Beating the Dip: The Grass IS Greener
You’ve decided to stick it out. You have a good sense of what Seth Godin refers to as “The Dip” is — how to identify it, what you need to push past it, and how it’s likely to make you feel. But now it’s time to talk about what beating the dip means and what awaits you on the other side of all that struggle.
It’s easy to qualify someone like Steve Jobs as “the best” in his industry. However, it’s unlikely that you would’ve identified him as such when he began chasing his dream in 1976. Jobs and his cofounders faced many dips and disheartening setbacks, but today Apple ranks as the most profitable tech company.
No matter where you start, what your goals are, or how you define what it means to be “the best,” there are dips in store, but those who lean in and push past those dips all agree; they’d do it again to be in the seat they’re in now.
What Being the Best Really Looks Like:
Those who pursue a career in sales are in for some significant dips, but the rewards of pushing past them are exponential. This path doesn’t suit the faint of heart or easily discouraged; get an inside look at some sales professionals that stuck through the difficulties of starting out and are reveling in their successes.
Ceilidh Kurkoski, memoryBlue Alumni:
Less than five years ago, Ceilidh Kurkoski began a career in sales as a Sales Development Representative at memoryBlue. Anyone familiar with the role knows how taxing, uncomfortable, and downright frustrating it can be — for Ceilidh, it was no exception: 
“I thought about quitting many times as a SDR — I think everyone does. But if you can stay committed to your long-term goal, there is always a place to move and grow.”
Ceilidh stayed committed, leaned into the dip, and put in the work. Now, an Account Executive at Transect Ceilidh shares how she feels looking back:
“My career has taken off. I achieved my goal of becoming an Account Executive. And those initial struggles as an SDR at memoryBlue taught me invaluable skills that helped me start an entire sales function in my new role — email cadence, LinkedIn messaging, scriptwriting, presentations. Now I’m over the Dip. I’ve made TONS of connections, at memoryBlue and beyond, that have been so valuable to my progress.”
Omar Lopez, memoryBlue Alumni:
There’s no magic wand, no secret, or way to bypass the downs, but losses and lows are fuel for action, and those who recognize that reap the rewards. Omar Lopez, Corporate Account Executive at CrowdStrike, is no stranger to facing challenges. From starting his first job at 14 years old to help support his family to climbing from SDR to Corporate AE in under five years, Omar eats, sleeps, and breathes hustle, and his success speaks for itself.
“I know who I am. I know what I’ve done. I know my track record. That’s why I have my accolades on my desk. Sometimes, I remind myself that I can get this done, and it helps a lot.”
For Omar, nothing about his journey has been smooth or easy, but he’s made leaps and bounds despite it all. He prides himself on his ability to overcome adversity and, as he says, “Get it done.”
Jake Akin, memoryBlue Alumni:
Jake Akin, Regional Vice President at Randstad RiseSmart, began his career less than four years ago at memoryBlue as a Sale Development Representative. Eager, energetic, and optimistic — the raw ingredients were all there, but Jake had a lot to learn. Even positive attributes can hinder you if they’re over the top.
“Figuring out how to temper my tone, not be overly excited, and understand that what I’m talking about might not make sense for this person, were some of the hardest things for me to learn — building blocks that led me to be successful long-term.”
An obvious success story, Jake recommends considering the value of where you are right now. Jake talks about the role of an SDR: 
“There’s an opportunity to make really good money being an SDR, but a lot of people view it as an entry-level job. But I think we are going to see that, moving forward, a lot of companies will start to increase the value of the SDR because it’s much harder.”
Your goals and the way you go about achieving them should be unique to you. There’s not one right way to get what you want. Seek inspiration and knowledge from others, but never compare yourself or your journey.
What’s Next?
The next Dip! If you intend to keep growing and elevating, then you’ll encounter many dips. After all, the Steve Jobs’ of the world didn’t go from working out of a garage to heading one of the world’s most influential brands overnight. It wasn’t easy — and even now, from the very top, it STILL isn’t easy. It’s overwhelming, but Godin puts things into perspective:
“Sales would be easy if it weren’t for the prospects not buying from you all the time…Here’s the good news: The fact that it’s difficult and unpredictable works to your advantage. Because if it were any other way, there’d be no profit in it.”
The process is cyclical; every new goal replaces the one that came before presenting new hurdles and pushing you even further, but Godin assures, “…the challenge makes it interesting.”
Take stock of what you’ve learned in some of your most trying times and tie it to the success you’ve experienced. The next time you approach a similar problem or Dip, you have experience at your back pushing you towards your end goal. Don’t be afraid of experiencing the good and the bad.
“You’re astonishing. Go ahead, make something happen. We’re waiting!”
– Seth Godin
Interested in a Career Worthy of Overcoming the Dip?
memoryBlue is hiring multiple motivated Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) across each of our six offices in DC Metro, Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Denver (CO), Silicon Valley (CA), and Seattle (WA).
Learn More About Defeating the Dip:
Stick it Out or Get Out: 3 Reasons to Keep Pushing and 3 Reasons to Quit
