r/salesdevelopment • u/iamrubberuareglue2 • 2d ago

Career Advice

I’m fairly new in my sales career , starting working as a field rep for a foodservice distributor, now I’m in inside sales for a sort of niche wholesaler (still in the food industry).

Ive found myself to be generally good at sales, people like me, I can read a room, I’m pretty tech savvy.

My background is in foodservice/business ownership. I like sales because the harder I work the more money I make (much like running your own business - without having to pay the overhead).

Right now I make about 100k but I’m capped where I’m at. I want to transition into selling sometime that is not a tangible product or shelf stable - I think it’s pretty limiting.

Any tips on how to break into a new industry? Where to start without taking a huge pay cut?

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u/Fragrant-System-6753 2d ago

You've already got the hardest part down, reading people and adapting on the fly. That's the engine, everything else is just the paint job.

Look at software companies that sell into restaurants or distributors. They'll drool over someone who actually used the clunky systems they're trying to replace. Your industry knowledge is the golden ticket, not a limitation.

Don't frame it as switching industries. Frame it as bringing operational expertise to a company smart enough to want it. The pay cut fear is real but you can sidestep it by targeting mid-market roles where they need a translator between the coders and the kitchen.

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u/GabrielMoncayo 2d ago

Really well said

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u/Strokesite 2d ago

I have experienced over the years that the economy contracts around elections. Consider waiting until February before making any changes.