Here. We…Go. *Joker Voice*

I worked my first SDR role at a startup with zero funding that took advantage of its employees, kept the sales team as 1099 contractors, and initially provided little commission and then zero by the time I had enough (mind you as a top performer and someone who moved to a team lead and AE after 4 months). I took this SDR role as a foot in the door opportunity to jumpstart my sales career because I had no sales background. I graduated in 2020 with a tech / engineering degree in the middle of the pandemic and found myself unable to land a job in the industry I thought I wanted to be in.

The platform: conversational engagement software. The role required 60-80 outbound dials/day, the deal size on average was anywhere from $0 (free monthly trials on almost every target client) to $249, a demand gen rep provided new leads on a monthly basis or as needed, and overall the sales funnel was as basic as it gets if you cannot already tell. Target clients included those of HVAC/Plumbing space, home service of all sorts, and auto... imagine those conversations. I maintained top performer status among 12-15 SDRs and obtained over 100% of quota my entire 6 months despite having commission replaced with tenure bonuses. My cry for help... I have 6 months sales experience under my belt now and I am having trouble demonstrating value and sales expertise that I KNOW I possess in interviews, while at the same time trying to not completely give away that the first tech company I worked for was basically a sham / build and sell quick scheme. I know my value and I know I am probably overthinking every conversation I have because of what's happened... but any insight / guidance is appreciated! (Apologies in advance for the large description, I felt it was best to provide as much as background so everything is better understood. Happy to answer any follow-up ?'s)