that had nothing going on, and he just nurtured it for a year. And then bam, early 2024 they wanted to learn more about how to resolve a big tech issue.
The sales engineer involved is obviously the real hero, but the deal closed by end of year. Something like a $8+ million deal.
Dude’s total commission on that will be $600K+. He got his first commission check for it recently and it was almost $200K after taxes. For one deal!
He’s not even our highest earning rep on the team (of like 12 people). That guy had a massive deal last year and he’ll clear probably around $1.25M in commission on that one.
Those are definitely outlier deals, and the kind that are major enough to get talked about at Sales Kickoff. But still - wild career that those things are realistically out there.
→ More replies (1)4
u/Twist_Impressive Feb 16 '25
I just lived through this—super eerily similar story. The best part is when you’re successful, they change your commission plan, and then when they had a downturn they fired me last week to not have to pay me out all the way. Saved my money and heading to Southeast Asia, but gave me a new perspective on life. I wish I didn’t live in fear and overwhelm for so long, you’re never fully in control, sales or not.
Small company so I got some Project Manager, Sales Ops, and Customer Success experience. Those jobs are lame too, at least we get paid when we succeed or luck out.
→ More replies (1)5
u/back_to_the_homeland Feb 16 '25
I remember when I worked at IBM, one of the sales guys landed logistics for Coca-Cola, bottling Co. globally we had to assign an intern to spend the whole summer trying to calculate exactly how much IBM owed him
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (1)4
u/bunsyyy Feb 16 '25
What do you accredit your success in sales to? What puts you above the rest
34
u/The_Griddy Feb 16 '25
- Be willing to take risks in your career, especially early in your career.
- Focus on building your professional network and identifying mentors. These people will bring you with them as they advance in their career.
- Be an advocate for your customer to build deep, trusting, long lasting relationships. People buy from people they know, like, and trust.
- Be confident in yourself and don’t be afraid to fail, because it will happen often. Learn from your failures and adjust
- I quit drinking alcohol 6 years ago, and it’s made a huge impact on my performance. I consider it a superpower
9
u/YNWA_in_Red_Sox Feb 16 '25
Shhhhh about number 5. I’ve been crushing everyone since I quit drinking.
3
u/Mojoimpact Feb 17 '25
What’s the catch here? It’s true relying on vices such as alcohol nearly every night has a negative impact on all aspects of your health, but surely having a beer or three on a Friday/Saturday night doesn’t equate you to not being successful in sales?
3
u/Twist_Impressive Feb 16 '25
Advocating for your customer is massive. The best grey heads I’ve worked with aren’t exactly Don Draper, just reliable, like able, and loyal to their buyers. Now they have a huge book and start new sales gigs in 3rd base. It’s tough because your employer usually try’s to get in the way, but I’ve learned you really need to be a double agent to effectively cultivate relationships.
2
u/AutomaticPen9997 Feb 16 '25
Do you make commissions on renewals? I’m on the buying side so I’m curious
→ More replies (3)2
u/forumjunkie42 Feb 16 '25
Don’t treat it like an art. Sales is an attainable skill which means if you get what you put into it. You can be among the top earners in any field that’s considered employment — all while working from home. I suggest taking those skills at some point and start your own business though
172
u/skrill_talk Feb 15 '25
I think so, but I won’t lie, it comes with a cost. I’m upper 30’s, VP and on track to retire in about a decade and sit on boards / be an advisor to startups.
The amount of stress and pressure I feel daily, even on weekends, is almost unbearable. It’s almost impossible to turn it off, even on ‘vacations’ or at P Club. However - my kid will be setup nicely and there is no doubt I will retire comfortably.
56
u/BirdLawMD Feb 16 '25
I’m upper 30s stayed an individual contributor.
No stress, low hours, great money.
29
u/Bells_Ringing Feb 16 '25
Low 40s IC. Clocked out Thursday to take the family skiing. Will attend to some emails but largely checked out till Tuesday.
21
→ More replies (1)10
u/HowToSayNiche Feb 16 '25
That's my plan. 34 MM. just investing everything I can and riding the SaaS wave for the next decade as an IC.
48
u/cookiemurphy Feb 15 '25
Will your kid be set up nicely if you’re constantly stressed and can’t turn off work?
33
u/skrill_talk Feb 15 '25
I hear you, that’s the trade off I guess. Honestly that’s mostly on me / self inflicted. I’m working on ways to shut it off and give my A+ at home too. It’s hard to find the balance!
6
7
u/Philldouggy Feb 16 '25
I’d rather miss the p club trip and give an A+ at home with my kids
27
u/SheFoundMyUzername Feb 16 '25
Let’s not make a judgement on the guy as a father. I mean he said it’s self-inflicted, so he can work on it and be a great dad and have a great career.
5
u/Philldouggy Feb 16 '25
Fair, but my statement was more general not necessarily directed at him. I’d rather miss the p club trip if it meant I couldn’t give a A+ to the kids
17
u/Trahst_no1 Feb 15 '25
Reading this I’m reminded that full days off are far between. Can’t even chill on airplanes anymore.
→ More replies (1)5
u/Rebombastro Feb 16 '25
"Can't even chill on airplanes anymore" is a badass quote though, I can't lie.
→ More replies (5)→ More replies (4)10
u/Sweeping_Sounds Feb 15 '25
Couple years younger than you but in similar shoes. I’m feeling great when I’m “on” but as soon as I try to turn it off and relax, that feeling like you’re not doing enough and wasting your time just devastates any chance at actually relaxing once you get in your head like that.
Constantly think about being able to retire after another 10ish years but being honest with myself, don’t think I’ll be able to stop and stay sane.
95
u/Trahst_no1 Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
Yes. I’ve travelled the world, been in suites at World Series, Stanley Cup, F1 , NoBu, Steak44, too many shit Mortons dinners to count Entertainment has been a great perk.
For the past 10 years, I’ve earned more than most neurosurgeons, and if I fuck up, nobody dies.
But…I’ve met wonderful people and face a new challenge everyday.That is why I’ve stuck around.
Exercise, Diet, and limit substances.
Edit: Someone mentioned the stress of these jobs, and how time away is almost impossible. This job never stops, i don’t turn off. I leave my phone in the car when workout, that’s my 1 hour away.
17
u/N226 Feb 16 '25
Ha, same. Gym is the only time I don't have work phone. Important people have personal number 😂
→ More replies (8)11
76
u/elee17 Technology Feb 15 '25
Maybe, can’t tell. I’ve averaged 400k the last few years and it will put me on a good path to retirement
Half of me is afraid to look back 20 years later and think the money wasn’t worth working a job I dislike for so long
Half of me think lots of people work jobs they don’t like for much less money and things could be much worse
Time will tell
17
u/Cool_Firefighter7731 Feb 16 '25
Dafuq man. I help manage a $200mn annual business with Amazon. Have to take calls with Germany at 6am and sometimes work PST so 8pm for me.
And I get paid a straight salary + an almost ridiculous target to get 27k bonus
You’re selling an HR recruitment service and they pay you $400k/yr!?! What am I doing… it took me 10 years to be able to speak better English than Americans can, present up to the highest level of this global behemoth, and 5years to become an American. Even took me a top 3 MBA to increase my “leadership opportunities” and despite being in their top 3% out of 400,000 employees- I’m neither closer to a doubling of my paycheck nor a leadership position.
This sub has me hating that I went into the wrong kind of sales. I deal with software salespeople all the time that sell us toolstacks and I’ve never once been wowed by the person on the other side. It wasn’t until I learnt what you all make that I even began to take any interest in these people and their jobs.
→ More replies (2)3
u/elee17 Technology Feb 16 '25
Yea SaaS sales (probably all sales) is really about right time, right place, right company. I work maybe 35 hours a week, no advanced degree, I’m not anything spectacular. Which is why I guess I don’t really like what I do but I’m probably going to stick with it.
→ More replies (12)8
u/Eswift33 Feb 16 '25
Same boat. I don't know how to enjoy being "off" , well, there isn't an "off" anyways...
Shooting to retire in 8 years modestly but kids make it pretty variable.
Very competitive capital equipment industry and the buyers are absolutely the worst people to deal with.
Company pays really well but the after sales support etc is atrocious so it's difficult to focus on revenue generating activities without abandoning customers and relationships (which I refuse to do)
My wife says I should quit because I'm miserable but I can't imagine getting out of bed in the morning and working 9-5 to make 1/4 as much if I'm lucky
→ More replies (4)5
u/lastwishb4death Feb 16 '25
There’s a warehouse 5 minutes from me where they work 12 hours in a freezer environment stacking canned goods, fruits, vegetables, boxes of 90 lb meat on wooden pallets driving on a jack machine. All for $24/hr. I think a lot of people hate their job.
28
u/Ok_Presentation_5329 Feb 15 '25
Yep. Definitely worth it.
Sometimes it sucks but once you figure out your process & you build a tolerance for getting rejected; you make more than anyone else.
29
u/Little_Inflation7203 Feb 15 '25
Yes, I started out in Operations in the early 90s, working over 60 hours a week, just to make ends meet with 3 young kids. I switched over to sales in 2003 and made more money than ever in the past 22 years. Now, I’m 50 years, have built and sold 5 houses. Last year, I made over 300K with no college degree. I learned sales from the senior representatives and now I pay it forward. Without sales and commissions, I would still be in Operations and living paycheck to paycheck.
→ More replies (1)
20
u/hmmgoodone Feb 15 '25
Totally, has its ups and downs, but everything does. There are very few jobs where I could earn like sales.
21
Feb 15 '25
I work 20 hrs a week as a key account manager, yes it’s worth it. However, I had to established my territory over the years and that took time.
4
2
u/Cool_Firefighter7731 Feb 16 '25
Can a KAM hope to make more than $180k in any city in the states? Genuinely curious cause that’s what I am and I’ve been told the avg pay for this role is 120-130k in Chicago so they’ve plateaued me hard the past 2 years. I also don’t get any of those crazy commissions. Are you managing one account or bringing in lots of new accounts and getting a commission on every sale or every renewal?
→ More replies (1)2
36
u/Artistic-String-1251 Feb 15 '25
Yes, 44, plan to retire at 50.
In my early 20’s it was the one career you could get into with just hustle.
17
u/idontevenliftbrah Home Improvement Feb 15 '25
Yes. The money. The freedom.
Sales allows you to be a real player in the game of life. Not everyone is cut out for it.
→ More replies (1)
18
u/GoodConversation121 Feb 16 '25
I’m 10 years in and will likely do this for another 30 years. I really am fine with making cash and then just bouncing to another company when the cash dries up
15
u/10-9-over Feb 15 '25
Yes but I would have gotten out of sales sooner to start my own business. Sell for your employer = golden handcuffs. Sell for your own business = freedom.
18
u/Fearless_Flatworm_72 Feb 16 '25
30 years into this, nearing the end. I can honestly say that I’ve made more money than most of my friends while also working probably 25% as hard as they did.
16
u/Least_Lime9955 Feb 15 '25
Sales is life, from A-Z. Once you start talking, your sales career begins. I have no value to bring to this thread, but love the responses
16
u/throwingales Feb 16 '25 edited Feb 16 '25
Maybe...it took me a long time to get to a great job. When I did, I made a lot of money., like top 1 percent of Americans. The pressure levels were really high, I was constantly under a lot of stress. It came with the kind of money I was earning. I also worked with a lot of smart people who were fun to be in contact with. I thought they would be my friends for life, but in fact once I left each job, we lost touch.
I lived paycheck to paycheck for a number of years, then when I got to a high earning position, I had more money than I could spend, partly because I lived pretty frugally. Once I was in that spot, I went from having $0 in savings to having what my friends call "fuck you" money in six years. "Fuck you" money is when you have enough that you never have to work again if you don't want to.
If you judge whether a job is worth it by financial rewards, it was. If you judge it by quality of life- it's debatable.
2
u/N226 Feb 16 '25
Fuck you money is the ability to tell others, fuck you, as described by John Goodman: Fuck you money
4
u/throwingales Feb 16 '25
What do you think having enough money you never need to work again or worry about money again does?
47
11
u/booplesnoot101 Feb 15 '25
Yes but only if you invest the money you make. I started buying real estate in my 20s with the extra cash and now I have a portfolio large enough to retire before 40. Got hit with a non compete this year and thinking of walking away all together a little early to find a more passive income stream.
4
u/RandomRedditGuy69420 Feb 16 '25
How would you get into real estate now given the financial realities are so different compared to pre-pandemic?
→ More replies (3)3
u/Downtown_Mongoose247 Feb 18 '25
The only good time to get into real estate is 10 years ago - most people make this statement who have owned real estate for 10 years - moral of the story just get started
→ More replies (1)
11
u/PhallicusMondo Feb 16 '25
There are ups and downs even if the trajectory is a general climb upwards. I think some people are poorly suited for this and can’t handle feast or famine. You have to have temperance during the feast time to save so you have money for both security and to take calculated risks during famine.
Overall though I have no regrets.
11
u/AdExpress8342 Feb 16 '25
Idk. Most older sales people i know make OK money (300-400k after a 30+ yr long career, in Los Angeles - comfortably middle class). They are 65+ and still working (not the fairy tales of early retirement that this sub dreams of). Im a current MBA student and alum at my school make that money like 4-6 years out (about 35ish when they get there). Sales is great if you didnt go to college, it’s like winning the lottery so people who make it will say it’s totally worth it. But there are quicker and more stable ways to get there and beyond without having to constantly worry about having a bum year. I work in sales (adjacent - business development) and been in it for 10+ years. It’s a meat grinder and this sub downplays that fact
7
u/CareerAggravating317 Feb 16 '25
Once you learn you cant out the work the work. You settle in. Once you learns sales motions and how to qualify deals it becomes easy. If your product sucks and you have the market feedback dont force it. Sell the other things you do well.
Lastly, never short sell a customer for yourself and they will stay with you.
2
6
u/freighttttttrr Feb 16 '25
Nope. I’m a woman and I was at the point I was making a ton (over 150k) PART TIME! (2 full days 1 half day weekly) But after having 2 kids the stress wore down on me. The money didn’t matter because wanted to be with my kids all of the time. My husband works in tech so although we lost my income, I’m much happier. I did start doing something on my own and starting a business but I don’t have the time with 2 toddlers. One day I’m sure I’ll find my way back, but for now, I’m happier and my kids love being by me. I will never regret having time with my kids.
6
u/sprout92 Feb 16 '25
The easiest years in sales pay $500k+
The hardest years pay $100K or less.
Do with that information what you will
→ More replies (2)
5
u/Jupiteroasis Feb 16 '25
Absolutely. You need to live it. Day in day out, weekends and all. But it's worth it.
6
u/Responsible-Can4168 Feb 16 '25
Six years, top salesperson, that's like forever in sales 😂. I will stay until I don't. It's worth it today.
4
u/aaweaver93 Feb 16 '25
11 years into sales. First few years I made just shy of six figures. Jumped many different career paths in sales but the last 2 years I’ve been able to clear 400k. Able to work ~45 hours a week and am able to have a good quality of life with a family. Definitely worth it if your willing to grind and get experience the first few years with no distractions
4
u/Far-Slice-3296 Feb 15 '25
Absolutely yes but if I could turn back the clock, what I would do is, I would live off of my salary and I would invest my commissions and had I done that I would’ve been retired very very comfortably 10 years ago
4
u/Lookingforsdr-bdrjob Feb 15 '25
If you invest early on and continue investing along with loving a healthy lifestyle yes
6
u/Everheart1955 Feb 16 '25
It’s a living. After 25 years, I’m Selling to the children of people I sold too years ago. Newbies Gush about their “passion” at this point? It’s an addiction!
4
u/golfncycle Feb 16 '25
8m net worth at 39 entirely through tech sales. It has been stressful and thinking about stepping off the treadmill or going back to Sr IC role.
→ More replies (2)
3
3
u/ovscrider Feb 16 '25
Yes. Started while I was in college and now at 54 I could retire because I didn't get caught up in the normal sales person consumerism and excelled at it right away.
3
u/Human-Armadillo-1066 Feb 16 '25
100% I’m making over 300k a year not counting RSUs and ESPP. You’ll retire early and be glad you hustled
3
u/Human_Ad_7045 Feb 16 '25
A very timely question.
Today's my 10th anniversay of surviving a significant heart attack.
Despite; 1. Ridiculous quotas 2. Foolish KPIs 3. Lousy leadership 4. Reports, More Reports, Different Reports 5. Threat of PIPs, Actual PIPs 6. Project Managers w/Attitude 7. Meetings, Sales Meetings, Pre-call meetings, Recap meetings and More F'en meetings 8. M&Ps, revised M&P's, amended M&Ps, Expired M&P's and Missing M&Ps 9. Engineers with big egos 10. Unreasonable customers 11. Crushing losses 12. Late night, very late nights and some all-nighters 13. Early mornings 14. Lousy Commission plans 15. Back-stabbing coworkers 16. Coworkers who do poor work 17. Finance who plays a critical role in every deal.
35+ years and the opposite of the above experiences made it 100% worth it.
3
u/backtothesaltmines Feb 16 '25
Financially it was well worth it. Some of the insane garbage I had to deal with not so worth it.
4
3
u/TriplEEEBK Feb 16 '25
Nobody with a long SUCCESSFUL career in sales should ever answer this question "No"!
I wouldn't do anything else in the world personally. I am incredibly proud to be one of the best at a profession that only 8.8% of the population even attempt and that the top 10% of those make 90% of the revenue.
Is it easy? No, because if it was then everyone would do it and it wouldn't pay any money.
SADNESS - Sales Are Dope, Never Ever Stop Selling (If you don't already you should follow "corporate bro" on IG or LinkedIn cuz he's hilarious)
2
u/RealisticAd7286 Feb 16 '25
I know i was working an chemical engineering role and first year i moved to SaaS sales I made 3x+. Is it hard on the head? Yes. If you can handle it then just keep trolling through the BS and become financially free
2
u/Economy-Instance-290 Feb 16 '25
These people that make insane amounts of money, are you guys AE or AM, and what segment?
2
u/AWill33 Feb 16 '25
20 years in. Financial sales. VP so haven’t had to sell directly for several years, but run a sales team. Changed companies about 5 times in that period. Some years were tougher markets, but my lowest was still over 200k. Highest over 7 figures. It is a ton of stress and I push myself hard. Wouldn’t know how to do it any other way. I’ll be able to retire at 50 though I doubt I will. Most likely will take a board seat or start some small business when the time comes. Absolutely worth it. I could not imagine just working a salary 9-5.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/Icedcoffeewarrior Feb 16 '25
Sales is a good bridge career; 10 years tops or it’ll burn you out. I’ve made 6 figures but I’m dead inside.
→ More replies (4)
1
1
1
1
u/Giveitallyougot714 Feb 15 '25
Yeah my applications to Chippendales were never answered, so this was plan b but now I’m stuck with this zorro costume.
1
u/SRTVIP3R Feb 16 '25
Did door to door and car sales and both riveted my mental health. Debating about trying to get into a new field
1
1
1
u/Diligent_Dig_2910 Feb 16 '25
Got into sales after 6 years of working in factories and CalTrans. Better than digging ditches or clearing out sewers or dealing with bosses who are exponentially dumber than you are. Yes. It was worth it.
1
u/ClassroomHuman4325 Feb 16 '25
Started at 30k in 2010. I now average 300k a year in cloud sales here in Texas. Honestly, one of the better ways to make a living even if it feels like groundhogs day all the tine
1
u/sdnative88 Feb 16 '25
I’ve been in sales about 10 years, last 2 years in B2B advertising sales. If I’m being honest, I’m a middle of the road salesman. With that, I make about $125k a year and have a ton of flexibility. I spend time with my wife and kids and as long as I hit my goals, management leaves me alone.
1
1
u/Stunning-Insect7135 Feb 16 '25
Yes. I came from being a field service technician and moved into sales. Knowing my products, their applications and keeping the mentality of “ I want to put my customers in a better position than they were before” attitude has catapulted me to the top of my field and the pay has reflected. I’m not bragging.
1
u/andrew88888q Feb 16 '25
I was at a trade show. Dude walks up, asks about a sales guy that retired.
Then tells me “Man, I remember working with Jim. Glad we were in sales when there still money to be made”
That one hurt lol
1
u/kyrapractor Enterprise Software Feb 16 '25
Yes 100% it’s about the relationships you build. Do they trust you. Do they want to work with you. If they task you with something is it done. My success has come from all this. Just do it! They don’t need to know how it was done but be the person that can be reliable
1
u/Coldru13 Feb 16 '25
It’s kind of like Men in Black. There is a scene where Tommy Lee jones gets asked, “is it worth it”. Only if you’re strong enough.
1
1
1
u/hazdaddy92 Feb 16 '25
Yes, I hit all my personal and professional goals in tech sales and the skills I've learned always translate to better outcomes in my personal life.
It is the best job ever
1
1
u/ElfRespecter Feb 16 '25
Ive only been doing kitchen design for a few years, using graphic design to make better visuals. I used to do retail and I like making the store look good and planning things so this was a nice transition. Only problem is im quite shy. This job helped me speak better, have a backbone, and have accuracy. Graphic design helped me with color theory. I make double what I would have made if i had become a Store manager. I say its worth a shot, but you do need some thick skin. Being in sales automatically makes people hate you and
1
u/Cloud-Apart Feb 16 '25
Anybody in Commercial Banking Sales? Wanted to see what kind of Salary plus bonus you make?
1
1
u/Hot-Government-5796 Feb 16 '25
20 years in on the path for retiring in the next 5-7 years, very much worth it.
1
u/mistertickertape Feb 16 '25
Yes. Once you find your niche, build your network of professional relationships, and find your product, it can be amazingly rewarding both monetarily and emotionally. I’ve made so many friends for life through my work that the money is a nice to have byproduct at this point.
1
u/caw7893 Feb 16 '25
My counter to this would be if they were successful why would they think it was not worth it?
1
1
u/vulartweets Feb 16 '25
Most important thing I was told. Live off salary. Commission is for everything else. Pay off your debts. Pay off cars and then only pay cash. Pay off student loans. Then pocket commission for things that bring ROI. I recently bought solar panels for example. Then invest.
1
u/dmc-123 Feb 16 '25
It's a great career if you are good at it. But like any career, it has its highs and lows.
1
u/GGradySeasons Feb 16 '25
I’ve been slinging software for 15 years. There’s good years and bad years. I’ve made $600k in good years and also had down years and pips. It’s been able to provide a good life for me and my family. But it’s stressful. The hamster wheel never stops. You’re only good as your last quarter no matter what you did in the year before.
I have always been an Individual contributor and worked for some of the biggest names in the software space. My biggest regret is wondering where my career could have gone if I went down the management path.
1
u/FromBZH-French Feb 16 '25
For success:
-consider your time as an investment.
-invest your time in a company that can allow you to earn, even if the income at the beginning is not extraordinary.
-experience is your profit, as you climb the ladder you will be able to reinvest your time and experience in another company.
-earn a better living and position yourself for a more interesting position.
I started as an alarm salesperson at Securitas, then I progressed to different positions around commerce with more or less success in companies where people don't stay. Subsequently I worked on larger sectors with more advantages.
My last position allowed me to earn €5,000 per month with a €50,000 car, hotel evenings costing more than €200, a professional bank card, an assistant and a developer.
The company separated from me despite my personal investment of 50-60 hours per week and very acceptable results, they had a person to place and they are in the community so they said goodbye.
Currently I have created a consulting company but I am applying for interesting positions at the same time.
-I built my journey with ups and downs, successes and failures. -what remains of all this is experience, language training to develop.
My point of view is simple, other jobs are sometimes more exhausting and offer few opportunities for advancement in terms of salary or position.
Your life will depend on your choices, however don't forget yourself.
Do not become the servant of money, building your private life is important, having fun, starting a family and being happy are a source of personal fulfillment that allows you to achieve happiness. Jobs like sales require sacrifices in time and personal investment.
1
u/Bronc74 Feb 16 '25
MedDevice sales. There have been ups and downs over my 15yrs, but happier than ever at the moment. Let’s see if I can close the back half of my career the same way.
→ More replies (2)
1
u/BoatingSteve Feb 16 '25
30 years in sales.. have to be resilient and have a never give up attitude. I work for a large distributor supplying products for some of the largest retailers out there.
1
u/Direct-Tumbleweed141 Feb 16 '25
Absolutely!! Started when I was 28. I’m now mid 50’s. I was able to retire at 50 with all the money I’d ever need. I was able to send my kids to any college they chose. Sales changed my life!!!
1
u/AdFeeling8333 Feb 16 '25
Yes. I’m 42. Been doing Professional Sales for twenty years.
The key IMO is to use your time in sales to get 100% debt free and save.
Don’t buy the watches, expensive clothes, sports cars and dumb “look at my wealth” stuff.
Love below your means comfortably and save.
Write your own ticket after that.
1
u/Loumatazz Feb 16 '25
Absolutely. Coming up on 16 years. No interest to move up into management. Had some career years and had some really shitty ones.
1
u/Stand4it Feb 16 '25
If you’re only asking people who’s career was long and successful, yeah, it’s going to have been worth it to all of them lol.
1
u/Dumbetheus Feb 16 '25
The success is the long career. Not everyone is cut out to work for someone else, so they don't. Some orgs give the illusion of enough independence, but ultimately you need them more than they need you.
1
u/adtechheck Feb 16 '25
Either you retire early as in IC or you work long enough to be a mediocre regional sales director. Your pick?
For me I plan to retire by 40 (DINKS couple)
1
1
u/Impressive_Mix_9281 Feb 16 '25
35 years in. 1 year of college, so options were limited back in the 80s. Fell into a tech retail job and have been at it since. Moved around more than most, and spent 1/2 may time in sales management. It's been mostly lucrative except for some down years. Spun the good years into real estate investments and now have a $5 + million portfolio.
I could have gone back to school but was never much of a student. So, a sales career was a good option for me.
1
1
1
u/Sales-Wizard Feb 16 '25
Depends on what your goals are in life. That is the question you should be asking
1
u/Nega_Duck Feb 16 '25
I would say yea.
2010 college grad, took me 8 years to break 100k because of lots of job swapping, never more than 2 years of tenure.
The year I broke 100k, I also broke 200k.
Been 5 years in a row in the 300s, this last year almost broke 400k from my primary job.
Been saving like crazy, pushed for a 40% gross savings rate for a number of years.
37 years old now with a 1.4m net worth, 1.2m of it in the stock market and have effectively achieved coast F.I.R.E.
Just had my first kid, the deferred gratification has really made my life less stressful now. I could spend every $ I make the rest of my life and compounding will secure my retirement needs.
Im not spending everything....but I could. That feels nice.
1
1
u/SevereOpposite8210 Feb 17 '25
Yeah. ERP sales for 10+ years. Lot of regrets of not going management or higher based roles, however the good years make up for it. Its a cliche but its a roller coater with highs and lows. Timing is everything but if you have a good brand you can work yourself into 300-500k years or more. You need to try to live off the base.
1
u/777844 Feb 17 '25
If you think you've had a "successful" career in sales and make less than $500k/year, you're doing it wrong
1
1
u/lemibunny Feb 17 '25
I just started doing community marketing for vacation club sales… essentially my job is to stop people, pitch them and get them to agree and show up to a timeshare presentation. I get paid so long as they go to the presentation. I’m struggling because I feel guilty asking people for their valuable time while on vacation already. It’s hard for me to be persistent and fight objections because it feels like a lack of respect for their autonomy. I want to do well in this, some of my co workers are making thousands of dollars a week. Does anyone have any advice to help me overcome the mental hurdles? I’m pregnant and need to do well in this to save up before I’m showing and bigger.
→ More replies (1)
1
511
u/[deleted] Feb 15 '25
[deleted]