On the surface, the steps to becoming a sales manager are pretty straightforward. Step one, start a career in sales; step two, exceed quotas; step three, be promoted.
Sales managers need to know how to sell their company’s product and services because their team will look to them for help when it comes to closing deals. But that’s not all sales teams look for in future leaders. Matt Young, head of strategic sales at Miro, notes that it’s actually the “less tangible” aspects of the role that denote future managerial success.
“This includes things like coaching and mentoring new hires, proactively sharing best practices, presenting on enablement calls, working on cross-functional projects and interviewing candidates,” Young said. “If you enjoy those things and do them willingly, without needing to be asked, people will take notice.”
Young was one of two leaders Built In spoke with about how to become a sales manager. Read on to learn more about their career journeys and the advice they have for those eyeing leadership roles.
Matt Young has spent over two decades in tech sales, so it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about what it takes to become a sales manager. Young, who is head of strategic sales at Miro, first advises salespeople to consider if management is what they really want, or if it’s just the next rung up on the career ladder. For those who decide that management makes sense, Young has some simple advice: Hit your quotas and do more without being asked.
Give us a brief idea of your career trajectory at your current company. Where did you start, when did you get promoted into a leadership role and what did you do to get there?
I joined Miro back in June as head of strategic sales, and prior to that I spent time at Salesforce, Okta, BetterCloud and Google. I’ve earned leadership roles by consistently hitting my sales goals and by doing more than what was expected of me. Quota attainment is important, but that doesn’t ensure success in leadership. The less tangible things are where real leadership acumen is developed.
Do it for the right reasons ... Think hard about the things that you truly enjoy the most about your job and how those things align with managing people.”
What surprised you most about your new leadership role?
How much fun I’m having. I say that because I took a one-year hiatus from leadership to return to an independent contributor role at a previous company. When I decided to leave them, I wasn’t sure if it was because the role wasn’t the right fit or the company wasn’t the right fit based on its size. Within the first few days at Miro, my decision to go back into leadership was validated in two ways.
First, being able to align at an executive level with customers and prospects is so enjoyable to me. I love speaking to them about their biggest business challenges and aligning on how we can help. Second, when I’m not with customers or my team, I truly love being involved in helping to determine the overall sales strategy and direction of the company, especially one seeing as much growth and success as we are here at Miro.
What advice do you have for salespeople looking to move into a leadership role?
Do it for the right reasons. So many successful sellers choose to go into leadership simply because they feel it’s the most logical next step in their career. Being a sales leader, especially a first-line leader, is a big adjustment and a ton of hard work. Timing is important. I have lots of conversations with salespeople considering leadership and I encourage them to do some soul searching. Think hard about the things that you truly enjoy the most about your job and how those things align with managing people. Also, think about the things you would be giving up about your current role and if those are trade-offs you are comfortable making.
All of that said, I’m a big advocate for trying new things. Don’t stress too much about making the right or wrong decision — just make it at a company with strong values that you know will support your journey. If you give it a try and are unhappy, you can always go back to being an individual contributor and apply the lessons learned to improve your work.
Miro is an online collaborative whiteboard platform that enables distributed teams to work effectively together.
Amy Downes, team lead at Unibuddy, wants aspiring sales managers to know that it’s okay to ask for help and to ask questions. To Downes, managers who try to paper over their weaknesses are actually hurting their own professional development, while those who acknowledge and embrace them become better leaders in the long run.
Give us a brief idea of your career trajectory at your current company. Where did you start, when did you get promoted into a leadership role and what did you do to get there?
My role at Unibuddy has evolved rapidly over the past three years. Before joining the company, I worked in university admissions and was one of the first people to implement and manage the platform. I joined Unibuddy as employee number 12 in a student engagement role, building out our student-focused resources and services, and then moved into a new role to support our United States expansion. Now, I lead a function of the U.S. team and am responsible for over 170 university partners and over $1 million in revenue.
Lean in to the things that scare you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You don’t have to know everything to be an impactful leader.”
What surprised you most about your new leadership role?
The trust that Unibuddy places in me and the autonomy I have over my work and team strategy. At my previous company, leaders were expected to follow the status quo. It was hard for them to be innovative or experiment with new ideas. At Unibuddy, it’s the opposite. As leaders, we are encouraged to challenge, question and lean into the unknown. We don’t always get it right, but we are always learning and pushing the company forward.
What advice do you have for salespeople looking to move into a leadership role?
Lean in to the things that scare you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You don’t have to know everything to be an impactful leader. It took me a while to realize this and at first I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself. If you are honest about your challenges and willing to tackle them head on, you’ll make great progress in your leadership role.
Unibuddy is an edtech platform that digitally connects student ambassadors with prospective students from around the world.
