Why Sales is the Career to Opt for if you are Dreaming of Becoming a CEO One Day

Aspiring to reach the peak? Yearning to be a CEO? That is incredible!  

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Here’s something you should know: Reaching the top starts at the bottom. 

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Be it Warren Buffett (CEO of Berkshire Hathaway) or Howard Schultz (CEO Of Starbucks) — before being the successful CEOs that they are today, they started their journey as salespeople. Leading a company is no cakewalk and demands an extraordinary skill set that evidently overlaps with some of the skills integral to a sales career. Let’s see how!

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What are the Three Key Qualities a Good Salesperson and a CEO have in Common?

From effectively communicating with different people to making the audience believe in the product or service — Being a CEO is a whole lot of responsibility that can start right by choosing sales as a career option. Below are three essential qualities that are common between a good salesperson and a CEO. 

1. Strategic Thinking 

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Sales professionals and CEOs both require reconciling today’s performance with future opportunities. It helps prepare a plan that manages risks and cuts down on uncertainties — all of which comes under strategic thinking. 

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A CEO is responsible for generating fresh ideas and introducing future business offers for long term success, both of which stem from strategic thinking and planning. Similarly, a good salesperson is effectively able to tap on his potential customers to sell his product or service by preparing a detailed programme which also is a result of strategic thinking. It, therefore, remains at the core of both roles. 

2. The Drive to ‘Always be Closing’

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It can be overwhelming to be in either of the roles. Every day can be a challenge, whether it is due to multiple unclosed deals or rejected proposals. Therefore, to progress in such roles, it is important to have a strong will and drive to move ahead despite the hurdles. 

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Hence, a good salesperson has a strong will and is determined to constantly move ahead. Similarly, a CEO is well aware of his limits, the setbacks he can face during the journey but stays motivated and is rightly said to be ‘Always hungry for more’.

3. Relationship Building Skills 

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Building strong relationships throughout the professional journeys is another key quality that is common between a good salesperson and a CEO. While a good salesperson builds trust with his customers, a CEO shares a good rapport with his clients, customers and employees. 

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It is an integral value instilled in both a CEO and a salesperson during their respective journeys. This is because setting a strong foundation of trust between the parties involved in a deal helps them move ahead in their respective career graphs. 

How Choosing Sales as a Career Option can Fulfill your Dream of Becoming a CEO?

1. Sales can help Tap on Opportunities Quicker 

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Sales requires a professional to be aware of his surroundings at all times. A good salesperson therefore very well knows the feelings, perspectives, ambitions, hopes and everything else to know his customer inside out. This empowers them to bring their customers on their journey and ultimately achieve their goals. 

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Leadership such as sales can teach one to swiftly make sound decisions and grab opportunities based on situations, relationships, conditions, etc. This ultimately would not only help one close more deals but can lay a solid foundation to be a CEO. 

2. Sales can teach the Art of Persuasion 

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A role so strong as a CEO constantly demands deep analysis of situations to think ahead, land on a decision and make employees work for it. The only way to make everyone in the company share the same goals and work towards them requires the art of persuasion. It is all about getting the people to truly believe in what you’re doing. 

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Sales, for that purpose, can be the best platform to pick up skills to smartly break down analysis, effectively prepare strategic plans, and learn the best practices to convey to your audience. 

3. Sales can help learn about the Intangible Side of the Business 

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Logic and facts can only take you so far in your career journey. Business as a whole needs more attention to its customers’ feelings, employees’ emotional landscape, fears of its stakeholders, etc. A good CEO can not function well just by being logical. There’s a certain amount of balance one needs to maintain to ensure that the business grows. 

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Sales as a career option helps professionals understand the human element behind a well-run business. From learning about the customer inside out to showing sensitivity towards every employee’s emotions, it’s a process guided by emotions, helping one discover the intangible side of things. 

Give Your Career a Boost With a Comprehensive Sales Training Programme

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The majority of the skills acquired in sales can help fortify you as you progress in your career. People working in sales learn to ace communication, persevere against all odds, master building relationships in just over a few years. 

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Starting as a sales professional may be the first step in your career path but can be the best way to embody the apt skills in the right amounts for being a CEO one day. To start with your career training to be a CEO one day — be sure to get your hands on a well-rounded sales training course such as Juno that imparts just the right skills! Apply for a counselling session today to find the best course for you.