The Real State of Tech Sales (It's Not What You're Hearing)

Train Your Sales Team → https://www.higherlevels.com/custom-s... ▶ Become a top .01% cold caller: https://www.higherlevels.com/cold-cal... ▶ AI Sales Accelerator: https://www.higherlevels.com/ai-sales... ▶ Tech Sales Ascension: https://www.higherlevels.com/tech-sal... In this episode, Eric and I break down what’s actually happening in tech sales right now, and how to win in a market that feels slower, tougher, and more confusing than it did a few years ago. You’re hearing nonstop takes that “AI is going to eat SaaS,” quotas are getting harder, comp plans are tightening, and hiring is cautious. Layoffs may have slowed down, but a lot of reps feel stuck, not progressing, not getting promoted, and plateauing in place. Between the two of us, we’ve got 15 years in tech sales across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise, plus IC and management roles at both startups and large organizations. We’ve lived through bull and bear cycles, and we’ve seen exactly what separates the reps who keep climbing from the reps who stall out. We cover why most reps plateau, the career truths people learn too late, what “performance” really looks like in today’s environment (including the quiet comp plan inflation happening across SaaS), and where we would personally position ourselves if we were entering tech sales today. If you want a clear, honest view of the state of tech sales and a long-term strategy to avoid plateauing and move toward enterprise, this one will hit. Topics covered: 00:00 State of tech sales right now (AI fears, hiring slowdown, reps feeling stuck) 01:46 Why most reps plateau (playbook stagnation, self-advocacy, short-term thinking) 07:31 Career truths (down cycles, work-life balance seasons, territory/timing/talent) 16:21 Performance reality today (seat vs consumption, quota inflation, selling internally) 23:35 Where we would bet today (startup vs enterprise, durable categories, risk profile) 30:55 Career leverage and long-term thinking (avoid irrational moves, AI as an edge) 36:43 Closing thoughts and what we are building at Higher Levels 📌 ABOUT ME: I’ve worked in Enterprise Software Sales for 8+ years and I’m currently an Enterprise Account Executive. I’ve coached hundreds of SDRs, BDRs, and AEs across SaaS and B2B. This channel is dedicated to helping sales professionals master outbound, build confidence, and perform at an elite level. LinkedIn →   / connor-murray-cm   #techsales #saassales #salescareer #accountexecutive #sdr #bdr #salestraining #aiinsales