Sales Spotlight: Why I Left Medical Device Sales to Join Verkada

As someone who loves working with people, I knew early on in my career that I wanted to be in sales. In 2018, I started my career in medical device sales at one of the top medical tech companies in the world. I was working face-to-face with customers and prospects every day, I could prioritize time with my family and I was making good money. I loved it. After a few years, I became the youngest tenured rep on the sales leadership council, was in a great position to become a future director and was moving out of the Bay Area - or so I thought.

Earlier that year, a sales recruiter from Verkada reached out to me. They wanted me to come onsite to meet the team and learn more about their Account Executive roles. I wasn't in the market for a new job. I had already put in an offer on a home and was getting my family ready to move. The job sounded interesting, but honestly, an exploratory job interview fell pretty low on the priority list of things to do. Despite all this, I had a gut feeling that I should at least look into the position. Spoiler: I'm glad that I did. 

After interviewing with the team at HQ, I was blown away. I canceled the move and accepted an offer from Verkada. Walking away from a company and team I loved wasn't easy, but here's why I did (and why I stayed): 

1. Fast-Tracked Career Growth - Something that stood out to me from the beginning was the opportunity for career growth at Verkada. When I joined, I started as a Mid-Market 5 level Account Executive; after three quarters, I was promoted to the newly created Mid-Market 6 and then promoted to Team Lead shortly after. I was not used to this accelerated growth and career progression in medical device sales, where a promotion like this could take a few years. It's incredibly motivating, and I already have my sights set on my next goal.

There are also many opportunities to step up and take leadership at Verkada. Whether you're looking to move into a management role or want to help open a new office across the globe, there are many exciting challenges to take on when you're ready. 

2. "Swivel Chair" Culture - Coming from medical device sales, my office consisted of my car, my home and the lobbies of the hospitals I worked with. Coming into an office every day was scary because it was so different from what I was used to. A few weeks into my new role, I was already in love with coming to work in person. Yes, the office amenities were great, but the speed at which things got done and being around motivated, friendly people solidified my confidence in my decision. If you need help with a task, people are quick to jump in and be a resource. My team calls this "the swivel chair culture," meaning people are comfortable (and eager) to turn to the person next to them to ask for help, discuss a call they just had or even just chat about their weekend plans. This culture accelerates the learning process and how quickly you can get ramped up and start closing deals. 

3. Ownership and Compensation - It was a big decision for me to leave a steady job in medical device sales and start a career in an industry I had never worked in. One of the reasons I felt confident in my decision was the ownership Verkada gives its employees over their career goals and potential to earn. I am a big believer that "you get out what you put into an opportunity," and at Verkada, you get rewarded if you put in the work. In my first quarter at Verkada, I reached 370% quota attainment and have continued to overachieve quota every quarter. 

Join us! 

The last year and a half have been fast-paced, exciting and full of really meaningful work. I get to do what I love - work with people, and help them create a safer, smarter environment for their organizations. I've grown a lot and hit some big career milestones. And I've gotten to do it with my talented team by my side. If you're considering a career switch (or if you're like me and are just curious), check out our open roles at Verkada and join our team on a mission to make the world safer.