Brian LaMannaAE @ Gong | Closed Won 🦙 | 7x President’s Club

Fully vested and dangerous #saas #sales #techsales

11 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief monologue, Brian LaManna announces that he has become fully vested after four years at Gong. He recounts initially being rejected for a mid‑market sales role and being offered an SMB position despite his prior three‑year experience as a mid‑market/enterprise AE at BrightEdge. Concerned about a perceived step back in earnings and title, he chose the SMB role to learn a new product, persona, and category. This strategic move allowed him to progress from a level‑1 small‑business rep to a level‑7 enterprise rep, which he describes as the best career decision he’s made. He closes by thanking the sales manager who recruited him and supported his journey.

Chapters

I am now fully vested. Very excited to share that I hit my 4-year mark with Gong. 4 years ago, I interviewed for a mid-market position at the company and I actually got denied. They told me they would consider me for SMB, but I didn't have the experience warranted for mid-market. See, having sold mid-market and enterprise at BrightEdge for 3 years as an AE, I almost shut it down altogether. My biggest concern was that it was taking a step back, both in earnings and my title, and it definitely was on paper. However, taking that small step back took pressure off as I learned a new product, a new persona, an entirely new category. Since then, I've worked my way up from level 1 small business to level 7 in enterprise. It was the best decision I've made in my career. I'm very grateful for my sales manager sliding into my DMs and ultimately taking that role. Sales manager, you know who you are.