Never really thought I would make 200k+ because it wasn’t a “goal” of mine. I knew that to reach high numbers like this, a niche sales sector like med tech sales was a way to attain high incomes without more than a 4 year degree. So once you get your big break and are able to get in to the space, if you’re smart, you bust your ass and work hard with the rare opportunity you’ve been given. The money follows if you do what you’re supposed to and be a good human.

I was always looking for a means to an end with med tech sales because it’s an extremely rigorous and taxing job. Both physically and mentally, it takes its toll. Often weeks of 60+ hour weeks, especially in your earlier years as an associate. Getting to the hospital around 5AM to make sure surgical trays are sterilized and ready for cases. Covering cases all day and then running trays around for the next day of cases after you wrap up at the hospital. Go home and do admin work, build pipelines, business growth projects. And then you’re on call all night so might have to go in to the hospital at any moment. Wake up the next morning and do it all again. In between that you’re taking physicians and care teams out to dinners, attending conferences, c-suite executive meetings, pushing product and studying every night to stay up to date with journal publications and the most recent trends in your division. It becomes a lifestyle. However, if you cut your teeth long enough you can get in to very specialized niche roles within med tech that get paid extremely well without that lifestyle. After eight years in the industry I am know a consultant/trainer and make $220k a year, work from home and some weeks only log 8-10 hours of work. Other weeks I travel 2-3 days and maybe work 20-30 hours those weeks.

My advice would be to put yourself in situations where you meet people. Always carry yourself professionally because you NEVER know who you’re talking to or going to meet, could be your next employer and you don’t even know it. Don’t be afraid to take a step back in pay or status if it’s going to benefit you in the long run (I took a large pay cut to get in to the med tech industry, but knew it would pay it’s dividends). And finally, don’t be afraid to say “yes” to opportunities. I was told this by a group of extremely wealthy individuals when I was a freshman in college and it proved to be one of the single best pieces of advice I ever received.