RockysRevenge

Account Executive

Advice on an offer

What's up savages. I'm currently an mid market AE who's doing well. 77% of my quota in one month and already at my yearly quota YTD. I get paid poorly (55/85). My company (5k employees) is owned by private equity and has been a mess (shocker right?) and the people that hired me are gone.

interviewing with a direct competitor who's smaller (200 employees but funded and growing) not in venture or private equity. They are offering me 100/200 for an Enterprise AE role. It's pretty much identical to the work I do now at the larger company. I'd be a part of growth and that excites me.

What red flags should I look for? I feel good about the health of the company, the leadership and financial health of the company. The only major downside is the product is slightly less robust than the big company. Granted, the larger company is a Frankenstein of stitched together tools from purchased start ups that competed with them.

Anyone have advice on jumping ship from a bigger company to a smaller one?

Thanks in advance!

🎯 Career Development

☁️ Software Tech

13

16 comments

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poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

9

☕️

Ask them to book you a demo with their best rep and assess their skills.

On that demo, ask about their quota attainment. Things they like, what they'd improve, etc.

Smart ask that they should be totally fine with granting.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

Yep get the goods via the demo and see how you feel.

CaneWolf

Politicker

1

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

They might say no given direct competition though

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

1

☕️

It's possible, but if you're at the offer stage and need to see the demo to know the product is worth it then I'll grant the demo. Or, say not the demo but yes to connecting with the best performer on the team.

cw95

Politicker

1

Sales Development Lead

This is sick, might use this approach in future interviews to get a feel for them!

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

0

Rolling 20's all day

Out of curiosity, would you send/offer the rep who demos you a gift card or thank you for taking the time away from selling?

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

1

☕️

Not a bad etiquette move, but I have not done that before. I've only used this tactic once and got the offer. I have since bought him a beer, but not because of the work on the demo.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

0

Rolling 20's all day

Thats fair. Always a solid move to buy someone a drink when appropriate.

Coffeesforclosers

Notable Contributor

2

Director Sales and Market Development

More comp, growth, stable leadership, product you know. Go.

Sure it's not as robust, they need you to sell the shit out of it and sounds like you can while wiping the floor with fud on the major competitor having a robust system stitched together. Draft your resignation letter man, congrats

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

1

Account Executive

Id ask for an extra week of PTO (unless is already unlimited) and take the job already. There's enough of a jump to make it worth the risk

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Actually ask to see their sales dashboard. You want to know quota is possible

Justatitle

Big Shot

1

Account Executive

Seems like the next company is ideal. At the 5k person company you are a cog in the machine and likely stuck there. Also your earning potential is capped. You also know exactly how to beat your current company and the weak spots. Other reason is more money and the potential growth at the next role. If you ask me you’re 2 weeks is 3 months overdue…

CaneWolf

Politicker

1

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

In addition to what folks have said, look at -turnover -What clients did they land in the past 6 months in what they consider enterprise? -how the comp plan works Seems like this is probably a solid move though

RaymundoFlex

Opinionated

0

AE

Don’t look and you won’t find! Get that money, you clearly don’t like where you are at.

alecabral

Arsonist

0

Director - Digital Sales Transformation

The way you've described it, I'd go to the new job just based on the fact the newer company seems to have the right energy and the right ideas. I would probably double-click a bit more on the comp side, make sure there's nothing fishy there. Not meaning they would do it on purpose, but smaller companies are usually more challenged with getting these things right from the start as they're learning.

nomdeguerre

Executive

0

Account executive

Seems like a good opportunity.

I'd ask to talk to marketing and try to gauge if they know what they are doing. It's a smaller company, so probably not as well known as the one where you are now, so it's important that they know what they are doing.

I would also try to find out if they have a partner/channel strategy, as that can be a good way to get deals when you are a smaller company. Is there a complimentary product out there, that you can help fill a gap for when they are competing against the bigger company you are at now?

Finally, if you have any trusted customers at your current company that you can have a confidential conversation with? If so, I would ask them what they think of the smaller company and their product(don't tell them that you are considering the move)?

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