Are big corporations or start ups better for people who want to get to 150%+? I feel like Start Ups are hit or miss, but big corps are over-crowded and too many reps going after the same accounts.
Define "big corps"...in general I would think the smaller companies give you a better shot overall - likely due to an immature process for setting quota...not a knock on those companies and it can likely work in the other direction too (setting unrealistic quotas)....at large companies, you typically have a sophisticated (though not always accurate) process in place, that is data driven and created to reward top performers, but also insure the bell curve of payouts is in-fact a normal distribution...
I am a Sales Coach, and the gig that is by far the hardest is a start-up but that doesn't necessarily translate to making less money. I also happen to coach a ton of reps in big companies (Salesforce, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell, IBM, etc), and they are under a lot of pressure too, but the system is in place, and you can focus on the sales motion. You'll get a territory that's better or worse than average some years, but all in all, you have a good chance of hitting quota. Ultimately, the thing that helps the most is finding a good company (I know...no kidding). And doing your research here, along with talking to people at the company and on the team before you join, will help. For startups, you just have to be prepared to do a ton of things by yourself - and be wary of the companies that think sales happen just by hiring a salesperson.
startups are a lottery ticket. sometimes you hit 300% and no one notices, other times you hit 100% and get laid off for “market conditions.” at least big corps will let you die slowly instead of suddenly.
Jordan @ RepVue here... this is a really interesting question. I'd first start by asking whether you are really interested in 150%... or $$$. If it's the potential to make a lot of money, then I'd say that that's more likely at large companies. Ryan recently posted a video and mentioned that nearly every public software company has sellers who make more than $1M/year (even $2M+) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DITwGFMxE__/ However - the sellers who make that kind of money are usually going to be enterprise sellers who have put in the time to establish themselves with a high level of expertise, and maybe more importantly - a solid book of business / territory. So while I think large companies are more likely to offer an opportunity to make a lot of money, it's not something that will happen quickly. You've got to put in the time and effort to make it to an enterprise role. But it's certainly possible if you're looking at a 5-10 year time horizon. The downside for some people, is that it can be a slog. Larger companies have very established processes, but they also have the benefit of brand recognition and trust - and established product-market-fit. Startups like you said - are certainly hit or miss - no doubt about it. You have the potential to make a lot of money, in a shorter time period, if you join a company with great product-market-fit - AND (this is critical) - a leadership team that is sales-oriented, and is comfortable with their top sales reps making more than the CEO. This isn't every company, so definitely explore this in the interview process if it's what you're looking for... just be careful to do so in a tactful way. But even just asking this question will be a good filter for you - because great CEOs and sales leaders want sales people who are not bashful about wanting to be at a place where they can make $$$.