Thatsalesdude profile picture
Thatsalesdude profile picture

Thatsalesdude

Account Executive

Politicker
Valued Contributor
Executive
+7

What did you do before getting into your sales position?

I'm curious to see what you savages were doing before you got your sales role. Did you go to school and decide to do sales? Were you a truck driver that could speak well?


Before getting into my sales job I was a gas and diesel pump mechanic and a wildland fire fighter so my career took a complete 180. I found with having a completely different background it has helped significantly on building trust with prospects and being able to speak their lingo.

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LordOfWar
Tycoon
5
Blow it up
I was in the army reserves since high school, did about 5 years of contract work teaching military courses before hitting the rank of Sgt. I flopped around a few jobs in between contracts, was a barback and even worked as a security guard for all of 3 days. I didn't think I was qualified to do anything and hit a low point, but my wife (gf at the time) thought I should put my experience to use and look at working as a gunsmith. In 2012 I landed a sales role at a company that supplied police/military equipment (and minor gunsmithing). I have been selling to the defence/aerospace industry ever since.

I find that my mix of business and end-user experiences along with having a similar attitude helps me connect with my customers at a level few of my competitors can.

I have very few regrets, made lifelong friends and I love what I do.
Thatsalesdude
Politicker
2
Account Executive
Thats actually sick
LordOfWar
Tycoon
2
Blow it up
I definitely have a few stories. Watch out for my memoirs in 20 years.
Mobi85
Politicker
3
Regional Sales Manager
Started out of College after finishing up a baseball career and wanting to find something that I could be competitive with and wouldn't be stuck to a cubicle all day.  Got into Door to Door sales because I was young and dumb but made decent money with it and been in the sales realm over 10 years now.  That D2D world really tells you if you can survive in sales or not and was nice to cut my teeth with that. 
Sunbunny31
Politicker
3
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
I was a food server and a restaurant manager before going back to being a food server.

The ability to prioritize and keep many things going at the same time are key to sales.

That said, the first job I got in the tech arena was office manager, and I did a lateral move into sales coordination, then up into sales.  This was literally before the turn of the century, though, so it's been quite a while.
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
3
SaaS Eater
Started in sales right out of college. My mom has been very successful and is now C suite at a publicly traded company and started her career in sales and I wanted a similar career. 

Started as entry level SMB sales and have grown into the director role I hold now 7 years later.
SaaSam
Politicker
3
Account Executive
I did part time criminal investigation for my father's defense practice and drove truck delivering parts upon short notice to coal mines and oil fields.
NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
2
Professional Day Ruiner
I was a kid in college looking for a part time job. I'm a big car guy, so my girlfriend at the time convinced me to get a job at a car dealership selling cars. I ended up loving sales. Made great money as a kid working part time in college but the income potential is limited and the hours are ridiculous. So I started applying to SaaS companies and have been in the industry for almost 6 years now. 
TennisandSales
Politicker
2
Head Of Sales
I got into sales right out of college. I saw it as a way to make more money than my peers that were going to grad school. 

i went into financial services right away and made like $29K my first year. 

I remember when my sister got married, her husband (Masters from Cornell in Chemical engineering) got a $105K base salary job right out of school...... I was making $55K at that time. 

I told my wife "he may get to $100K before me but we will get to $200K WAY before he does." 

That will happen this year. 

sales for the win. 
Thatsalesdude
Politicker
2
Account Executive
Respect.
iHateMyself
Valued Contributor
1
Head of Business Development - Investment Fund
Most of us get into sales to make more than our nerdy brother in law
TennisandSales
Politicker
1
Head Of Sales
fuck yeah we do!! especially the ones that went to the fancy schools 😂
jefe
Arsonist
2
🍁
Got into it right after my post-grad business school, but started in retail at 15, then lifeguarding (and lifeguarding operations) at 16 until I finished up my education. 

(Literally started the Monday after I finished lol)
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
I was a landscaper in college, but I was also on my college bass fishing team.
My passion for the outdoors has helped me built rapport with a ton of customers. I even offer to take them out on my boat to fish a lot, fortunately most of them are so busy they don’t have time. But it’s always an appreciated gesture.
My blue collar background always helps build trust.
AnchorPoint
Politicker
1
Business Coach
Have been in sales since high school (sold the daily newspaper on the phone). Actually, I crated a neighborhood newsletter when I was 12, sold subscriptions door to door and then created each copy by hand! LOL  Sales skills are life skills.  I have been a business owner several times (printing/advertising, finance, recruiting), enjoyed position as a top performer/VP, and now help leaders grow their people and profit.  The skills obtained by becoming a professional salesperson have served me well throughout my 38+ years in business.
cornerback16
Valued Contributor
1
Strategic Accounts
Bluffed my way into an Actuarial Investment role.

Took me 5 years to realise I should be putting those bluffing skills to better use in a sales role.
bendandsnack
Politicker
1
Account Exec
I worked in advertising for a year or so, realized it was boring and didn't pay well, so I left to go to Australia for a year with some friends. 

In AUS I got another ad job/bartended, but I wanted to pay my loans off while traveling, so I got into sugaring.

My client worked in tech sales and was constantly trying to talk me into trying it because he thought I'd be good at it.  I came back to the states a week before the pandemic hit, couldn't find a job, said fuck it and signed up for a free sales training program.

Ended up getting a contract SDR job and was ranked 2nd on a team of 30 SDRs, many of which had experience and had been laid off due to COVID. 

He was right.  I'm great at getting old men to spend money. 
CatMom
Politicker
0
Account Executive
I was a bar tender, worked at a gas station, and worked at Lowes- yes all at the same time lol. 
iHateMyself
Valued Contributor
0
Head of Business Development - Investment Fund
elite university -> high yield debt -> Comedian/Saturday Night Live -> BizDev for investment firm (current)
Maximas
Tycoon
0
Senior Sales Executive
McDonald's:)

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