bomboclat

BDR

Opinionated

Member

Good Citizen

Full Cycle AE @ Smaller Company vs BDR at Big Name?

I'm sitting on two offers.

One is a full sales Cycle AE for a smaller company. I really like the people.

Another is a BDR offer at a big name company with a base 20% higher than the AE offer. (I have some BDR experience).

Long term, my goal is enterprise Saas AE.

Would taking the AE role at the smaller company hurt my chances at that? The OTE is a bit more attractive (I have confirmed it's actually being hit by most reps)

Update: I'm going with the BDR offer. After doing some digging and talking to the AEs at the smaller company, they aren't hitting quota as reliably as I may have initially believed. and I think the Big co will be a better long term opportunity

Which Role

Attached poll

AE Role at Less Glamorous Company BDR Role at Big Name with higher Base

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

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🤝 Interviewing/Offer

21 comment

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braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

I'd be reluctant to take an AE role that paid less than an BDR role.

SADNESSLieutenant

Politicker

Officer of ♥️

E_Money

Big Shot

💰

Normally I'd say go with the closing role. But the pay sounds like a joke. Any sign of a solid promotion track for the BDR role?

bomboclat

Opinionated

BDR

Yes, I picked the BDR role

E_Money

Big Shot

💰

Nice, congrats!

bomboclat

Opinionated

BDR

Thank you :)

SunTzu

Opinionated

Legendary Historical Figure

Congrats for accepting the BDR job. It is truly the brave and noble decision.

bandabanda

Tycoon

Senior AE Mid Market

Tough decision but the 20% increase in base alone would make me take the BDR role frankly. Take this with a grain of salt, but I was in a similar position and here's what I learned:

- full cycle AE now, SMB. High velocity sales. I'm getting closing experience and A TON of at bats. By that I mean tons of discovery conversations, tons of demos. It's accelerated my growth because I've been able to see what quickly works and what doesn't. It's set me up nicely for Mid-Market interviews at some companies.

- last year I turned down an enterprise BDR role at one of the most well known SaaS companies out there. Frankly, I kind of regret it. Higher base offer, just like you're experiencing, and I probably would be hitting OTE (not even close at my current company as an AE).

If I had gone the Enterprise BDR route:
1.) would have had a big logo on my resume. This can be automatic credibility for some recruiters in the future.
2.) I would have learned and mastered the BDR role, giving me a great foundation as a seller (I've never done SDR/BDR role, I jumped straight into the AE role I talked about above). 3.) A larger company (typically) has more structure, more processes in place that will help coach and teach sales reps. Can be an excellent place to build a foundation.
4.) I'm almost 2 years in to this startup AE role and I've pretty much maxed out everything I can learn (and earn for that matter). At the larger company, there's way more people to learn from. You can keep finding people to help you master your craft. Not to mention potential promotion potential if you do well - but ask thorough questions about this during the interview.
5.) would have been much harder than my current day to day but that's where the growth happens. I was too proud to take a step back.

My 2 cents. Hope it helps in some way.

bomboclat

Opinionated

BDR

Thanks for such an in depth answer. I've decided to go with the BDR role, for reasons related to what you've outlined here.

bandabanda

Tycoon

Senior AE Mid Market

Hopefully not JUST because of what I said lol. Sounds like you were weighing your options carefully and doing your due diligence, well done.

You're going to crush it!

Filth

Politicker

Live Filthy or Die Clean

The real benefit of the BDR position is not giving a shit after you set the meeting. Setting initials meets are cake compared to going through the whole process. You can clock out and turn your brain completely off work.

AE on the other hand, you've got to be continuously scheming and plotting to get those prospects to see your value and sign on the dotted line. If they are paying you less for more stress, fuck that noise.

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

There's a lot of push to "get into a closing position" but unless the difference in pay is HUGE, a big name on your resume early on in your career can really pay off in the long term. 1-2+ years at a marquee company name is better than the same period spent at some no-name company.

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

damn this is harder than I thought. 20% higher base....thats hard to ignore.

But i really think getting closing experience is the fastest way to bigger base salaries in the end.

If you even get 1 year of closing experience you will have a chance at a bigger base.

but I wouldnt blame you for taking the BDR role

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

What exactly is BDR to the company?

bandabanda

Tycoon

Senior AE Mid Market

@CuriousFox what do you mean? (like do you mean the definition of BDR?)

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Yes because it varies depending on the company.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Great point. I'm also interested in the path to AE.

SaaSMaster

Politicker

Strategic Partnerships Manager

Did you confirm that OTE is being hit with the management team your interviewing with or AE’s at the company? Big difference IMO

bomboclat

Opinionated

BDR

just did, it doesnt seem like it is as consistently as I mightve thought

alonzoharris

Politicker

Partner Manager

Always take the money

shoesalesman

Opinionated

AE (Account Executive)

Congrats, Bomboclat! Sounds like you found a new path

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