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

Sales "paycuts" aren't always paycuts #sales #saas #techsales

18 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief video, Brian LaManna recounts a pivotal career decision he faced in 2021. While selling enterprise solutions at BrightEdge, he received an offer from Gong that required a roughly 50% salary reduction and a move from enterprise to SMB sales. Despite initial hesitation, he accepted the role, which placed him in a new market (sales technology) and forced him to adopt a different sales motion—large group demos, trial management, partner leverage, and collaboration with sales engineering. Over the following year, he exceeded his quota by more than 200%, ultimately earning more than he would have at BrightEdge. LaManna frames the experience as a strategic step back that allowed him to rebuild his fundamentals and acquire a broader skill set, concluding with the advice: never fear taking a step back if it positions you to move forward in the long term.

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It was 2021 and I nearly declined my offer to Gong since it was a 50% pay cut. I was selling enterprise at BrightEdge and Gong only offered me SMB. A year later, it turns out I earned more at Gong, hitting 200% plus of my target, but I almost didn't accept the role because they wanted me to take this step back. See, it wasn't the linear promotion that most seek when they switch companies, but it allowed me to take a step back and focus on improving my fundamentals. I would be selling into a brand new persona, sales, in a brand new market, sales tech. The sales motion was very different with running large group demos, trials, leveraging partners, and even using sales engineering. The step back let me build an entire new skill set and was a great long-term move. So here's my takeaway. Never be afraid to take a step back to be able to take a few steps forward.