rubberducky profile picture
rubberducky profile picture

rubberducky

SAE

Politicker
Opinionated
Fire Starter
+3

Pay mix in Sales compensation

Savages,


After 4 years working in larger organizations I have decided to move towards a startup, as I think I will learn more and it would be more fulfulling. The companies I am speaking to are Series A funded in the SaaS industry with approx. 50/100 FTE. I will be joining as AE/SAE, they offer good salary (60/40 split) and talk about an attractive stock compensation package. I have always worked with a 50/50 split, so curious to know the pro's and con's of having a higher base versus higher % variable, and what you guys would choose. Furthermore, what should I be aiming for in terms of stock compensation (%)?


Quack.


What split do you prefer?

Attached poll
*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.
☁️ Software Tech
💰 Compensation
🤝 Interviewing/Offer
17

16 comments

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someoneinsales
Tycoon
6
Director of Sales
I could really care less about the split as long as the product sells well and I have uncapped comish.....

Just slang your shit until you are past OTE then it doesnt even matter. 
goose
Politicker
3
Sales Executive
Probably should have read this comment before I posted mine...
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
4
🔪Amateur Butcher🔪
Uncapped earnings is the biggest value. Lower the base, higher the commission variable is where its at. If you're not choosing positions that weigh compensation heavily upon results, why are you even in sales? 

A base salary is good (because we all have down months) but base should be the amount you are able to live on and the commission should be what you store/invest. Thinking this way will fundamentally change your approach to sales, your career and your time. 
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
3
☕️
As Ray Liotta says: Fuck you, pay me.

I want the base to fuel my effort, and the commission to reward my effort. The more up front the less stress I have outside of my 9-5, therefore the more I'll do during my 9-5.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
I say this phrase often. Glad to see I'm not the only one that lives by it.
hh456
Celebrated Contributor
2
sales
Stock is so diluted for you it’s just a fancy phrase used to lure people in. I own about 15,000 shares of a company I’m a stockholder in and it’s worth like $2,500. I’d much rather make commission but I am holding onto this useless piece of shit unless this thing goes public and is a unicorn. 60/40 sounds fair if the product can sell.
goose
Politicker
2
Sales Executive
I don't know how anyone would even care about the split.  I would only care about the comp plan, our ability to sell the product and if my commissions are capped.  
rubberducky
Politicker
1
SAE
goose
Politicker
1
Sales Executive
See my comment above.
TheNegotiator
Arsonist
2
VP of Sales
Lol. I want 100% base, I just want my base to be 10M
rubberducky
Politicker
0
SAE
Would sign for that!
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
I need the higher base so I know I can keep a roof over my head until I start making commish. 
AnchorPoint
Politicker
1
Business Coach
100 commission
Yezdi
Fire Starter
1
BDM
You have 70 - 30 as well that’s missing in the option … but that’s my answer
FromaBlankPerspective
Politicker
1
District Manager
Purely depends on the comp plan. Uncapped commission, accelerators, etc.
Diablo
Politicker
0
Sr. AE
I prefer to know the actual number along with percentage 😂
FamilyTruckster
Politicker
0
Exec Director, Major Accounts
I’m all about the base. That’s the inherent value they perceive you bring to the company. 

If you’re looking to grow within a company, know that a lot of them have guardrails for how much they will increase your base without SLT approval (often in the 15% range). So when you get a management offer, it will feel underwhelming. Doesn’t matter if you were 600% to quota if they can only bring you from 60 to 69k without getting flagged. 

Think of your base like compound interest. Those numbers add up fast once you hit a certain point. 

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