B
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breakfasttaco

Mid Marker Sales Manager

Catalyst
Valued Contributor
Fire Starter
+2

Fellow sales leaders - when to gut through it and when to jump ship?

I manage a team at a (insert rocket ship) well funded startup that went through a RIF about 9 months ago. They followed that up with making a litany of process and quota changes that made my team's job infinitely harder and I've had 40% attrition.

I recently got an offer I am really excited about, but I don't want to be someone who leaves when the going gets tough (has been tough). And I've only been there about 1.5 years or so... That said the utter disregard and unlikelyhood for investment in my segment makes me question the future.

How do you play this one?
🧠 Advice
🎯 Career Development
🏋️‍♀️ Leadership
46

51 comment

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Sunbunny31
Politicker
17
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Take care of yourself and your family first. Honestly, you owe that to yourself, not a company that can and will cut you if they feel they have to RIF more people. You have a good offer - if it’s a good opportunity, it’s a sign.
oldcloser
Politicker
14
vice office chief
Hard when the good seat at the table remains, but there ain't no food left. Having been eliminated from a similar restaurant, I'd tell you to quit relying on the takeout business. It may not sustain. One thing is certain. You'll be chopped long before they shut it down.
I wouldn't give it a second thought and drive-thru for the family meal.

Capiche?
LambyCorn
Politicker
2
A mfkn E
Im guessing you like food? xD
ThatNewAE
Big Shot
13
Account Executive - Mid enterprise
Nothing is personal."I don't want to be someone who leaves when going gets tough" is not a valid argument though.Would you want to be someone that stays inspite of knowing that there's no good coming out of this table ? - NO. You'd rather be someone who has a spine and leaves when there is no serving for them on the table.
If you have an offer you are excited about - take it and jump ship. WHY? Because that's a career option for you, while you are just a headcount for them.
DataCorrupter
Executive
3
Account Executive
Totally agree with this.
TheQueenofDiamonds
Politicker
2
Account Executive
So so so accurate
southernfriedsales
Opinionated
1
Senior AE & Business Owner
This is the correct answer.
Wendy’s doesn’t check Taco Bell’s references. If it’s crap, and you have better.
RUN
1
Enterprise Sales Lead
Wholeheartedly agree.
11
General Manager - Partner Strategy & Growth
A RIF is a business decision. You need to RIF this company and take care of YOUR business.
oldcloser
Politicker
6
vice office chief
New Kat in the house? Welcome to the WR. You’ll find that it’s mostly anon in here. The collective concern is that we may not know who’s lurking. Way more viewers than participants. You’ll likely get more out of this if you cone back using the anon profile and let it fly. Or don’t - Up to 🫵
JDL
Catalyst
0
CEO
Understand this is the case but I don’t like it. It’s like a brawl between blind cats in a dogs house. Or geese.
oldcloser
Politicker
0
vice office chief
That’s because you’re such a forward looking visionary you have trouble navigating what’s immediately in front of you.

This may have even been a compliment. Not sure.
Pachacuti
Politicker
8
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
That’s a tough one. You don’t want to look like a quitter but you need to do what’s best for you.

Think about 5 years from now. Which do you think will play out the best? Which will show better on your resume?
Diablo
Politicker
5
Sr. AE
Don’t be emotionally attached and be hard on yourself. Listen to you heart :)
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
4
☕️
Do what puts you in a strong position to succeed. Fuck them kids.
Fenderbaum
Politicker
3
Retired Choirboy🪕
Your family, your future, and your peace of mind comes first. You know the answer... 😎
RandyLahey
Politicker
3
Account Manager
Time to get out while you can. You stated quite clearly where this place is trending. They won’t hesitate to cut you if it gets worse, so seize this opportunity while you can.

Also breakfast burrito > taco.
FinanceEngineer
Politicker
2
Sr Director, sales and partnerships
So you want to suffer? Come on! You are paid to perform, and someone is paying you more. Take it and go and use the experience as an anecdote for future sales/conversations.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
You gotta take care of you boo
2
Regional Manager
Sometimes a tough time doesn't mean you're not tough. You may be smart for leaving. Knowing the correct "Exit" is a great ability. Use your experience and gut to analyze the situation. You wont look better externally for staying with a sinking ship if it puts you in a worse spot. Especially when you have a great opportunity in front of you that you're excited about.
MrAnderson
Executive
2
AE
It's important you learn 2 skills.

• When to stick with a company (there will always be reasons to leave and the grass will always look greener someplace else).

• When to jump ship.

For this, I follow the 3 strikes criteria I learned from Scott Leese.

- Have I maxed out my earnings in this company? .... If I can't make more money or get promoted that's a strike.

- Have I learned everything there is to learn in this company? .... If I have nothing new to learn from my leaders, training and peers that's a strike

- Have they burned me? Do they respect me? .... If they have burned or show that they don't respect me that's a strike.

You don't need 3 strikes in order to jump. One strike is to start passively looking, Two is to start actively looking and applying and Three is to quit immediately in order to focus full time on getting a new job.

Sounds like they have one strike, so it is ok for you to look and change. HOWEVER, if your company is great at the other two (opportunities to learn and culture) make sure you are selective. Go to a company that excels in all 3 of these, you are not in an emergency mode where you HAVE to leave immediately. So make sure you change good for excellent and don't settle for anything less.

Sometimes people only change for money, just to land in a company with terrible culture, very few opportunities of progression, dashboard managers and with terrible training.
breakfasttaco
Catalyst
0
Mid Marker Sales Manager
This is really great, thank you for the insight! Helpful way to look at things.
MrAnderson
Executive
0
AE
You're welcome. This brought a lot of clarity for me as well
HiddenLeadership
Executive
2
Snr Director of Sales
Jump away my friend. If what you say is the truth, there's only so much you can do to keep the team a float. However, if the team has had an easy ride and they simply don't like the idea of growth, expect attrition. In many cases, you'll get through it and it'll flourish. We live in a SAAS world where reps have forgotton that our jobs are supposed to be hard! It's why they get paid what they do and i've seen people leave because it's no longer easy.
AnchorPoint
Politicker
1
Business Coach
If the company have given up... "disregard"... then you don't owe them to stick around.
HVACexpert
Politicker
1
sales engineer
Also do right by you and your family first, don’t feel loyalty towards companies.
GDO
Politicker
1
BDM
as always it depends. However if you're excited for the other job, why not. 1.5y is defendable imo. Unless you did this already 4 times or so
BusinessCloser
Executive
1
Sales Director
Do what's best for you and your future growth. Remember, end of the day we are all replaceable resources for organisations to hit their commitment to the market, unless you have substantial stake in the org.
ecroson
Personal Narrative
1
Head of Sales
Agree with what @ThatNewAE said. I've been there multiple times. It's admirable you think of loyalty and "stick with it" for values, but unless you really see long-term value with staying on board, think of yourself and your career first. And 1.5 years isn't that bad at all of a tenure these days, especially with a start-up. I'd say unless you see something long-term, follow your "excited about" instincts and move forward knowing you gave your current gig a sufficient chance.
LMHandle7
Personal Narrative
1
Sales Director
By the time that you get all the advice/feedback you were looking for you should have accepted that offer you mentioned. Good Luck!
1
Trainer
If you didn't have a seat at the table to influence these changes and to share with leadership what resources you are going to need to achieve the new goals, then they don't value you. No need to feel bad about going somewhere that will value you.
SPT
Valued Contributor
1
Director, Channel Sales & Partner Alliances
I'd take the new offer - in a heartbeat. I fear that if you don't, you'll regret it. Wishing you a lot if luck, either way!
SalesinSeattle
Valued Contributor
1
Account Executive
Adding my $0.02 as I was involved in a situation (not at a startup - but at a company that had recently been acquired) that was kind of similar. When things turned turbulent I was one of the ones who buckled in and stayed and committed to seeing things through. I ignored the red flags and thought I could make it work out.

It didn't. The company stabbed those of us who fought through all this noise right in the back and essentially nerfed our comp plan so we would no longer make any commission in an outside sales role (turned our comp into something more like a BDR). There were even lawsuits filed because what they did was not legal - witholding prior pay while they worked this out.

All that to say - you don't owe these guys anything. If you see an upside to staying...there is some kind of big payoff for going through the risk and the pain, so be it. But if there isn't, my dad always told me "You are a mercenary, you go where they pay and feed you the best."
Don't doubt yourself or your worth if you decide to sign of with someone else who IS recognizing your value.
1
Vice President of Account Management
I agree with the posts already. I suspect you made the decision when you started looking and interviewing. You know what you need to do and it will be best for you and the team you leave, if your heart is not in the job you need to move on. Good luck in your new adventure. There is a stong possibility that if you are not in an individual contributor role (a selling manager), the start-up will not back full your position and will appreciate the freeing up your salary to add another individual contributor or "selling" manager.
slaydie
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
You first! Leave if you're not happy!
fierce1
1
director of sales
At the end of the cliché day - the company will do what is right for them if needed, as needed. The employee is no different always consider what is best for you. Change is the hardest when the grass is green on both sides of the street. What is most important thing is to remember 'stress' this the biggest killer of any job. Might be time to leave before they make the decision for you.
WhoDey
Opinionated
1
VP of Sales
I admire your apparent loyalty to the company, but loyalty is a two-way street. It doesn't sound like your company is doing what it can to enable you to succeed and grow. Why should you continue to carry their water when all they care about is their bottom line?
Beans
Big Shot
1
Enterprise Account Executive
You first - if your leadership isn't giving you the tools or ability to support your team, guess who the blame falls on...
NebNella
1
ww vp of sales
Listen, you’re employer won’t blink twice on cutting you when the going gets tough. You owe nothing to your employer, follow your gut and improve your mental health!
TheHypnotist
Executive
1
Sales Manager
I wish I could take my own advice, becuase I'd say "get the hell out of there".BUT this decision is yours at the end of the day, so questions are probably more useful than advice.

- How much longer are you prepared to slug through it at the company where you are currently working (given that things don't seem likely to change)?
- IF you were promised things were going to change where you are, how would they need to change? What guarantees do you need in place to be sure it's worth staying?
- Fast forward 5 years into the future and imagine you stayed where you are, how happy or sad are you likely to be about passing up on this new opportunity?
breakfasttaco
Catalyst
1
Mid Marker Sales Manager
Super helpful, thank you. Some of the things I am working through now.

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