B2B tech sales is its own profession
For engineers and designers reading this — yes, sales is also software-industry work. Strong B2B software companies have strong sales functions. The roles are different from engineering but the career trajectory and compensation can be substantial for the right person. This article is for people considering sales roles in Ethiopian B2B tech, particularly the entry-level Sales Development Rep (SDR) role that we hire interns and full-time entrants for at NYLOS.
What an SDR actually does
A working definition: Sales Development Reps generate qualified opportunities for senior sales people (Account Executives). The work is research-heavy, communication-heavy and process-heavy:
- Account research: identifying which Ethiopian businesses are likely candidates for NYLOS based on industry, size and strategic factors.
- Stakeholder identification: figuring out who at each target account is the relevant decision-maker (CFO, HR director, COO, IT manager).
- Outreach: reaching out via email, phone, LinkedIn, in-person events to start conversations.
- Discovery: when prospects engage, qualifying whether NYLOS is actually a fit.
- Handoff: passing qualified opportunities to senior Account Executives for deeper conversations and proposals.
- Pipeline hygiene: keeping the CRM accurate, following up on commitments, maintaining momentum.
A productive SDR generates a steady flow of qualified meetings for the AE team. Most days are some mix of research, outreach and follow-up.
Skills that matter
Five core skills:
- Curiosity about businesses. Strong SDRs find Ethiopian businesses interesting. They want to understand how a coffee exporter or a microfinance institution actually operates. Less curious SDRs treat outreach as a script.
- Communication. Writing emails that get replies, having conversations that build rapport, presenting succinctly under time pressure. Verbal and written, English and Amharic.
- Resilience. Sales outreach gets ignored, rejected and ghosted regularly. SDRs who personalize the rejection burn out; SDRs who treat it as part of the process thrive.
- Process discipline. Following up on commitments. Keeping the CRM accurate. Not letting opportunities slip through the cracks.
- Coachability. Strong SDRs improve fast based on feedback. Weaker ones plateau.
The skill mix is different from engineering or design but no less demanding.
What's different about Ethiopian B2B sales
Several patterns:
- Relationship-driven: Ethiopian B2B decisions weight personal relationships heavily. Cold outreach works but warm introductions work much better.
- Long cycles: enterprise B2B sales typically takes 3-9 months from first conversation to signed contract. Patience matters.
- In-person presence: Addis-based decision-makers often want to meet in person. Pure remote sales-development is harder than in geographically-large markets.
- Hierarchy: Ethiopian organizations often have strong hierarchy. Reaching the actual decision-maker, not just an enthusiastic mid-level champion, matters.
- Trust accumulation: trust builds over multiple interactions. The first meeting rarely closes; the third or fifth might.
These patterns shape the SDR's tactics. NYLOS SDRs typically engage by phone or in-person meetings more than purely by email — different from typical SaaS SDR playbooks in mature markets.
Career path from SDR
The typical career arc:
- Year 1: SDR. Volume work — outreach, research, discovery, handoff. Lots of learning.
- Year 2: Senior SDR or Junior Account Executive. Starting to handle more of the sales cycle. Compensation grows.
- Year 3-4: Account Executive. Carrying a quota. Closing deals. Substantially higher compensation.
- Year 5+: Senior Account Executive, Account Manager, Sales Manager, or pivot into other roles (customer success, marketing, product, founding a company).
The path takes deliberate effort. Not every SDR makes Account Executive; the transition requires demonstrated ability to close deals, not just generate opportunities.
Compensation
Sales compensation in Ethiopian B2B tech typically includes base + variable (commission). For NYLOS-style SDRs:
- Base: meaningful local salary covering living costs.
- Variable: tied to quota attainment, with reasonable expectations of hitting it. Strong SDRs earn substantial commission; weak SDRs don't.
For Account Executives at senior level, total compensation can substantially exceed senior engineering compensation due to commission upside on closed deals.
What NYLOS looks for in SDRs
When NYLOS hires SDRs:
- Communication. Written and verbal, in English and Amharic. We test this in interviews.
- Curiosity about businesses. We ask candidates to explain how a specific Ethiopian business they know works.
- Resilience. We ask about rejection — how candidates have handled setbacks before.
- Process orientation. SDRs who naturally use checklists, structured note-taking, calendar discipline outperform.
- Genuine interest in the long-term path. We hire SDRs who want to grow into AE roles, not job-hop after 6 months.
What candidates should ask
When evaluating Ethiopian B2B tech sales roles:
- What's the quota and what's typical attainment? A quota nobody hits is a marketing pitch, not compensation.
- What's the support structure? SDRs work best in environments with strong AE mentorship and clear playbooks.
- What's the product? Selling a product you don't believe in is grinding.
- What's the path to AE? Companies that lock SDRs in indefinitely lose people.
- What's the team like? Sales culture varies widely; find one you fit.
How NYLOS approaches SDR roles
Our SDR roles are real career roles, not labor arbitrage. We invest in training, mentorship and playbooks. We promote internally — most NYLOS Account Executives started as SDRs. We pay competitively at base plus commission with realistic targets. Open SDR roles on [/careers](/careers).
Read more
- [NYLOS Careers](/careers)
- [Internship Program at NYLOS](/blog/internships-nylos-ethiopia)
- [Software Vendor Management for Ethiopian Buyers](/blog/software-vendor-management-ethiopia)