SportsSalesGuy

Enterprise Account Executive

Overpaid, Underpaid, Just Right for Enterprise AE w/$1.3 Mil Quota

I am looking for some insight. I have done my research and have come to my own conclusion but have heard differing opinions on whether I am severely underpaid or paid at the right scale. I am an Enterprise AE at a large Saas company that has been around for longer than I have been alive. I felt I was underpaid when I took the role but it was a large pay jump when I was promoted so I didn't care. Now being in the role for a couple years and with the way the economy and inflation is. Especially with my company denying any chance of inflation wage increases of any kind. We have no stock offerings even though company goal is to IPO and are privately held. So, I wonder if I am underpaid or just right.

I have done some research through Bravado as well as Glassdoor and even know that some of my peers in the same position make well more than me at least on the base salary side of the conversation. However, I have seen postings for AE roles that are far less than what I get, however, most of those offer equity because they are younger companies.

So I'm wondering what the fellow savages in the community think! Lmk!

90 base 90 Commission/180 OTE for Enterprise AE Role

Attached poll

Low High Just Right or in the ballpark

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

💰 Compensation

💯 Promotions

❤️ Bravado Community

16

32 comments

Sort by:

braintank

Politicker

7

Enterprise Account Executive

I'm an ENT AE for a series A and make 150/150 with a $1m quota

SportsSalesGuy

Tycoon

2

Enterprise Account Executive

I got a little over the same quota as you. Should have noted that as well.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I'm like braintank but with 1.25M quota.

aenima

Celebrated Contributor

1

Principal Account Manager

Yeah but how much of that comp is equity/RSU?

braintank

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

have a few thousand shares but didn't include them in comp.

punishedlad

Tycoon

2

🧙‍♂️

Curious how long both you @braintankand @Sunbunny31have been in the game.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Since before the dotcom crash. 1997.

punishedlad

Tycoon

2

🧙‍♂️

Thanks for the info! Hoping I can be where you're at by the time I reach that point in my career. Just cracked 6 figures this year and it's my 6th year selling.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

You'll be where I'm at well before the 25 year mark. Also realize when I started back in the last century, we used shells as payment. ;)
But seriously - I was well paid by 90s-00s dollars with a brief hiccup immediately following the crash. Recovered, and upward ever since.

braintank

Politicker

2

Enterprise Account Executive

I started as a BDR in 2008

braintank

Politicker

2

Enterprise Account Executive

That's great progression!

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

1

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Looks like I need to find a new gig. I mean where I am at was a good start/entry to SaaS, but way below market it seems.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

5

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

So, I spent years at a large tech company where your example was pretty much where I landed. I'd usually come in over OTE, because I'd beat quota all the time, but my base salary was similar to your example. This, however, is for "standard" enterprise sales, not strategic.
The old saying was that you had to leave to get the raise, which was true. The company would never increase you to meet the salary expectations of new reps, but if you left, you could boomerang back at a higher rate. Kind of a ridiculous model, because it led to turnover and that's expensive for a company overall with onboarding and ramping.
Here's where that method gets disrupted. The current state of the economy has thrown a bit of a wrench in the works for salaries. A lot of employers are taking advantage of the larger talent pool to drive wages down a bit, so this might not be the best time to find those roles with higher rates. Not saying it's impossible, it's just not the same market it was 12 mos ago.
Now, all that stated, there is a range in the salary. Some of this will be dependent on your location and what type of enterprise sales category you're in, but in general, I think your rate is probably on the lower end of the range. I'd keep my eyes on the roles you're looking for, and make a move when you find one that's right, knowing that right now pickings are relatively slim, but that shouldn't always be the case.

SportsSalesGuy

Tycoon

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Very helpful thank you!

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

So with your quota, you're low, but consider it motivation. You've got EAE experience to your credit. :)

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

5

☕️

You’re getting paid MM numbers for an ENT role. Get right or get tight.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

I'm glad you spoke up. Seems low for ENT too.

braintank

Politicker

4

Enterprise Account Executive

Plus no equity

Justatitle

Big Shot

4

Account Executive

Underpaid, that type of role, lowest you should be at would be 140/140 IMO.

aenima

Celebrated Contributor

3

Principal Account Manager

Too little information. Your quota is less important than your companies profitability. No org pays on top line, it’s about the GP built into every deal.

$1.3M with 20% margin, you’re overpaid. 50% margin; you’re likely paid a fair amount.

aenima

Celebrated Contributor

3

Principal Account Manager

Too many folks here opining based on one number (quota), and they are giving you bad advice.

My quota last year was $17M, and my OTE was $500K. You can’t simply infer that your quota alone demands some kind of payout.

braintank

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

You're a reseller, correct?
Agreed it's hard to compare quota and ote without all info.
Reseller comp plans are going to be very different from those selling SaaS.

aenima

Celebrated Contributor

0

Principal Account Manager

No, I work for vendor. But not sure what your point is. It has nothing to do with reseller or vendor - it’s the margins. You aren’t going to make a lot in low margin sales unless the volume is significant.

braintank

Politicker

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Agreed

Maximas

Tycoon

2

Senior Sales Executive

I consider it not too bad tbh!

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

2

Rolling 20's all day

For an ENT AE you are low. No shame in it but it's a starting point to move forward to a fair compensation.
Either asking for what's fair now that you have years of experience in the role. If they are not giving cost of living adjustments this is probably a low chance for this raise.

You could look elsewhere but I know that it's not a promising market right now.

SportsSalesGuy

Tycoon

0

Enterprise Account Executive

appreciate it!

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

i make 130/130 in ENT...$1.5MM quota

fidelcashflow

Catalyst

2

Account Executive

Very very low! I'm on the slightly lower side and I'm $230k @ $1mm Quota. I believe quota should be 4x or less of your OTE

GALACTIC

Politicker

2

Account Executive

I'm an ENT AE and make 90/90 with 2.8m quota - in Canada. God i wish I had one of these killer paying jobs

swilco

Personal Narrative

1

SAE (Senior Account Executive)

Yeah, underpaid in my mind, but perhaps it's dependent on a lot of factors. Enterprise AEs in established companies, as you allude to, are typically in $200-$300K range, and I think that most bluechip companies are more like $250-$320K on a 50/50 plan.

Hoopnip

Politicker

1

Commercial AE

$250-350k with the average OTE at $300k but quota definitely varies!!

Bravado is a community of trusted sales professionals endorsed by their customers.

Products

The War Room Jobs Salary Guide Tech Sales U

Company

About Us How It Works Blog Bug Bounty

Contact

© 2024 Bravado Inc. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy Legal and Privacy Center Sales Jobs

If you are hired as a contract sales rep by a Bravado customer, we may ask you to prove access to the employee email account provided to you by that customer. This data will be shared with customers to track your sales productivity; customers can use this data to confirm you meet the minimum activity requirements to pay out your ramp stipend and commission.