Tech Sales is for Hustlers

You’ll lose nothing by using everything! In sales this can look like transferring skills from previous experiences into your sales role, utilizing all your communication channels to reach prospects, and taking advantage of the collaboration and mentorship that comes with being a part of a sales team.  ⠀
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In this episode of Tech Sales is for Hustlers, Erik Riefenstahl, now a Business Development Manager for Public Sector at Adobe shares his own professional path leading into sales and the factors, both internal and external, that have greatly impacted his trajectory as he climbed the ranks. ⠀

Your career will most likely not be a clear-cut path. Use that to your advantage! Former salesman Steve Kozak is a huge believer in utilizing experiences and acquired skills from one job as building blocks for success in the next.  ⠀
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In this episode of the Campus Series Podcast, Steve Kozak, now a professor in marketing and sales at James Madison University, shares his many lessons learned since beginning in sales, transitioning to academia, and now blending the principles of sales and marketing to prepare his students for the business world.  ⠀

Starting out in sales can build out a skillset that will often lend itself to many other roles you may explore in your lifetime. A career in marketing in particular can greatly benefit from the experiences with product-knowledge building, direct selling, and networking gained through a sales role. 

In this episode of Tech Sales is for Hustlers, Alexis Romano discusses her journey from sales to marketing, the way in which her sales background has greatly benefited her career in marketing, and the importance of having a mentor in your company.

Luck shouldn’t be expected, it’s earned. Wes, a former mB Account Executive has grown to realize that he has experienced luck as a byproduct of the work he’s put in rather than something that was freely given. Work that has involved consistently challenging himself and pursuing different opportunities to increase his chances of success.  

In this episode of Tech Sales is for Hustlers, Wes Juchnewicz, a sales manager for DataDog, discusses taking risks and exploring different avenues in sales, the power of getting comfortable being uncomfortable, and the way he grew through his transition from SDR to AE.  

Agility is a key trait in remaining competitive and successful while in the workforce. This is a valuable lesson that Don Thacker instills in his students as he learned it firsthand throughout his many different roles while working in local wholesale distribution for 18 years.  

In this episode of the Campus Series Podcast, Don, now a senior lecturer at Kent University discusses the progressive learning stage that comes with each new role you may explore, the advantage of being agile and adaptable, and the importance of being properly trained for sales much like a football player must be trained before playing in the Super Bowl.  

A sales position may seem straightforward, but many in the role can attest to the fact that they’re constantly having to act as a jack of all trades. While an SDR’s main objective is to book a meeting, the ability to do that requires both a variety of hard skills refined in more formal sales training, as well as general soft skills that can be picked up through many different life experiences.  

In this episode of Tech Sales is for Hustlers, James Doyle, an Enterprise Solutions Specialist at Qlik, unpacks all the logistics that go into sales, the way memoryBlue Academy helped improve his sales skills, and the experiences that have helped him be a good leader and learn how to relate to a variety of prospects while cold calling.  

Your success in sales is contingent on nobody but yourself. This may be daunting to some, but it’s been incredibly empowering for Michael. It’s transformed his career from a mundane and concrete pathway to an uncharted territory full of the freedom to explore different strategies and create his own opportunities. 

In this episode of Tech Sales is for Hustlers, one of Ping Identity’s Account Executives Michael Woods shares how he got into sales, his commitment to relying on hard work and strategy rather than luck, and his experience transitioning to Account Executive.  

People commonly become sales representatives with many misconceptions about what will be required of them. While it is an entry-level role, properly preparing for it will give you a better understanding of the career and help you have a stronger start. For this reason, Professor Stefan Sleep believes in attending sales programs to get real-world sales experience and hands-on training before officially taking the plunge.  

In this episode of the Campus Series Podcast, Stefan Sleep, Assistant Professor of Professional Sales at Kennesaw State University, talks about his sales classes and how they help his students find jobs while discussing the importance of learning how to be open-minded and think analytically.  

What’s the secret to success in sales? Julia Fitzgerald vows it’s learning how to play off your strengths and play up your personality! Sales doesn’t necessarily favor anyone of a particular background, but it will come more naturally to those who tap into their strongest traits to stay motivated, keep themselves grounded, and subsequently connect more genuinely with prospects.  

In this episode of Tech Sales is for Hustlers, Julia, now a Managing Director at memoryBlue, talks about the power of embracing your personality in your career, how to spot green flags in a job listing, and being motivated by a “reap what you sow” mentality in sales.  

While sales representative positions are considered entry-level jobs, that by no means makes them easy. Caroline Myers, now a successful account executive at ManagedMethods, can still attest to the challenges that come with playing such a critical role in the sales funnel. 

In this episode of Tech Sales is for Hustlers, Caroline shares her insights on navigating deeper conversations with prospects, her initial fear of the phone, and her experiences with working both remotely and in-person.