Spade
Promotion offer: Biz Dev Manager or AE. What do you take? ๐ฏ
10
For me (whatever that's worth)
Bus Dev Manager is a cushy role....kind of like being a kindergarten teacher. You keep a steady production line of grads coming through and getting promoted. Easy to hit target, the odd stumbling block teaching them how to pour without spilling, or not to run with scissors...
AE, you gain commercial expertise, make good money, understand the thrill of the deal.ย
Bus dev manager to sales manager - you will have no respect or understanding of a sales cycle or how to directly manage a deal. To me (an AE) experience in a successful/credible manager is key.
My Advice, take the AE promo and then go back for SDR manager understanding both sides of the coin will be key to a successful career and will also open up far more opportunities later down the line.
Bus Dev Manager is a cushy role....kind of like being a kindergarten teacher. You keep a steady production line of grads coming through and getting promoted. Easy to hit target, the odd stumbling block teaching them how to pour without spilling, or not to run with scissors...
AE, you gain commercial expertise, make good money, understand the thrill of the deal.ย
Bus dev manager to sales manager - you will have no respect or understanding of a sales cycle or how to directly manage a deal. To me (an AE) experience in a successful/credible manager is key.
My Advice, take the AE promo and then go back for SDR manager understanding both sides of the coin will be key to a successful career and will also open up far more opportunities later down the line.
Very wise, thanks very much for
the adviceย
the adviceย
@Spade what role are you coming from?
Ultimately like others have mentioned it depends on what you're long term goal is.
My 2cents... if you're coming from a bdr/sdr role and are being offered a role in management for that team, you should get some closing experience first.
If you only want to manage bdr teams then go for it, but getting some AE/carrying a bad experience is vital.
I've seen so many bdr managers come through my org and they've never closed anything before and it shows... a LOT.
Good luck!
Ultimately like others have mentioned it depends on what you're long term goal is.
My 2cents... if you're coming from a bdr/sdr role and are being offered a role in management for that team, you should get some closing experience first.
If you only want to manage bdr teams then go for it, but getting some AE/carrying a bad experience is vital.
I've seen so many bdr managers come through my org and they've never closed anything before and it shows... a LOT.
Good luck!
That's some great advice - thank you.
Currently I manage a BD team, before that I managed another BD team, prior to that I was a AE (B2C so not the standard case) and before that's started as an AM.
It seems once you manage a BD team without AE experience there isn't much higher you can climb. Unless it's a big org you land VP BD.
Longer term goal would be VP Global Sales.
What are your thoughts?
Currently I manage a BD team, before that I managed another BD team, prior to that I was a AE (B2C so not the standard case) and before that's started as an AM.
It seems once you manage a BD team without AE experience there isn't much higher you can climb. Unless it's a big org you land VP BD.
Longer term goal would be VP Global Sales.
What are your thoughts?
Also- in my first response.. my last point wasn't to say that all bd managers who didnt carry a bag are junk... just a few that were noticeable and that was the correlation in my mind.
To you question tho- if you want to get to vp sales and manage a team of bag carriers you'll likely have to get some more AE expereince, get back in the trenches and experience the suck:)ย ย jk.. but not.
My guess is it would be difficult to jump from managing bdr's to the next level without the in between, and further thinking about the people you'd be managing, you want them to look up to you and respect you for your experience and know you understand what you're talking about. Your direct reports might discount you without it.
Hope that helps! Good Luck!
To you question tho- if you want to get to vp sales and manage a team of bag carriers you'll likely have to get some more AE expereince, get back in the trenches and experience the suck:)ย ย jk.. but not.
My guess is it would be difficult to jump from managing bdr's to the next level without the in between, and further thinking about the people you'd be managing, you want them to look up to you and respect you for your experience and know you understand what you're talking about. Your direct reports might discount you without it.
Hope that helps! Good Luck!
That's great thanks a lot!
Ultimately like others have mentioned it depends on what you're long term goal is.
Depending on the company, those are the same job. Depends on if you think the 'Manager' portion of the BDM title will make you feel better about yourself.
Great point. Another question is, do you prefer to manage a team or be part of one? How to grow into ย progressing managerial roles?ย
Most SaaS companies I've worked for, the AE's strictly did sales cycles as BD's prospected. AE's would not prospect.
Most SaaS companies I've worked for, the AE's strictly did sales cycles as BD's prospected. AE's would not prospect.
How was the sales culture at companies where AEs did not prospect?
As you can imagine, AE is on a pedestal and the BD is their punching bag.
I still don't believe AE's should prospect though.
I still don't believe AE's should prospect though.
Hard to not have manager experience to keep growing, but you can get trapped in the SDR Manager role forever if you dont get that field sales exp. Tough question
Cheers man.
Granted, a deal wasn't even on the horizon yet, but definitely one of the stupider, more embarrassing mistakes I've made.
After the initial call, I went to email my notes to my AE including notes of the prospect being a tad bit strange. Guess who I accidentally emailed the notes to instead
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