From Corporate to High-Ticket Sales:
What I Learned and Tips for Success
After semi-retiring from corporate tech sales and consulting, with my side business on autopilot, I found myself with more free time and curiosity about other sales environments. I wasn’t particularly looking for the money—I was bored and wanted to test out some theories. Much like how method actors like Daniel Day-Lewis spend long periods doing niche or archaic jobs, I decided to do a similar “side quest.” The high-ticket sales industry caught my eye, so I decided to immerse myself and see what the hype was all about.
The results were fun. High-ticket sales turned out to be much easier in some ways compared to the corporate world, but it also had unique challenges. If you’re thinking about transitioning from corporate to high-ticket sales or getting into high-ticket whatever… here’s what you need to know, along with some tips.
Why I Moved from Corporate to High-Ticket Sales
Why High-Ticket Sales Feels Easier
Challenges of High-Ticket Sales
The Importance of Closing Fast
Corporate Features That Still Exist in High-Ticket Sales
Answering Common Questions from Twitter
Conclusion: Lessons and Tips for Success
Why High-Ticket Sales Felt Easier Than Corporate Sales
One of the first things I noticed was how much simpler high-ticket sales were compared to my previous career in corporate tech sales. In corporate, things move slowly—layers of decision-makers, compliance checks, and teams of HR and legal departments make the process more complex.
In high-ticket sales, all of that bureaucracy disappears. You’re dealing directly with one or two individuals, the sales process is streamlined and much less complex. I could focus purely on selling without worrying about how many departments needed to sign off on a deal or how long legal would take to approve a contract.
Shorter Sales Cycles, Faster Wins
One of the biggest differences is the sales cycle. In corporate sales, deals can take months or even years to close. You’re managing multiple stakeholders, coordinating across departments, and navigating long approval processes.
In high-ticket sales, the cycle is much shorter. You close deals on the first call. The conversations are direct, and the decision-making process happens quickly. There are typically also a bunch of funding options that the customer has that give you the full amount and pass off payment plans to the buyers.
Less Hassle, More Focus on Selling
In corporate sales, you’re not just selling—you’re managing client relationships, handling post-sale support, and often serving as an account manager long after the deal closes. In high-ticket sales, your role is to close, and that’s it. Once the sale is done, you move on to the next one.
This focus on closing deals without long-term relationship management made the process simpler. I didn’t have to worry about maintaining a portfolio of clients or keeping them happy after the sale. It’s a "sell and move on" environment, which is perfect if you enjoy the rush of closing deals but aren’t interested in the upkeep of client relationships.
The Unique Challenges of High-Ticket Sales
While high-ticket sales felt easier in many ways, there were challenges I didn’t expect. The type of client you deal with in high-ticket sales is vastly different from the corporate environment. In corporate sales, you deal with professionals who have budgets, purchasing authority, and a clear goal in mind. In high-ticket sales, you’re often working with the average person—someone who might be broke, in debt, and uncertain about making a big financial commitment. If they aren’t broke, high ticket is still a nice to have and not really a need to have.
The “Average” Client
One of the biggest shocks for me was the financial situation of many prospects. In corporate sales, you rarely have to worry about whether a client can afford your product. Companies have budgets, and you know what you’re working with from the outset. In high-ticket sales, it’s a different story.
Statistically, the average American doesn’t have $1,000 in savings, and I saw this firsthand in my sales calls. Many prospects were either broke or in significant debt, which showed in their hesitancy to commit. I often dealt with people eager to improve their lives but without the financial means to do so easily.
Flakiness and No-Shows
Another frustrating challenge was the high level of flakiness. Half the time, people wouldn’t show up for their booked calls. In corporate sales, no-shows are rare because both parties are heavily invested in making the deal happen and its their place of business to see the meeting. In high-ticket sales, people would book appointments, get cold feet, and vanish without a word before the call even happened.
When I did get a prospect who had their life together, it felt like a breath of fresh air. There were good clients—financially stable and ready to move forward—but they were few and far between.
High Turnover and Team Instability
The high-ticket sales industry has a significant turnover issue. Many salespeople can’t handle the pressure. Within a few weeks, I saw 50% of my team either leave or get let go. One person couldn’t learn the script, another had a mental breakdown, and a third was let go for poor sales performance.
High-ticket companies make quick hiring and firing decisions. Hires are contract-based and don’t go through long onboarding or background checks like in corporate, owners can quickly decide if a person is not a fit or isn’t hitting numbers. I saw many high-ticket closers get dropped within a week because they couldn’t perform.
The Emotional Toll of High-Ticket Sales
Another aspect of high-ticket sales that surprised me was the emotional toll. Over time, I became desensitized to the financial struggles of the people I was selling to. Constantly hearing stories of desperation and hardship led to emotional burnout. I already wasn’t super invested, but its easy to really not give a damn if people don’t have any real commitment to improving their lives.
Desensitization and Emotional Disconnect
In corporate sales, empathy is key, especially when managing long-term relationships. But in high-ticket sales, where the focus is purely on closing deals, you start to see people as numbers. I had clients break down on calls, telling me about their struggles. Initially, I felt for them, but over time, I became numb. I remember running one client’s card just minutes after they cried on a call—and I felt nothing. On to the next call.
Why I Believe High-Ticket Sales Is Easier Than Corporate
Despite the challenges, I still believe that transitioning from corporate sales to high-ticket sales is easier than going the other way. The skills you build in corporate—handling objections, negotiating, closing deals—translate well into the high-ticket world. But the reverse isn’t true. Here’s why:
Less Hassle, More Focus on Closing
In corporate sales, you have to navigate a web of internal politics, deal with slow-moving processes, and manage long-term client relationships. It’s exhausting, and the reward is often delayed. High-ticket sales, on the other hand, is all about closing deals. There’s no bureaucracy to deal with, and once the sale is made, you move on. The simplicity of the process makes it easier, especially if you’re coming from a corporate background.
Relatively Low Competition
In the high-ticket space, the competition is less polished. Many high-ticket closers are relatively inexperienced, and if you’re coming from corporate sales, you have a huge advantage. You’re used to longer sales cycles, handling multiple stakeholders, and negotiating complex deals. Applying those skills to high-ticket sales, where the barriers are lower, can make you stand out quickly. I was surprised how much praise I got, despite what I thought was not my best performances. I just realized many of the younger sellers just lacked professionalism so badly, that simple filling out the forms correctly
Faster Learning Curve for Experienced Salespeople
If you’ve already mastered the basics of sales in a corporate environment, high-ticket sales will feel like a breeze. The objections are simpler, the process is faster, and your experience dealing with high-level clients will help you navigate even the more difficult prospects with ease.
Corporate Features That Still Exist in High-Ticket Sales
Although high-ticket sales felt easier in many ways, there were still a few aspects that were similar to corporate sales—just in different forms.
Quotas and Metrics
In corporate sales, you’re often working toward revenue-based quotas, hitting specific target numbers tied to your overall pipeline. In high-ticket sales, the quotas tend to be simpler, focusing on the number of deals closed rather than stacked revenue numbers. Metrics are also simplified. Instead of tracking a wide range of performance indicators, the emphasis is usually on things like the number of calls taken and how many of those calls are closed.
Small Teams, Easier Collaboration
One of the things I noticed is that, while high-ticket sales lack the support functions like engineers, legal teams, or customer support, they make up for it in the ease of collaboration among the smaller sales teams. In corporate, you often rely on big teams, which can make coordination slower and more complicated. But in high-ticket sales, the smaller teams meant it was easier to collaborate. In my case, there were so many leads (even if they weren’t always great) that we would often double-book clients and pass them off between salespeople because no one was really competing for specific prospects.
This created a less competitive, more team-oriented atmosphere—something I didn’t expect coming from corporate, where territorialism over accounts can be intense.
Answering Common Questions from Twitter
When I shared my experience on Twitter, I received some questions about high-ticket sales. Here are some of the most common ones:
1. What Are Some Examples of "High-Ticket" Products?
High-ticket products generally range from $2,000 to $50,000 or more. Examples include coaching programs, consulting services, masterminds, and luxury items.
2. What’s the Max Earnings Potential in High-Ticket Sales?
Once you get good at it, the earning potential is significant. A skilled high-ticket closer can easily make $10,000 to $30,000 per month, depending on the commission structure and the size of the deals. Annual run rates can range from $100,000 to $300,000+ for top performers. But on average, its dependent on the niche. I think most sellers make 50-70k a years.
3. How Busy Would You Be?
High-ticket sales gigs can be intense but flexible. While you might only work 20-30 hours per week, you might also work a standard 44 hour.. The volume of calls can vary, and cancellations are common, so while you’re not working 60-hour weeks like in corporate, you need to be prepared for fluctuations in your workload. some days I would have 2-3 calls a day, some days I might have 7+ calls back to back. There’s also very little “admin work” at most you’re really just filling out a spreadsheet, typing out some wins or losses.
4. Where Do You Find These Gigs?
High-ticket sales opportunities can be found in niche communities, through referrals, or in specialized platforms like Closer.io. Facebook groups and LinkedIn are also good places to look. It’s important to find a niche that fits your interests and expertise, as this will make the selling process smoother. I know that some agencies want you to pay to join them or take their course, there are also others which pass the fee to the companies.
Key Tips:
Close fast: In high-ticket sales, closing on the first call is essential. If a prospect leaves the call without making a decision, they’re unlikely to return.
Leverage your corporate skills: Use the negotiation, objection handling, and relationship-building skills from corporate sales to your advantage.
Stay grounded: High-ticket sales can be emotionally taxing. Protect your mindset and stay focused on the process.
If you’re navigating your sales career—whether corporate or high-ticket—and want personalized advice, feel free to schedule a call with me. Having spent years at FAANG companies and then transitioned to high-ticket sales, I can offer unique insights and tips on both sides of the industry.
* I’m not making a new page, but you can schedule a call with the same link, just write in your needs
