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Mid Market AE

AE to SDR manager?

Hey y'all,

have always aspired to leadership, love taking on team lead roles and helping others develop, and recently had someone reach out for an SDR manager role at a high growth startup with some very very reputable names in leadership from other unicorns.

not sure if this will pigeonhole me to always being in an SDR role, or if this could transition into other sales leadership roles down the road, but truly leadership is where I want to be.

would y'all stick to AE roles and just work into sales leadership that way, or take the SDR manager role?

🚀 Career Goals

🏋️‍♀️ Leadership

☁️ Software Tech

16 comments

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E_Money

Big Shot

💰

Honestly it is harder to go the other way, from SDR Manager to AE, so the fact that you already have closing experience means I would totally go for the SDR Manager position. You could easily get back into an AE role if you really wanted to and the management experience you are getting will open up a lot of doors for you.

I am also speaking from personal experience, not just spit balling here.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

You gave your own answer 🙂.
I like being into IC roles so AE is where I want to be (at least at present)

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Opinionated

Mid Market AE

I enjoy being an IC as well which is why I struggle because I’m not unhappy, I just don’t want to try to shortcut into leadership and get stuck in a business development type segment.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

Sdr manager isn't the path

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Opinionated

Mid Market AE

What about using it as a segway just to get into the organization?

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

If you want to be the SDR manager there, sure. But I've yet to see any SDR manager break out of that role and into "sales leadership".

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Opinionated

Mid Market AE

Well shit. Appreciate the feedback brotha

Mjollnir

Politicker

Account Executive

true!

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

Dont go into SDR Management if you want to grow beyond being a director for SDRs. It'll be really hard to move into AE management and eventually VP of Sales territory if you haven't managed closers.

JohnnyDamone

Opinionated

AE Inside Sales

At least you were an AE! My last company promoted an SDR to SDR manager, and she (manager) never actually sold the dang product in her life. Was awful. She couldn’t close a window

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Update?

Beans

Big Shot

Enterprise Account Executive

Why not AE management?

Mjollnir

Politicker

Account Executive

AE for sure
would be amazing path creator for you in the future

Justatitle

Big Shot

Account Executive

my last manager came in to manage the BDR's and he performed so well they asked him to take over the AE team as well. you never know and really if you want to be in management it's your foot in the door.

Donutpanda

Executive

Enterprise Account Executive

Depends on what you want to do but I would go Ae route.

doublev

Member

Account manager

I think going from an AE to SDR Manager would provide some good coaching insights. You know what it takes to be a successful AE and can help guide SDR if that's what they would like to do.

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AE to SDR manager?

16 comments

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