First Year in Medical Device Sales

Want To Learn How To Grow Your Territory?? If so → https://www.newtomedicaldevicesales.com/podcast

Jacob interviews Shannon Holly, who transitioned into medical device sales at 48 years old after a 28-year career as a syndicated morning radio host. They discuss breaking into the industry later in life, the emotional process of career change, reinventing yourself with confidence, overcoming judgment and fear, training and adapting in your first six months, what it’s like working in the OR, the wide range of procedures she now supports, product knowledge vs. physical product handling, differences in medical device divisions, the value of mature professionals, and why fulfillment matters more than comfort.

Key Takeaways:

1. Reinventing yourself is possible at any age. It’s never too late to chase fulfillment over familiarity.
2. A strong mindset will carry you further than a perfect resume. What matters is how committed and coachable you are.
3. You don’t need to be the youngest candidate to succeed. Maturity, discipline, and emotional intelligence are huge assets in the OR and in conversations with physicians.
4. Not all device roles involve trays or physical products. Some are focused entirely on training, presence, and being a trusted clinical expert.
5. When you know your product and show up with confidence, you earn the trust of surgical teams. Even without years of experience.
6. You won’t feel ready at the beginning, but taking the leap and trusting the process is the only way to find out how capable you really are

chapters:

00:00 - Start

02:25 - My Successful Past In Radio Broadcasting

05:58 - Why Change Careers At 48 Years Old & 28 Years In My Profession

12:51 - First Six Months As A Rep

19:25 - Becoming Familiar With The Job

23:54 - A Day In Shannon’s Division

28:32 - A Bad Moment In Shannon’s Job

31:22 - Most Rewarding Day On The Job

Want To Learn How To Grow Your Territory?? If so → https://www.newtomedicaldevicesales.com/podcast

Jacob is joined again by Seth Colletti, who started in boat sales, broke into medical device sales after college, and became a regional sales manager in under five years. They talk about climbing from associate rep to manager, working for two of the largest med device companies, how to survive the first year of sales, training at big companies versus the grind of a startup, how to handle OR chaos, being seen as a true resource, personal connections to the product, and how to stay relevant in the industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Be prepared to get overwhelmed your first year. it’s normal to feel like you're drinking from a firehose. Don’t panic, just stay consistent and give yourself time to settle in.
• Don’t rely only on company training. Go beyond, call top reps, build your own network inside and outside your team, and stay curious.
• Ask yourself daily if you're providing value. If not, leave the room or find a way to make yourself useful. staff and surgeons remember reps who make their jobs easier.
• Never lie. If you don’t know something, say so, and then find the answer. Trust is everything in this job.
• Top performers don’t just “work hard,” they work smart. Busy doesn’t equal productive. Spend your time doing things that actually drive revenue.
• If you’re not in it for the right reasons, you’ll burn out. Find a division or product you believe in. it makes the long hours worth it.
• Your success is your responsibility. If you want to grow, keep learning. Books, podcasts, conversations with mentors. and treat self-development like part of your job.

00:00 - Start

02:56 - Seth’s Career In Medical Device Sales

04:44 - First Year Experience

09:45 - The Expectations I Wanted To Achieve My First Year

12:19 - When Did Your Nerve Start To Calm Down During Your First Year

15:29 - What Traits Do You Think You Need To Stand From Other Reps

25:36 - Difference Between A Big Company vs A Startup

33:03 - Story About A Bad Day For Seth In The Field

38:11 - Moments That Make You Love Your Job

41:53 - Advice For Upcoming Reps

Want To Learn How To Grow Your Territory?? If so → https://www.newtomedicaldevicesales.com/podcast

From filing for bankruptcy to working with the top medical device companies, Roxy Tirado shares her full journey. Topics include grit and perseverance, what it’s really like being a female in medical device sales, landing multiple job offers in six weeks, surviving and thriving at Medtronic and Intuitive, the pressure of big-name companies, building confidence, preparing like a pro, investing in mentorship, and staying grounded in gratitude and humility.

Key Takeaways:

• Don’t wait for rock bottom. If you're feeling stuck or beat down in your current role, don’t wait for a breaking point—make the move now.

• You don’t need sales experience. Roxy broke into top companies like Medtronic with zero B2B sales experience. Hard work and coachability mattered more.

• Ask for help. Utilize mentors and community. Roxy leaned on others when she doubted herself, and it made all the difference.

• Be human first, sales rep second. Build relationships with honesty and authenticity. People buy from reps they trust, not robots with brochures.

• Play the long game. It's not about a quick sale—it’s about becoming someone your clients can count on for the long haul.

00:00:00 - Start

00:02:04 - Who Is Roxy Tirado

00:08:00 - What Was Your Experience, First 6 Months With Medtronic

00:16:11 - Finding Motivation While Being Told You Will Fail Every Day

00:21:09 - Accepting Failure To Succeed

00:26:44 - Keep Relationships When You Move On

00:39:13 - Changing Companies

00:46:09 - Reflecting On From Being Bankrupt To Successful

00:55:58 - Biggest Takeaways From The Last 3 Years In My Career

01:04:15 - Future Plans