About Us:

The wholesale distribution industry is ready for a revolution, and Proton is leading the charge. The world relies on distributors to sell nearly every physical product, but despite its massive contribution to the global economy, this industry has been left behind in trms of technology. Proton is changing that. By providing AI-powered sales software, we’re breaking through the complexity of selling millions of products and making it easier for distributors to anticipate and fulfill customer needs. Our mission is to bring the distribution industry into the modern age and the results speak for themselves. Distributors using Proton see 10x ROI, faster new hire ramp-up, and happier sales teams.

In 2022, we raised a $20M Series A backed by Felicis Ventures (investors in Twitch, Shopify, Opendoor, and many others) and Battery Ventures. This year, we’re laser-focused on driving customer growth. If you’re excited about the opportunity to wear multiple hats, and continuously learn and experiment, now’s the time to join the Proton team.

About the role:

When distributors consider Proton in their CRM evaluation, we're in a strong position to win. The challenge? Many only hear about us after they've chosen a CRM, which means we wait until their contract ends for a shot at their business. But 2024 is where this changes, starting with you, our first business development hire. Your mission is clear: ensure Proton is on every distributor’s radar. You will be reporting to the Head of Marketing and also working closely with the CEO. In this role, your main focus will be on reaching out to potential Proton CRM buyers. We've fine-tuned our understanding of the ideal buyer persona, and you'll be diving deep to see if they're in the market for a CRM, assessing their satisfaction with their current CRM, or pinpointing the timing of their contract renewals. Your role is pivotal in discovering these opportunities and driving our sales pipeline.

In addition to these responsibilities, we’re looking for someone who thrives on building processes. The ideal candidate will not only excel in their primary role but also be instrumental in shaping the future of Proton’s business development function and team. If you’re someone who’s fascinated by the psychology behind sales, thrives on the challenge of breaking through to the right contact, and sees each "no" as a step towards an eventual "yes", then you might just be the perfect fit for this role.

This is a hybrid role, based in the greater Boston area (3 days per week in office based in Kendall Square).

Your responsibilities:

• You'll lead the charge in cold outreach—cold calls, emails, LinkedIn—aiming to turn the heads of those who've barely engaged with Proton.
• Qualify leads and arrange meetings for our sales executives. You're often the first Proton contact for potential customers, so making a strong impression is key.
• You'll also nurture leads from events and previous interactions, nudging them towards setting up a meeting.

What You’ll Do:

• Conduct thorough research on target accounts, pinpointing decision-makers who need to know about Proton.
• Be relentless on the phone, turning those conversations into bookings for our sales team.
• Work closely with the Head of Marketing to craft messages and emails that pull prospects to our website, events, and discovery calls.
• Keep engaged with, nurture, and qualify leads from events and sponsorships, drawing them in with content that converts them into opportunities.
• Keep our CRM up to date with all prospecting activities, including key info like a prospect’s renewal timeline.
• Use insights from prospect interactions to refine content strategies and provide valuable input to the Sales and Marketing teams.
• Proactively invite prospects from target accounts to events Proton is attending.
• Handle inbound inquiries from non-target accounts.
• Regularly reconnect with previous prospects, keeping Proton on their radar with relevant updates and reigniting potential conversations.

We'll measure your success through:

• Activity benchmarks like the volume of cold calls made and emails sent
• The effectiveness of your outreach, judged by email open rates and click-through rates.
• The total number of meetings booked with prospects

Your qualities:

• You communicate clearly: You bring excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills to the table. Each interaction with a prospect is well-researched, personalized, and executed thoughtfully, positioning you as a trusted advisor.
• You are curious: You have a natural curiosity that drives you to understand Proton's products, mission, and the problems we solve. You dive into sales calls, interviews, and educational content to become a subject matter expert
• You are a good listener: Ability to understand customer needs and concern
• You are resilient: The word "No" doesn’t deter you. You see it as a challenge that motivates you. Instead, it motivates you to push harder and find new ways to achieve your objectives.
• You have a proven track record: You've been in the trenches before, with relevant experience in a business development or outbound sales role and a track record of successful results to show for it.
• You are determined: Your grit and drive power you through challenges. Your mantra is "the more effort you put in, the greater the rewards."
• You are creative: You have an innate knack for problem-solving, finding innovative ways to achieve your goals and overcome obstacles.
• You are ambitious: You don’t just meet goals, you strive to exceed them, constantly pushing to better your performance.

Benefits

• Competitive Salaries + Company Stock Options - we want to pay you well (and equitably!) and make you feel like an owner.
• Unlimited PTO + 10 Company Paid Holidays - we even have tools implemented to detect burnout to make sure folks recharge regularly.
• 401k with Employer Contribution (US only, for now!) - we know work isn’t forever, so we contribute up to 3% of your salary to help you prepare whether you directly contribute or not.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance - we cover one medical plan 100% in the USA and cover a premium plan 100% for international employees (for US- this includes a HSA!) and cover 50% for dependents on all our medical plan options.
• $450 Quarterly Remote Working Stipend - to iterate and upgrade your WFH setup, cover cell phone/internet bills or even to go towards Coworking space!
• 12 Weeks Fully Paid Parental Leave - that goes for primary and secondary caregivers; even if you’re adopting or fostering!
• Company off-sites - time for us to be together, brainstorm, and make magic happen.