I sell blood glucose monitors and testing supplies for patients with diabetes. The end-users are patients, but I call on doctors, nurses and home healthcare agencies to have them refer patients to us. Because I'm seeking referrals, my focus is on building relationships based on integrity, trust and service - as well as proving the worth of our products.

EDUCATION | Bachelors Degree in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts - Communications

HOW TO GET STARTED | Medical sales is harder than you think...it's not all fun and games. The most successful people in the industry dig down deep and learn a lot about a lot of different things. You have to be a resource and a problem solver for your clients. Customers call me all the time about questions or issues unrelated to my products. Even though I don't know the answers off-hand, they know I can help them figure it out.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Passion, caring, intellect/knowledge, entrepreneurial spirit, the ability to deal with any type of person from any walk of life at any time and any place, a genuine interest in people and a lot of empathy.

how I got started | I've always been in sales in some shape or form, specifically in medical sales. For this job, I got hooked up with a friend of a friend who started his own diabetes supplies company. I knew it'd be a good opportunity to help people and grow within the healthcare community. I loved the start-up aspect...everyone was high-energy and passionate and we were building something from the ground up that was challenging and rewarding. I used to joke with my boss that he didn't have to pay me because I got so much self-worth out of making a difference in people's lives.

why this job?| From the time I was 18 or 19 years old, every single person that knew me said I needed to go into sales. Mostly because I'm outgoing and get along with everyone. But, I didn't have a great impression of salespeople back then - I thought most were just liars out to make a buck. It took me until my late 30s to realize that wasn't the case...that you could be a really successful salesperson by being an educated resource and problem solver for your clients. When I was at a turning point after deciding to close my Graphic Design and Marketing studio, it became clear that going into medical sales was a way for me to make money and help people by just being myself.

why I love this job!| I love making patients more knowledgeable about their disease and how to treat it. That's the most rewarding part about my job. Other than that, I try to add a positive uplifting spirit to everyone I come in contact with. My mom is a patient at one of the offices I call on, and one of the women told her I was their favorite rep of all time...quite a compliment considering they see over 500 reps!

my typical day| Setting up a route of calls, driving around making 8-10 sales calls in a day, educating the healthcare providers on their options for the care of diabetes patients, filling out call reports.

what they are | One of the biggest challenges is being creative enough to break the monotony of making the same call every day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year. You have to find the little nuances for each call - so you're not just reciting the same speech over and over. It can also be challenging to play within the rules and guidelines the healthcare community sets. I know I have a great product that can help a lot of people, but because some offices have been overwhelmed by reps, they've eliminated all calls. So you have to figure out another way to get your foot in the door through networking, charity involvement, etc.

all about growth | Medical reps can choose from a number of growth options. You can become a manager of a team of salespeople, or you can choose to specialize so you might only call on Endocrinologists or Cardiologists or hospitals. And, you can always stay a rep and increase your sales - so you grow your compensation without changing jobs.

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