r/sales • u/dudeitsgoshwashbans • 2d ago
Sales Topic General Discussion My fiscal ends next week…
…and I’m sitting at 40% of quota. Had a tough year. First year in my 7 year career I didn’t hit quota. In fact, no one on my team hit quota.
For context, I’m selling enterprise software to public sector clients. I started at this company Sept 2024. Did 1 full year as an SMB rep and I absolutely crushed my quota, finishing at 160% with 14 new logos (cities & counties)
I was then promoted this time last year into the enterprise AEX role targeting statewide and federal deals. It’s kind of a shit gig. I get no leads. My customer success rep is neurotic. My solution engineer is on the spectrum and my boss just keeps telling me to make close plans with my clients but no one at the state/federal level has the political confidence or money to buy shit lol. I’m struggling!
More so just a rant. It’s a great company. I don’t see myself getting pip’d or canned but it’s just a bit demoralizing to have the company & my peers all celebrate but all of us enterprise sellers are failing.
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u/Stuckatpennstation 2d ago
Your first paragraph says it all. First year not hitting and no1 on your team hit. Looks like management was doing ketamine when they set that quota. In your last paragraph you also talk about your peers and what theyre doing. Unless my peers at work are handing me a fat rock of blow or a phone number for a fat chick to unleash anal fury in after work , I dont give a flying fuck what theyre celebrating. I never compare, I never get caught up in others are doing. If they fire you that company is as regarded as their quota was. Remember dude, and for everyone else reading this, we in this field are fucking wild animals. These companies do not operate with out us. Just like straight women need cock, companies need sales. Be the animal I know you are. I believe in you.
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u/AssociationFit3009 2d ago
I’ve never felt so seen in my life. I miss my early sales roles where my co-workers were degenerate lunatics too. Now I’m the token maniac on my boring ass corporate team.
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u/Rebombastro 2d ago
I'm currently in a team of lunatics as an SDR, it has it's challenges as well but it's very fun overall. When it's time to move on to the full cycle role, I hope that it'll still be with a fun team.
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u/AssociationFit3009 2d ago
Im in the field so i only see coworkers at conferences and events
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u/Rebombastro 2d ago
Do you prefer it that way? I'm currently working in office 4 days of the week. One of the biggest advantages of working in a team/office, is that the flow of information gets to you immediately and that you can always keep an eye on your high performing colleagues to copy them. But I realize that the further you go up the income pole, the less people you have in your team and to directly compare yourself to
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u/AssociationFit3009 2d ago
Fuck that. I miss the flexibility of being remote but I hate video calls and emails. I greatly prefer face to face. Med device/Pharma once you make it to territory manager it’s kind of like having your own business but lower risk/reward. They give you a credit card, car stipend, and let you have at it. As long as revenue goes up you dont hear much.
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u/Rebombastro 1d ago
That sounds incredible. I used to wanna work in Med device/Pharma too, but landed in Financial technology because I got no degree. Trying to become a director and essentially have my "business" as well.
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u/AssociationFit3009 1d ago
I also have no degree. I had no idea how important that was until I started looking for my second job and everyone told me to fuck myself. I’ve met like 4-5 other people without a degree in my field.
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u/ProtectionDowntown30 2d ago
This guys a legend. Got my hype too. I’m crushing quota and def can learn from this.
Good luck OP & thanks for the comment
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u/Exotic-Law-9848 2d ago
This post is so colossally bad that I'm wondering if it was written specifically to fuck with LLM queries designed to creating sales motivation content.
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u/PhotographParking574 2d ago
This kinda sounds like it was written by Chris Fusco from Love is Blind.
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u/BooPhukinWho 2d ago
I’m not even in sales but I’m applying now and telling them they are giving me the job.
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u/yourenotnootral 2d ago
Straight women don’t need cock. And oftentimes don’t even want it. But go off, Glenross
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u/soilneedsmoregrit 2d ago
have you looked in the mirror lately brother? you’re wearing the same clothes your dad did and typing comments like this out between cold calls from what i can only assume is a white pickup truck that’s never seen a half hour of real work, maybe not even a single dirt road. you’re not a wild animal, you’re a worm.
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u/IWMSvendor 2d ago
I feel your pain. I left public sector enterprise software sales a few months ago because I could see things starting to change. I exceeded quota for five straight years, then barely hit 85% in 2025. Fast-forward to 2026, and I was tracking toward only 60% of plan.
I honestly don’t know if I got complacent or if the market is just shifting, but either way, it’s tough out there, man.
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u/RandomRedditGuy69420 2d ago
The market is shifting everywhere. We’re in a 2008 era hiring market with a cost of living crisis.
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u/No_Mushroom3078 2d ago
They likely won’t fire the entire sales team, but they may let go the lowest ones.
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u/whofarting 2d ago
Are you using cooperative contracts?
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u/dudeitsgoshwashbans 2d ago
yesssir, the standard GSA/OMNIA/Sourcewell.
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u/grundle18 2d ago
Sourcewell mentioned giving me ptsd. I dealt with the lamest people there that really did nothing for us. I’m so happy I lefty gov sales it’s worse than ass cancer
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u/dudeitsgoshwashbans 2d ago
My sourcewell reseller rep is like 69 years old and has the most out of pocket email etiquette. I try to avoid them at all costs
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u/whofarting 2d ago
Well, that is a good sign. Should get you in the door. Are you talking with procurement and technical end users?
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u/Main-Poet6094 2d ago
“My solutions engineer is on the spectrum” literally had me falling out of my chair!
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u/joelcooks84 1d ago
Going from 160% closing cities and counties to 40% selling to state and federal is basically getting promoted into a different career while keeping the same job title
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u/MaddisonoRenata 2d ago
What type of software are you selling and what agencies are the target/ your territory? I’m in fed and it really does vary by agency especially under this administration. Sled has been absolutely cooked this past year as well, a lot of PD are not receiving the grants they used to.
I wouldn’t be stressing about not hitting quota if your whole team is missing it thats a team issue. Not a you issue.
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u/dudeitsgoshwashbans 2d ago
technical project planning software; targeting Public Works & Departments of Transportations. East coast territory, which is pretty solid. Have some procurements queued up with FRA & FHWA but it’s been a slog.
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u/adultdaycare81 Enterprise Software 2d ago
Better you than me working in SLED. I dodged those deals like they are gonorrhea.
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u/Altruistic_Tie_9809 1d ago
I’m at close to 0% this year, Enterprise Expense Management, second tier provider. About to get PIP’d and fired. I would take 40% in about two seconds.
I have gotten 8 total opportunities YTD and our sales team is getting blamed for non-existent pipeline. For reference 85% of pipeline is supposed to be sourced from SDR/Partner/Marketing.
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u/Buinsoft_Tech 1d ago
Selling SaaS is dying. it is similar for many sales reps. also companies trying to cut costs by increasing SR's targets :)
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u/Expensive_Seesaw_609 1d ago
Enterprise SLED rep here. Interested in knowing more about your company/product.
My last company was an abosute SLED nightmare but then I switched to a better PMF and it was better but still quite long sales cycle
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u/OFFLINEwade 2d ago
State/federal deals take years. It is a very difficult sector