Elevate Members Tell You How the Bootcamp Launches Sales Careers

If you don’t like your current job, you can just probably go out and get another one. After all, there are over 10.9 million jobs available in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). You’ve probably seen the “Now Hiring” signs everywhere you look, and though openings are abundant, you probably have a certain nagging voice in the back of your mind saying, “This is the perfect time to go out and get more.” And the majority of workers agree with you.

According to a survey conducted by Harris Poll, 52 percent of US workers were seriously considering a career change at the start of this year. For workers who earn between $50,000 and $75,000 a year, the percentage is even higher at 59 percent.

But if you’re part of the 56 percent of workers in the US making less than $35,000 per year, you’re probably already past the consideration stage. You know that you need to find something better soon. 

Changing jobs is never easy, but it may be your only option if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut. That is where Elevate comes in. The founder of Elevate knows changing occupations is easier said than done. We touched on Norman Rodriguez’s story a bit in our previous article on the tech sales community at Elevate. Now, let’s cover the subject of career change.

After working his way up from waiting tables to a sales position at Google, Norman felt that there should be an easier path for people like him. People from diverse backgrounds, without anything handed to them, are ready to earn more in life. Elevate is the vehicle for fulfilling that dream.

Many members will tell you that the Elevate crew blazes a path into tech sales for people ready to commit to learning. We spoke to two Elevate alumni to get their take on how the sales program produces impressive results.

What Is Elevate? 

Elevate is a tech sales community that educates its members on an array of critical sales tools and techniques. What makes this community special is its commitment to offering these tools to anyone interested in the field and determined enough to succeed. You don’t have to spend years developing your connections. 

That may be unrealistic for someone coming from your background. But Elevate was built on the idea of opening careers, not just gigs or jobs, to people through the tech sales industry. This field is built on results, meaning if you’re adding substantial value to a company through hard work, it shows in tangible ways. These companies place a premium on your success, and there’s room to grow for anyone as long as they prove they can do the job.

The tools and skills that Elevate teaches help members earn special sales numbers that make them indispensable in the industry.

Elevate Bootcamp Curriculum

The Elevate Sales Development Representative (SDR) Bootcamp curriculum focuses on training members for practical outcomes instead of exclusively teaching theory. This program offers the opportunity for you to improve your sales skills, no matter what stage you’re at in your career.

In 10 weeks, you’ll learn several lessons, ranging from the absolute basics of SDR roles in the first week to making cold calls and building relationships between companies towards the end. As Elevate states, while many members are hired before they complete the bootcamp, they always have the room to come back and continue learning as long as they stay in good standing with the bootcamp. 

Elevate prides itself on accessibility, and it shows its commitment to students with no upfront cost. Students pay the cost of the program under an ISA agreement. As long as they remain in good standing with the program, they get help when they need it for the rest of their lives.

The program has produced impressive results during its lifetime. After viewing the numbers for yourself, you’ll see why the program’s founder is confident in the opportunities this program presents for people throughout the country.

Elevate Bootcamp Outcomes

According to Elevate, 80 percent of members who stick with the SDR Bootcamp find roles within about six weeks, earning $60,000 or more before the program ends. Beyond the numbers, many members who have graduated from Elevate’s bootcamps walk away sincerely satisfied. The program has a near-perfect rating here on Career Karma, and these ratings come from real people who have all had their lives transformed in tangible ways. 

What Do Members Think of Elevate Bootcamp?

Many Elevate members are happy to share their stories with anyone who asks. These members come from diverse backgrounds and applaud what Elevate is doing to open opportunities beyond just careers in sales. We’ve spoken to one Elevate member who went from earning $16,000 to quadrupling his salary after just five weeks in the program.

Matthew Rios: Giving Back to Elevate

Matthew Rios was working at a hotel before joining Elevate. Like many Elevate members, he felt he had the potential to do more in life, but he just couldn’t figure out how to get to his ideal destination. 

“Before I joined Elevate, I was working a night audit job at DoubleTree making under $16,000 a year,” Matthew said. “I was 26, turning 27. I had just proposed to my fiance and I wanted more out of life.”

That’s when he met Norman.

“I heard his deal for Elevate, and it sounded too good to be true. But at that point, I was willing to try anything.”

Matthew decided to attend Elevate because he trusted Norman genuinely wanted to help, and his confidence was rewarded. “I learned everything from customer relationship management tools (CRMs) to script development, to making cold calls, to climbing up the ladder all the way to the C level, so I became an enterprise SDR,” he said.

“I learned different types of CRMs, like Pipedrive, HubSpot, and Salesforce. I also learned prospecting tools. Everything from LinkedIn Sales Navigator, to LeadIQ to ZoomInfo and then the prospecting toolkit.”

Matthew crammed the entire 10-week course into just five weeks. And his gamble paid off. “I first worked at a company in New Zealand,” Matthew said. “We did motion capture for a lot of studios, including Sony, Nickelodeon, Pixar, and more. They’re trying to understand what a CRM is, but they don’t know how.”

Matthew felt like he knew enough about sales after his time at Elevate to realize the situation he was in wasn’t a good fit for him. 

“Becoming an SDR at Elevate made me overqualified for working there,” Matthew said. “I let them know that they were making things more painful than they had to be. They wanted people to make sales and become SDRs for them, but they weren’t giving them the proper tools to succeed.”

Even though the time difference and organizational issues were stressful for Matthew, he still doesn’t regret his first job. 

“I made a lot of friends along the way,” Matthew said. “I met a lot of animators. I now know people at Sony and Respawn Entertainment, which makes Apex Legends. They see me more like a friend than somebody who’s trying to sell them something.”

Matthew knows how valuable this experience can be for people who may not exactly understand what they’re getting into before joining. For him, Elevate’s SDR Bootcamp took him from a dead-end job to a world of endless possibility.

“It was like unlocking a cathedral that you’ve been trying to get into your whole life,” Matthew said. “So now you don’t have one door, you have a multi-verse where you could literally do anything.”

Even if you’re not interested in working your way up the sales ladder, Matthew feels that the skills that you learn on forming connections can help you advance anywhere.

“It’s an entirely different world, Matthew said. “You don’t have to stay in SDR. Most people stay as an SDR until they finish their primary education. And now they’re animators. Now they’re lead animators. Now they’re solutions engineers.”

Now, Matthew is an alumni mentor, giving back to the Elevate community, which helped him get much further in life.

“I decided to help a lot of members learn the differences between right and wrong, what to say during the interview, what account managers are looking for when you speak to them, and what an account executive is looking for when they want to hire you on the team.”

Matthew came back to work for Elevate because he believes it’s the next big thing. 

“You don’t see a behemoth being born every day. It’s like if you were in the garage with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates when they made Apple and Microsoft. You’re never going to see that ever again. It’s a one-time thing. Yeah. So I kind of want to have a front-row seat to see Norman build that massive institution.”

Essence Spencer: A Real Second Chance

Essence Spencer said she’d had some experience working as an SDR before she came to Elevate, but it wasn’t the perfect situation.

“Two years ago in 2019, I kind of had my big break in an SDR role,” Essence said. “I worked for a company called Jones of Boerum Hill as an intern. While it was some experience, it was very informal. I just never felt confident enough.”

Essence would have to hunt down her own leads and find their contact information without any real knowledge of a proper SDR tech stack or real guidance. This internship shook Essence’s confidence and made her feel like she needed to get some real training. She just didn’t know where to go. Until one night when she was scrolling TikTok. 

“I saw a post from a page I like called Find Fulfilling Work,” Essence said. “They’d mentioned this 10-week bootcamp called Elevate. And I thought, ‘You know what, there’s nothing else going on in my life. Why not sign up for it?’”

The very first thing Elevate did was give her what she’d been looking for: proper guidance on SDR best practices.

“Our instructors gave us an actual tech stack to use to get leads and prospects, keep them in a database, and to stay in touch with those prospects,” Essence said. “We’d have weekly meetings as if they were SDR managers, and I really liked that.”

Essence wasn’t the only student at Elevate who was already driven but looking for proper guidance to harness her passion. She found a community of people who were looking to make the same leap forward in their lives.

“It’s a school of like-minded people,” Essence said. “I have a very unique background. I’m not college-educated. I worked dead-end jobs at restaurants and fast food places. So knowing that there were people who came from similar backgrounds as me who are now super successful because of Elevate, that’s really inspiring.”

Essence found a job shortly after graduation. She was looking for a growing company that she could be a part of long-term, and she found that in a company called Weaveworks. This tech project management platform just received a series C round of funding, and they needed salespeople like Essence to help them reach their apex.

“You have to do the work to see the results, and it feels good,” Essence said. “A year ago, I couldn’t imagine getting an opportunity like this”

Essence believes that the hard work that Elevate demands, and the community that it provides, are a winning combination. She advises anyone that’s thinking about joining the program to go in with a positive attitude, ready to soak up all the knowledge they have to offer. 

“Everyone’s looking out for everybody. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re lost. This is a learning experience. Don’t come in here thinking that you have to be an expert because I certainly was not. I’m still not an expert, but I’m learning. That’s a part of life.”

With firsthand knowledge of the job search process, Essence advises prospective SDRs to maintain hope, even when the going may seem a bit rough.

“If you want to join Elevate, come in here with an open mind and be ready to face some difficulties and some hurdles,” Essence said. “It happens.”

“Just know an opportunity will come, whether it’s with a hiring partner or a recruiter just scouting people on LinkedIn. Also, have some fun.”

Trust Your Potential With Elevate’s SDR Bootcamp

Matthew’s and Essence’s stories illustrate Elevate’s commitment to success. The Elevate community provides a support system for everyone willing to chase the success that the program promises.

You don’t have to just take them at their word either. As we mentioned above, these members’ results are the norm, with 80 percent of members receiving job offers before bootcamp graduation and earning a median income of $60,000 per year.

If you’d like to see what Elevate can do for you, head to the organization’s website and apply to the Elevate SDR Bootcamp today.