Need Advice I’m an Enterprise BDR at a market-leading company where the product sells itself. Been here a year. It’s a good role overall, but the BDR team’s been mismanaged. As the founding BDR, there’s no clear path to SMB AE, and leadership refuses to consider internal candidates. We’ve bounced from sales → marketing → back to sales. With the latest move, I’ll likely get a pay raise and I’m performing well, but it means restarting for another 6–12 months before I can push for promotion again. I also have an interview at another hot company with a $100K OTE (about $15K more and a higher base), but I’d be starting over as a BDR in a new space. Feeling positive about my current company’s direction but torn between staying for potential growth or making the jump. What would you do?
Are there sales execs at your org who are hitting quota in the type of role that you aspire to be in? Sales roles at "market-leading companies where the product sells itself" are not exactly easy to come by. And you're the "founding BDR"? If so I'd stay the course - but have a clear conversation with your manager / leadership about your goals. If you're performing well, and you've already demonstrated both leadership and success - you should have enough credibility and respect within the org to be able to have this discussion in a productive way. You should be clear about what you think you can accomplish over the next 6-12 months - and ask if leadership can commit to a promotion in that timeframe. If so, and if there are others at the company who are succeeding in sales roles, then I'd stick with your current org (over the new hotness).
I was in a similar position, although not first BDR. It took the CEO retiring in order to change the lack of career path from BDR to sales. The team lost several strong reps due to no growth opportunities which was hard because BDRs are comped very well compared to the industry but were blocked from higher earnings possible in a sales role. If you feel positive about the company's direction, I'd ask if there are things you can do in your role to get the "experience" they require for sales, as well as propse ideas, like shadowing sales reps, writing proposals, etc. I'm now looking into renewals on sales. Luckily I didn't leave before the CEO change, but those kind of changes don't come often, so if it will take something like that to have a reliable path and it's not on the horizon, it's worth looking to other options. Not having urgency helps make sure you're only considering moves that make sense for your growth. Alternatively if you like the BDR work, it's not terrible to stay in that role but ask for higher comp to close the gap between an outside sales role and where you are now. Especially things that increase pay the longer you're in the role like spiffs on closed deals, higher accelerators, etc.
Assuming the the product sells itself - it means you are at the heart of growth, and it's only a matter of time before they put you in an AE seat and rip all the benefits that comes with that. Bite the bullet a little longer, it'd be a MASSIVE misstep to give up all social capital, track record that you've built for yourself for a measly $15k which is nothign post tax anyway. Stay put. Lock your AE promotion. Get 5-10 logos under your belt. Then use that experience to either continue climbing the ladder or move into a competitor with a better product OR a Repvue top 10% company. This is how A+ career are built. You're on the right track, my friend. -BowTiedCocoon
Starting over like you described isn’t always a bad thing. Of course we all want to keep moving up but if they offer you more money and/or a clearer path to an AE role that I’d say go for it. At the very least it never hurts to interview and know your options. You could even leverage an offer if you receive one with your current company as a negotiating tool. Good luck!