OTE
topic on 4 shows · 13 statements across 13 episodes
In Depth 
the Official SaaStr Podcast 
the a16z Podcast 
20VC
13 statements about OTE, every show
Moreno: Top AI sales comp plans require 10x to 30x OTE performance
“In AI right now, the top tier is like.
30 X your OTE.
Like I remember in the days where it was like, oh yeah, if you're doing like five X OTE, that's like spectacular.
And now quote is like 10 X OTE first accelerator tiers, 20:02 is 30.”
Figma sets average enterprise sales quotas at 3x to 4x OTE
“An average enterprise rep here might have three to four X their OTE for a quota, and we're happy with that.”
Field Sales Reps Must Yield 3x Their On-Target Earnings
“It's sort of a rule of thumb. My reps should be able to generate three times their OTE. So if your OTE is 300 rough numbers, you should be able to get 900 K in productivity.”
Graves: Startup Equity Outweighs High OTE for Early Sales Hires
“If you're at a fast growing company that is doing really well, your equity is going to be way more meaningful than your OTE.”
Benfer: Candidates should avoid companies where under half of reps hit quota
“Anything below 50%, I would just be a little wary of. This, the odds are much lower that you're going to hit your full OTE.”
Sales reps must generate at least 3x their OTE in productivity
“My reps should be able to generate three times their OTE. So if your OTE is 300 rough numbers, you should be able to get 900 K in productivity.”
Jiménez: Sales candidates focused solely on cash OTE lack startup staying power
“And if it comes down to just a dollars on OT, I'm always a little bit like, that's a little, it's not a full red flag depending on, you know, where the conversation goes, but it's something that I concerns me because that will come back You know, in the future…”
Lemkin: Rep quotas must hit 3.5x to 5.5x OTE to cover support costs
“And a simp, a simplistic way to boil it all down is, one, we have to revert back to sales closing three to five times what they take home. Three, at least three X for SMB, at least four X for mid-market, five X for enterprise. And you have to budget in there t…”
Lemkin: SaaS Account Executives Must Close 3x to 5x Their OTE
“It's we're back to three to five X OTE. So if a rep wants to make a 150 grand a year, us great. But if you're enterprise, you better close five times that mid market, four times SMB three times. Otherwise they're not efficient enough.”
Blond: Prioritize Fast Growth and Internal Promotions Over Higher OTE
“You shouldn't sacrifice joining an incredible company where you can move into more strategic and senior positions for like a more OTE. More, more W-two or theoretical W-two compensation. You should be solving for a business that's growing, and we'll have new l…”
Blond: Early-career sales reps should optimize for company quality over OTE
“First is, like, solve for the quality of company and not OTE especially earlier in your career.”
Mark Leslie: Typical enterprise sales account executive OTE is $300,000
“So the typical, what they call OTE, on target earnings, is today around 300,000 dollars. Half in base, half in incentive.”