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Salesandcoffeedude

Business Development Representative

Valued Contributor
Opinionated
Personal Narrative
+4

Advice on negotiating a BDR offer

Offer from a public company for 60k base, 85k OTE, 150% cap on quota. 3 weeks PTO.


Offer from startup for 60k base, 105k OTE and 200% cap on quota. Unlimited PTO.


Any advice on negotiating an offer and what things to ask for, like a signing bonus?


Would take the public company offer if they could come within 10k of the startup offer.


(Startup is profitable, been around for almost 10 years and doesn't even source new funding. Seems low risk too. 75% YoY growth)

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braintank
Politicker
6
Enterprise Account Executive
No one is giving BDRs signing bonuses. Any equity at play? Which has best path to promotion? Which has better boss?
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
0
Business Development Representative
Public company has a reputation but nobody really seemed friendly. They even said most AEs won't want to help you out.

With the startups everybody loved working there. Spoke to quite a few people.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Is the public company very large? The AEs will be all over the map and yes, some will not be as friendly. From their viewpoint, there’s probably a fair amount of churn in BDRs. For example, one year, I was assigned and reassigned BDRs 3 times as they kept restructuring the teams. It was disruptive, but not uncommon. That said, getting pointers to BDRs when asked and helping them out has always been something I’ve been happy to do, and I am not the only one.

Startups can obviously be different. Smaller orgs can be more personal and your contribution is proportionately bigger, which can be very satisfying.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
5
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
OTE means nothing if people aren't making their numbers. Do you know the % of reps hitting their targets at each?

The base is the same for both, which weights them almost equally for me without more intel. I'm not a fan of capped quota, but at least the numbers are high.

3 weeks PTO actually can be more beneficial than unlimited - if it's accruing and you have a use or lose after a certain number of hours/days are reached. Then actually taking a break is imperative and expected. There's often some weird approval system for unlimited PTO that can be negative.

How does everything else look? 401(k) match? Benefits comparable?

Have you asked about a possible career path? Are there AE roles to step into after you've been a BDR for a while at each?
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
1
Business Development Representative
Yeah.

Public company 60% hit quota and the path to AE will be about 2 years at least. Another level of BDR before being qualified to apply.

Startup 75% hit quota and pretty much guaranteed promotion to AE after a year because they struggle to find AEs with experience in this field. They make everyone take 4 weeks off every year minimum.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
So it sounds to me as though you're already leaning toward the startup. And it doesn't sound like a bad idea.
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
1
Business Development Representative
Thanks! Yeah. I think it seems more stable than the public one too...
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Well, then I did see your other comment about liking the name brand recognition.

Honestly, you do have two nice offers, so congratulations!
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
2
Sales Rep
If pay was the same which one would you choose?
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
1
Business Development Representative
The public one. For the name on my resume and potential to sell enterprise and learn complex products.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
2
Sales Rep
Negotiate with both opportunities, say the other one came in higher. Utilize the Academy for ideas on ways to improve the situation.

This will give you a tell on who wants you more, which can be big on which one has a manager who is more invested in coaching
CuriousFox
WR Officer
3
🦊
Many great articles over in the academy 💯
braintank
Politicker
2
Enterprise Account Executive
Sell entrprise as a BDR?
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
1
Business Development Representative
In the future @braintank
braintank
Politicker
2
Enterprise Account Executive
Seems too far a horizon. You need to get form BDR -> AE first. And starting off AEs tend to focus down-market.
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
what series startup?
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
0
Business Development Representative
A
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
0
Business Development Representative
But they don't raise capital anymore because they run entirely on profits
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
0
Officer of ♥️
emp. size?
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
0
Business Development Representative
900 and growing
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
0
Officer of ♥️
What industry is each in?
Rallier
Politicker
1
SDR Manager and Consultant
Just from personal experience, I'd be cautious of going to a series A company. Things just get so disorganized, and the opportunity for growth is almost always exaggerated. Additionally, the goals are a bit more like guesses because it's so early.

Again, just my own experience
Diablo
Politicker
1
Sr. AE
Numbers are fine but I would look at the realistic achievement and it seems like you have an answer. If the start up is well established, y-o-y growth, why not?

I would make an attempt to ask for more base or equity
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
0
Business Development Representative
Thanks!
Maximas
Tycoon
0
Senior Sales Executive
I guess I would go with that.
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
0
Business Development Representative
The startup? Or the plan to negotiate?
Maximas
Tycoon
0
Senior Sales Executive
The plan to negotiate.
TennisandSales
Politicker
0
Head Of Sales
i would remember that you need to have a reason to ask for things.

what would be the reason for a sign on bonus?

I think your best bet is to ask for a raise based on lower OTE and capped commission but idk if you would even get that.

hard to negotiate when you are a BDR to be honest.
Salesandcoffeedude
Valued Contributor
1
Business Development Representative
Fair. Good advice. Thank you
Pachacuti
Politicker
0
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
Public company. It never hurts to have a well known name on your resume. Asking for 10% more is always good.

OTE is dream. And unlimited PTO is just a grab for your vacation pay.
jefe
Arsonist
0
🍁
Go public, especially if you're earlier in your career.

Signing bonus is unlikely though.

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