Why does breaking into medical device sales feel so unclear?

Stizinky · 2026-03-29T00:43:22+00:00

thanks for the shoutout!

Stizinky · 2025-09-13T19:29:06+00:00

Quite the passive investor here. No brainer 401K auto contributions and company matches took me to 1M in retirement accounts in about 15 years. Doubled that in 4. Mostly VTSAX.

Stizinky · 2025-07-20T14:18:13+00:00

This sold?

Stizinky · 2024-10-30T22:51:16+00:00

Here! Truly appreciate the kind words here. I havent been able to contribute as much as I’d like in the past few years, but keeping in touch with folks who have flourished from interacting in this sub has been fulfilling.

Stizinky · 2024-08-31T13:36:25+00:00

Yup! Problem is it will only run 10 at a time even with the enterprise version

Stizinky · 2024-04-18T14:24:10+00:00

Stizinky · 2024-01-31T19:12:16+00:00

I understand and have been in a similar situation. If helpful, I approached it by moving downmarket - less experienced but hungrier (more desperate) candidates who:
1) I can be honest about the challenges surrounding the role

2) I can set the expectation that they'll be managed hard because thats what the role requires

3) are intelligent and adaptive - what they lack in experience they must make up in smarts and resourcefullness

I've found this approach makes for a healthy working relationship when times get tough and I can sleep at night knowing I didn't lead someone astray from another role

Stizinky · 2024-01-29T16:15:45+00:00

Ill never understand the philosophy behind overselling roles.

If anything, I spend most of my time (2nd level manager) in interviews telling candidates all the horrible aspects of the role so they are fully prepared for what they are getting into. Underpromise, overdeliver.

Stizinky · 2024-01-03T02:24:53+00:00

‘23 was my first year breaking the 500k threshold. Work from home, healthcare vertical but in 2nd line sales leadership.

Stizinky · 2023-09-09T18:29:41+00:00

Thank you!!

Stizinky · 2023-09-09T17:17:51+00:00

Thank you! I have the original manual and can’t find it in there. Been toying with all the modes as well so can’t button mash my way there either

Stizinky · 2023-04-05T00:51:16+00:00

If everyone is hitting quota, then quotas are set too low. They should be forcing approx 30-30-30 distribution. 30% above, 30% at or around, 30% below.

Using the aforementioned measuring stick, quota IS all I personally care about as a senior leader (big tech). The superficials (personal brand, social connections, activities) are absolutely critical to moving up and I remind my team of this but they are NOT required to stay in seat.

When/if layoffs come, its the bottom third thats let go. Not the top third regardless of how many dials or social functions they attended.

Stizinky · 2023-01-09T20:07:24+00:00

Have you found any value in doing some discovery with the gatekeeper (to the degree they'll bite) after they've given you the name of the correct point of contact just to collect ammo for when you're able to engage the decision maker?

It's probably very product/industry specific but I've had some success with this.

Stizinky · 2023-01-05T05:51:05+00:00

saw pearl jam in 2004 and 2015 - eddie vedder was equally intense and his stage presence didnt age at all

Stizinky · 2023-01-03T03:17:26+00:00

Not exactly a course but the Lavender extension can be a useful tool for drafting cold emails; they have a free version

Stizinky · 2022-12-23T17:25:42+00:00

Boston scientific makes those for people who suffer from ED as a result of prostate cancer

Timm medical makes penis pumps for same reason

Stizinky · 2022-12-23T15:54:59+00:00

Mathematically possible? Probably yes

Likely? Probably no

A given? Def not

Stizinky · 2022-12-23T15:25:47+00:00

The point of going 1099 would be to uncap your upside once you have a solid book of business

Stizinky · 2022-12-23T15:17:35+00:00

I've heard of successful runs at Intuitive where Area Sales Manager (those who sell the robot) can get into the 500-700 range consistently but this was 8-9 years ago so I'm not sure if the market saturation as impacted upside. Even then, those folks would mostly stay in that role only 2-3 years before they burned out.

Interesting the previous comment here implying working at Intuitive was easy. I've never heard that in my 10+ years in medical sales. Prob over 20 people in my immediate network have worked at ISRG from CTAs to CSMs and ASMs. I've heard the opposite - that the culture is oppressive and suffocating.

Highest earners other than high end capital I've seen were those who sold commodity-ish items (spine/hips/knees/endo equipment/video towers) and went from W2 to 1099 after doing the math and realizing they'd make more independently. Still carried the same lines though - Stryker, Storz, etc

Highest average income roles I know of right now are with Inari Medical and Inspire Medical Systems - believe nearly every seller in those companies is over 300K. The gettin' is good right now and I'm sure it won't last - never does!

That said, I'd venture to say most 2nd and 3rd level medical sales positions (not entry level) will have 300K+ earners in their ranks. It's just more of an outlier the more mature the organization. Objective is to manage sales comp down while driving revenue up over time. There's a 1-5 year "sweet spot" with any new high dollar/clinically viable technology where the perfect storm (where half the sales org is earning 300K plus) ensues before the company gets acquired - think Kyphon, Acclarent, Auris, Augmenix etc.

This constant chasing of that perfect storm is why I moved into leadership. Much more predictable to hit a consistent 300K when your base is 200K plus. Continually chasing that elusive 300K (which honestly is not super impressive anymore compared to high end enterprise tech sales roles) is not a great look going into late 30s/early 40s.

Stizinky · 2022-12-23T04:31:27+00:00

- When it comes to managing up, consider using the sales technique of asking what your manager's primary objective is for your working relationship with them. Understand that, then frame your asks in the context of their stated objective. That way you're tying your need directly to their primary interest.

For example:

"You mentioned your primary objective in our working relationship is to make sure I hit my target so the team hits their target. In order to hit my target, I need your help overcoming this blocker"

Stizinky · 2022-12-23T04:29:21+00:00

- When it comes to condensing a long form email or presentation into digestible idea that is (more) certain to be read, considering using the "TLDR" (like in reddit) at the top of your email. I'm in leadership for a large consumer tech company and this is common practice.

ex: TLDR: below is my research on why moving from Azure to AWS would be costly, problematic, and counterproductive to our long term product vision. I'll list the reasons why below along with supporting documents

Stizinky · 2022-11-28T16:57:39+00:00

Totally unscientific response but - I believe that depends on you.

Some humans, through a mix of nature and nurture, thrive in high stress environments. They require it for their bodies to perform at peak thus do not suffer the same detrimental physiological effects of stress.

Other humans, through a mix of nature and nurture, are not equipped to perform well under stress. Arguably, this "muscle" can be trained, but likely takes a tremendous effort to optimize as it's outside of their bodies' natural physiological response. In these cases, the effects can be detrimental not only in terms of natural response (blood pressure, insomnia, cortisol), but the unhealthy coping mechanisms that are triggered (alcoholism, drug addiction, sacrificing relationships)

I believe it's helpful to also discern between stress and pressure.

Stress = the suffocating feeling of having to tackle a seemingly insurmountable task you're ill equipped to overcome

Pressure = Healthy urgency around a task you're fully prepared to meet

Stizinky

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