#491 How I Quit Corporate America (And You Can Too)

<p>If you’re struggling to close deals, join the Sales Skills For Founders newsletter here: 📨 https://salesskillsforfounders.com</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Summary</strong>:</p><p>In this solo episode, I share my personal journey of leaving corporate America after 15 years in software sales to build my own sales coaching business. I walk through the path that got me here, from a former golf pro to a top performing seller to a founder, and I break down the two to three years of preparation that made the jump possible. </p><p>I cover five key lessons: building momentum before you quit, focusing on doing better instead of doing more, giving yourself permission to act, ditching the idea that there&#39;s one right playbook, and finding your circle of peers, mentors, and coaches. </p><p>You&#39;ll walk away with a practical, honest framework for thinking through your own transition out of a stable job, including how to think about branding, getting paid clients early, and getting your finances in order before making the leap.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Chapters</strong>:</p><p>0:00 Intro / Welcome back</p><p>1:01 My backstory: from golf pro to corporate sales</p><p>3:06 The 2019 conference that planted the seed</p><p>4:15 Coffee chats with Doug that turned into coaching</p><p>5:28 The question from Randy that changed my direction</p><p>6:06 How the idea came together in early 2024</p><p>7:11 <strong>Point 1</strong>: Create momentum before you jump</p><p>8:01 Build your brand before you need it</p><p>10:02 Get paying clients before you go full time</p><p>11:39 Get your finances in order first</p><p>14:57 <strong>Point 2</strong>: Don&#39;t do more, focus on better</p><p>16:33 <strong>Point 3:</strong> You don&#39;t need permission</p><p>18:49 <strong>Point 4:</strong> There is no playbook, write your own</p><p>21:41 <strong>Point 5:</strong> Find your people, peers, mentors, coaches</p><p>26:19 Final thoughts and how to connect with me👋 Hey, I&#39;m Brian Ondrako and I left a 15-year career as a top performing software sales rep to coach early-stage startups on the skills and systems to build predictable revenue. Check out my coaching programs on my website, https://brianondrako.com or say hello on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianondrako/</p>