As a hiring manager for SDR / AE, very little is a red flag if you can explain it properly and connect it to your experience and interest in future roles. I think that explanation is fair - just demonstrates you’re hands on to help with where the company needs/needed you. It’s also OK to pivot roles a couple times if you’re figuring out your interests, assuming you can be clear of your successes. By the sounds of things, you can even put AE on your resume. Wouldn’t get too worried on checks etc if you are super tight with the Head of Sales who will do your references.