--- title: What's Next Emma? How does Sales fit in? description: Sales as a profession. --- # [SELLING IN THE 21ST CENTURY](https://www.rickroberge.com/) [![header-sm-linkedin-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465400397-png/images/header-sm-linkedin-blue.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge) [![header-sm-twitter-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465371692-png/images/header-sm-twitter-blue.png)](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) [![header-sm-google-plus-red](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-462412948-png/images/header-sm-google-plus-red.png)](https://plus.google.com/+RickRoberge/posts) [![header-sm-rss](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-480298330-png/images/header-sm-rss.png)](https://www.rickroberge.com/rss.xml) # [Science for Sales Rock Stars](https://www.rickroberge.com/) ## [What's Next Emma? How does Sales fit in?](https://www.rickroberge.com/sales-ambition) ![](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RR.jpg?width=35&height=35&name=RR.jpg) By [Rick Roberge](https://www.rickroberge.com/author/rick-roberge)   Jun 11, 2015 10:08:23 PM **[Emma's article](http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/94-million-linkedin-profiles-reveal-the-6-most-common-career-transitions-for-salespeople)** got me thinking.... What is sales? Where is it in the grand scheme of things? A job? A profession? An industry? A trade? What is law? What is medicine? Take medicine as an example. Medicine is what doctors practice, but don't nurses, medical technicians also work in the medical field? So, how do nurses, techs and doctors all fit together. Reminds me of a joke. *A man dies & goes to Heaven.* *Upon arriving at the Pearly Gates he is told "Welcome to Heaven, everyone is equal here." The man is then given a tour of Heaven and finds that it is indeed true.* *The man decides he's just got to try the food & goes & stands in the cafeteria line. While waiting, a man in green scrubs goes rushing to the front of the line & gets his food ahead of all the others.* *"Hey, I thought everyone is equal here. Why did he cut line?"* *"Oh, him?" says St Peter, "That's God, he thinks he's a surgeon."* So, back to the topic. Med techs and nurse are key players in medicine. However, sometimes they go to school to become doctors. Have you ever heard of a doctor becoming a med tech? In a law firm, there are law partners, associate lawyers, legal secretaries and other administrative personnel. Are they all in the legal profession? Are they all practicing law? We could probably argue that everyone at the firm is there to support the trial lawyer. We may also be able to make a case that they're there to support the **[RainMaker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainmaker_(business))**. So, Emma, maybe some salespeople become Business owners, Operations managers, Consultants, Business/corporate strategists, Retail salespeople or Marketing specialists as you suggest. Do you think it's because sales is a stepping stone or is it because not everybody can do it? Not everyone can be a surgeon. Not everyone can be a lawyer. Not everyone can sell? How many people work at Hubspot? How many can do what **[Greg Brown](https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=4319636&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=VZ_K&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1434074457560%2Ctas%3Agreg%20brown)** does, or **[Dan Tyre](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantyre01)** or **[Pete Caputa](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pc4media)**? Do you think that they think that sales is a transitory role? How many of your marketing specialists wish they could do what Caputa did and continues to do? Everybody at some point in their life needs a doctor. They may talk to and interact with nurses and other medical support people, but the doctor is the person that they need. All businesses use a lawyer at some point. They may deal with other people in the legal profession, but the lawyer is the one that they need. I suggest that there's a 'doing business' field or profession. The profession gets customers and although there may be a bevy of other people working in the 'doing business' field, until the salespeople do their thing, there are no customers. That's why sales enablement is so important. **[Start today](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/inbound-sales-enablement-rick-roberge)**! - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Want updates as they're published? #### Enter your email: BTW, do you have an idea or question that would make a good article? Would you like to write or co-author it? Either way, **[ send me an email](mailto:therainmakermaker@gmail.com?Subject=Blog%20article/author%20idea)**. **[Rick Roberge](https://plus.google.com/116082120720832878924/posts?rel=author)** ## About this blog *This blog is for, by and about Sales Rock Stars, RainMakers, Entrepreneurs (and/or those that strive to be)* ## [Read My Articles on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/rickroberge) ## [About Rick](https://www.rickroberge.com/contact-me) **[The Original ](http://therainmakermaker.com/)****[RainMaker Maker Blog (pre-2012)](http://therainmakermaker.com/)** [**Remote Bookkeeping**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy)[** Made Easy**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy) [**Awesome Website Design**](https://www.inbounddesignstudio.com/contact/) Search RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars Search ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Posts by Month - [November 2025 (19)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/11) - [October 2025 (18)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/10) - [June 2025 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/06) - [May 2025 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/05) - [April 2025 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/04) - [July 2023 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/07) - [June 2023 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/06) - [May 2023 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/05) - [March 2023 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/03) - [January 2023 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2023/01) - [November 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/11) - [May 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/05) - [April 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/04) - [March 2022 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/03) - [February 2022 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/02) - [January 2022 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2022/01) - [December 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/12) - [November 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/11) - [October 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/10) - [September 2021 (13)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/09) - [August 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/08) - [July 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/07) - [June 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/06) - [May 2021 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/05) - [April 2021 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/04) - [March 2021 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/03) - [January 2021 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2021/01) - [December 2020 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/12) - [November 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/11) - [October 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/10) - [September 2020 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/09) - [August 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/08) - [July 2020 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/07) - [June 2020 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/06) - [May 2020 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/05) - [April 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/04) - [March 2020 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/03) - [February 2020 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/02) - [January 2020 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2020/01) - [December 2019 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/12) - [November 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/11) - [October 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/10) - [September 2019 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/09) - [August 2019 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/08) - [July 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/07) - [June 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/06) - [April 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/04) - [March 2019 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/03) - [February 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/02) - [January 2019 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2019/01) - [December 2018 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/12) - [November 2018 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/11) - [October 2018 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/10) - [September 2018 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/09) - [August 2018 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/08) - [July 2018 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/07) - [June 2018 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/06) - [May 2018 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/05) - [April 2018 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/04) - [March 2018 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/03) - [February 2018 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/02) - [January 2018 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2018/01) - [December 2017 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/12) - [November 2017 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/11) - [October 2017 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/10) - [September 2017 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/09) - [August 2017 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/08) - [July 2017 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/07) - [June 2017 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/06) - [May 2017 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/05) - [April 2017 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/04) - [March 2017 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/03) - [February 2017 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/02) - [January 2017 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2017/01) - [December 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/12) - [November 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/11) - [October 2016 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/10) - [September 2016 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/09) - [August 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/08) - [July 2016 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/07) - [June 2016 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/06) - [May 2016 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/05) - [April 2016 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/04) - [March 2016 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/03) - [February 2016 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/02) - [January 2016 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2016/01) - [December 2015 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/12) - [November 2015 (2)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/11) - [October 2015 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/10) - [September 2015 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/09) - [August 2015 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/08) - [July 2015 (3)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/07) - [June 2015 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/06) - [May 2015 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/05) - [April 2015 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/04) - [March 2015 (1)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/03) - [February 2015 (4)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/02) - [January 2015 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2015/01) - [December 2014 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/12) - [November 2014 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/11) - [October 2014 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/10) - [September 2014 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/09) - [August 2014 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/08) - [July 2014 (7)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/07) - [June 2014 (11)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/06) - [May 2014 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/05) - [April 2014 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/04) - [March 2014 (8)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/03) - [February 2014 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/02) - [January 2014 (14)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2014/01) - [December 2013 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/12) - [November 2013 (5)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/11) - [October 2013 (9)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/10) - [September 2013 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/09) - [August 2013 (13)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/08) - [July 2013 (11)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/07) - [June 2013 (12)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/06) - [May 2013 (12)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/05) - [April 2013 (13)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/04) - [March 2013 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/03) - [February 2013 (10)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/02) - [January 2013 (6)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2013/01) [see all](https://www.rickroberge.com/sales-ambition#) Website designed by [Inbound Design Partners](https://www.inbounddesignpartners.com/)