AIDA

Business Development Manager

Is being a Sales Manager/Leader all that?

I currently work for SaaS business in a remote role covering a region where our business has no office. As such I am not in a position to ever get a promotion as the 90% of our sales team are in the office in a major city.

I enjoy the lifestyle of WFH and live in a cheaper location which has given me an awesome lifestyle.

However, I feel like I'm starting to stagnant and wonder if I am hurting my career and missing out if I don't move to a major city and look to take up a more senior role.

What are peoples thoughts? Is being a sales leader all that it's made out to be? Should I move to a major city and take up a better role? Or should I just be happy I have a great lifestyle and coast for a while?

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18 comments

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funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Am I perv for thinking your username was BDSMSam...? Probably.

Anyway, this is a completely personal decision and nobody's going to be able to make it for you. Think about what you want, not what the "normal" expectations are. If you like your role and the lifestyle it brings, there's no reason to change. If you genuinely want a new challenge, maybe it's worth looking into.

Keep in mind that sales managers usually make less than their top reps, and that you need to want to manage and be able to manage to be a sales manager. It's not as simple as "I was a great rep so I'll be a great manager." Often, it's the opposite.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Great players can make mediocre coaches and vice versa. Same in sales.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

I'd say it's incredibly rare to have a great rep be a great leader or see a great leader come from being a great rep...

I find the best leaders are people who were decent in sales, but never the savage top performers. And the savage top performing reps rarely have any interest in or patience for management.

AIDA

Executive

Business Development Manager

I'm not a top rep but in the top 25% of our team.

I already spend time helping coach newbies on the product and sales process and is of interest to me.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Cool, sounds like it wouldn't hurt to explore your options outside of an IC role then.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

You seem to be asking a few questions...

Do you want to move? Why does being outside a city preclude getting a better job?

Why is being a manager/leader the only available move? Do you want to be in management? Are you happy with where you are in your career?

AIDA

Executive

Business Development Manager

I am certainly open to a move, I am based in a small to medium sized city/town. We have a couple of SaaS companies that have there offices here but that's it (I am being literal here, I can count them on one hand).

The company I work for have made it clear I have to be in a city with an office to be eligible for a senior role. Stating its just not the same through video call and would prefer all managers to be in the office.

I would like to me in management or at least have a few years in a management role.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Different roles. If you feel there's something missing, you may want to consider management. It's not for everyone, however, and it may just be that the daily grind is beginning to grind. If promotion is something that you want, however, you may want to start looking. There are roles that are largely remote, certainly these days, and I've known many managers/VPs who are not directly at an office every day.

AIDA

Executive

Business Development Manager

Good point, it could be the daily grind. Bit annoying always being at home as well.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Understood. Based on this and your other posts, it sounds like a role that is more in an office and coaching/managing others is of interest to you. Looks like you've answered your own question.

Beans

Big Shot

Enterprise Account Executive

There are so many shitty toxic awful ones, that when you DO run into that unicorn, people rave.

salesguy13

Contributor

Director of Sales Development

nah--you should only go to management if you THRIVE from supporting others. Typically your best AE at any org will make more than their boss/even the VP of Sales.

The only people in management I know that thrive enjoy supporting others. (source, been in and out of sales management for 5 years across 3 companies)

Dman1b

Catalyst

Azure Specialist

I was in sales management for 15 years and enjoyed teaching those that wanted to learn, watching the additional income change their lives. But then people quit wanting to learn, they knew it all already! So, I am back as an individual contributor making A LOT (6 figures) more money as an overpaid babysitter and no stress!! You ain't missing anything. Never take directions from a lost world........

Hoss

Executive

Partner Sales Manager

I would say it depends. I held my first sales manager role after 6 years in B2B sales and honestly I just felt like I was baby-sitting the entire time. There was a lot more B.S. to deal with and I wound up getting paid less than I did the previous three years as a sales rep.

I think it depends, also in leadership you have to deal with a lot of upper managements bs. I shifted to SaaS channel management and I feel it's a halfway point between the two and I love it.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

What do you want to do?

Boutdamtime

Politicker

Client Executive

I hated being a sales manager. I think it really depends on who you’re managing for and who you’re managing. A lot of that is dependent on the space you’re in. Lot of variables. I was a manager for a private company and I will honestly never do that again.
I too just had my highest earning year as an individual contributor. Granted there’s a lot more variability with an IC role vs a manager role. You’ll find some income stability with a higher base.
As many before me said: it’s your decision to make!!

corporatefemale

Fire Starter

Sales Manager

This is really a key point. Less upside as a manager but also more stability. Depending on your personality you may prefer this versus the ups and downs of AE comp.

godpull54

Praised Answer

PDR

Not really, so much more pressure.

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AIDA

Is being a Sales Manager/Leader all that?

18 comments

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