Caleb Hammer
Caleb HammerApr 1
Personalfinance

I Made $12k a Month in Tech Sales

1 min video5 key momentsWatch original
TL;DR

Caleb Hammer interviews a phone sales rep who claims $11-12k monthly income but admits their actual take-home is around $4,000 a month.

Key Insights

1

gross vs actual earningsThe salesman conflates gross sales figures or potential earnings with actual monthly take-home pay, a common disconnect in commission-based jobs.

2

Dallas living costsEven in a major metro like Dallas, $4,000 monthly for a supposed top performer is a tight squeeze for cost of living.

3

commission unpredictabilityCommission-based phone sales offers volatility — claiming top performer status doesn't guarantee consistent income.

4

credibility gapThe gap between the initial $11-12k claim and the admitted $4k reality suggests either inflated bragging or misunderstanding of income structure.

Deep Dive

The Big Claim

The salesman opens with confidence, stating he made $11,000 to $12,000 monthly in his first year at a phone sales job. He positions himself as a top performer, consistently ranking among the best on his team. The framing suggests serious money in tech sales — exactly the kind of claim that catches ears.

The Actual Numbers

When Caleb Hammer presses on specifics, the story shifts. The salesman admits his actual monthly account is around $4,000. That's the real money hitting his bank account. The $11-12k figure apparently doesn't translate to what he actually takes home. Hammer points out that $4,000 in Dallas is tight for living expenses, especially for someone supposedly killing it in sales.

Commission Math Doesn't Work

The job is commission and hourly based, but the numbers don't match the narrative. Either the salesman is mixing up gross figures, potential earnings, or commissions that didn't actually materialize. It's a classic disconnect between sales hype and reality — the kind of gap that defines commission-based work.

Takeaways

  • When someone brags about sales income, ask for actual monthly deposits, not gross potential or best-case scenarios.
  • Commission jobs sound impressive on paper but real take-home pay often tells a different story.
  • A $4,000 monthly income in a city like Dallas leaves little room for error or unexpected expenses.

Key moments

0:05The $12k claim

I was making 11 12,000 hours a month when I was in sales within my first year

0:20Top performer status

I was always top sales person

0:35Commission breakdown

Yes, commission and hourly

0:45The real number

Like 4,000 on a on 4,000

0:55Hammer's reality check

Hell, you don't you can't live in Dallas in 4 I mean, you can, but you're kind of at sales if you're only making $4,000 a month

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