Dear SaaStr: Should I Go Into SaaS Sales?
If you aren’t sure you want to go into sales — don’t do it. Maybe in 2021, when many SaaS leaders were growing at simply unprecedented rates, could succeed in sales if you weren’t sure you wanted to sell. Not today.
A career in sales can take you far:
- You can make the most cash, and later maybe even equity, of any position in a start-up. https://www.saastr.com/your-1-sa…
- You will build amazing people, management and recruiting skills.
- There’s usually a clear promotion path in a growing sales team.
- It’s really, really fun to be part of a great sales team. You win together and play hard together.
- It’s hard, but it’s a proven path to the CEO’s office. Marc Benioff led sales (in part) at Oracle. Etc. etc.
But sales is also hard:
- You’ll hear “no” so often.
- You’ll be graded every month and every quarter.
- You’ll get fired if you miss the plan.
- You can’t hide.
- Your comp will be poor if you don’t crush it.
- Some people won’t respect you as much as the “tech” guys.
If you don’t really want to do sales, you won’t be great at it.
Find something you can be great at.
