UK's premier athlete-to-tech-sales programme
Your athletic edge is your greatest career asset
First Rep trains former athletes for careers in high-performance tech sales.
Our athletes have competed at
First Rep is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the above organisations
How it works
Apply in 10 minutes.
No CV needed.
Tell us your story. Your sport, your level, and where you want to go. Your athletic background tells us everything we need to know.
- Open to all athletes — pro, semi-pro, university, amateur
- No sales experience required
- Takes 10 minutes from start to finish
Start your application →
The programme
4 weeks. Online.
Built for athletes.
Active, cohort-based training with structure, accountability, and competition built in. Because that's what works for athletes.
- Live coaching sessions throughout
- Cohort of fellow ex-athletes
- Sales tools, templates and playbooks included
- 100% online — fits around your schedule
See everything included →
Placement
Direct introductions.
No cold applying.
We connect you to companies who have specifically asked to see First Rep athletes. You go in known, not as another CV in a pile.
- Warm introductions to our hiring partner network
- Interview prep specific to each role and company
- Offer support and 90-day post-placement coaching
Apply now →
"
Simon is a top man — very systematic, and the best in the business. I would not have got my position in tech sales without him.
Euan · SDR · Anaplan · Muay Thai
We have helped athletes land at
Our founder has worked at
Success stories
Athletes who made the switch
"
Simon is a top man — very systematic, and the best in the business. His experience and drive is unmatched. I would not have got my position in tech sales without him.
Euan
SDR · Anaplan · Muay Thai
"
Simon has been great. Having had a background in business and data science, I struggled to see how I could get back into the working world post sport. His programme helped me feel prepared to enter an environment where I can exploit the traits that made me an elite athlete. The one-to-one coaching was invaluable.
Beth
Account Manager · Motion the Agency · Saracens & Scotland Rugby
"
After being released at 18, I had no idea what was next. Simon gave me a structure I actually understood and pushed me the same way a manager would. After the training he introduced me to three amazing companies.
Flynn
Football · Stockport United
"
I'd spent years playing Division 2 football and never once considered sales as a career. Simon reframed everything. Within weeks of finishing the programme he had me in front of companies I'd actually heard of.
Lucas
Football · Stockport United
Get started
Your way in
For athletes
Apply in 10 minutes
Tell us your sport and your story. No CV, no sales experience needed.
Apply now →Learn more
See how it works
Everything included, completely free. Six modules, live coaching, and warm company introductions.
How we work →For companies
Build your team
Pre-trained, pre-vetted athletes ready to ramp. 3x faster than a typical graduate hire.
Hire from us →Not sure?
Talk to us first
Whether you're an athlete or a company — we're always happy to have a conversation.
WhatsApp us →
Not sure tech sales is right for you? A number of our athletes also find routes into recruitment careers — target-driven, commission-based, built for competitors.
Find out more →
Ready to make your move?
Whether you're an athlete ready for your next challenge, or a company building a high-performance team.
For athletes
Your second season starts now
Sport taught you things most people never learn. The problem is not your ability. It is that no one has shown you how to translate it. Until now.
Why tech sales?
The career built for
how you're wired
Modern tech sales is about relationships, resilience, and hitting targets. Which is everything you have been doing your whole career.
- You already know how to handle rejection
- You know what it means to be coached
- You are obsessed with targets
- OTE of £65k in year one at playbook SaaS companies
The programme
4 weeks. Online. Free.
Six modules, live coaching, and a cohort of fellow ex-athletes. Active, competitive, and built around how athletes learn.
- Live coaching sessions throughout
- Sales tools, templates and playbooks
- 100% online, fits around your schedule
- Completely free for athletes
See everything included →
Career progression
Where an SDR role takes you
Few careers offer this kind of earnings trajectory from a standing start. Based on compensation at playbook SaaS companies.
Year 1
SDR
Sales Development Rep
OTE
£65k
Building pipeline, learning the craft. Most First Rep athletes hit target within 3 months.
→
Year 2
Account Executive
Closing deals
OTE
£80-100k
Moving from generating leads to closing your own book of business.
→
Year 3
Senior AE
Mid-market and enterprise
OTE
£150k
Larger deals, bigger territories. Athletes who commit hit this faster.
→
Year 4+
Enterprise AE or Leadership
Your choice of path
OTE
£200k+
Enterprise deals, management, or your own team. The ceiling is yours to set.
These are realistic figures, not aspirational ones. Based on compensation at playbook SaaS companies — the high-growth, well-funded tech businesses where First Rep places its athletes. OTE means on-target earnings — what you earn when you hit your quota.
Beyond sales
Not a lifer in sales?
That's fine too.
Starting as an SDR doesn't lock you into a sales career forever. The skills, network, and credibility you build open doors across the entire tech industry.
Customer and Relationship
Customer Success Manager
Own the relationship post-sale. Relationship-driven and deeply suited to athletes.
£50-80k OTE
Sales Path
Account Manager
Manage and grow an existing book of business. A natural step from SDR.
£60-90k OTE
Strategy and Operations
Revenue Operations
RevOps — the intersection of sales, marketing, and data. One of the fastest-growing roles in tech.
£55-85k
Leadership Path
SDR Manager
Lead and develop a team of SDRs. Athletes make exceptional coaches.
£70-100k OTE
Technical and Product
Sales Engineer
Bridge the gap between technical teams and customers. High demand, high pay.
£80-120k OTE
Customer and Relationship
Partnership Manager
Build strategic relationships with partner companies. Competitive, collaborative.
£60-90k OTE
Not sure tech sales is right for you? A number of our athletes also find routes into recruitment careers.
Find out more →
Ready to give it everything?
Applications take 2 minutes. No CV needed.
For companies
Hire people who train like athletes
Pre-trained, pre-vetted and built for pressure. They ramp faster, stay longer, and bring an energy that is hard to manufacture.
Build your team →
4 wks
Pre-trained before you meet them
The problem we solve
Most entry-level hires
are a gamble. Ours aren't.
The average graduate SDR hire typically requires 3-6 months to reach full productivity, and many do not progress beyond their first year. In contrast, First Rep athletes demonstrate a different trajectory. The behaviours and discipline that underpin high-performing salespeople are not newly taught to them — they are ingrained through years of experience.
- Pre-trained before they enter your process
- Personally vetted for character and coachability
- Built for pressure, targets, and feedback
- Success-based fee — no hire, no cost
Ready to build a team that competes?
Get in touch and we'll walk you through how it works.
How we work
The programme costs you nothing
Everything below is included from day one. No fees, no deferred costs, no strings attached.
What's included
Everything you need to break into tech sales
01
4 Week Online Bootcamp
Structured, cohort-based. Industry overview, SDR workflow, outreach, methodologies, objection handling, and tools. Built around how athletes learn.
02
Live Coaching Sessions
Direct access to coaches throughout. Not pre-recorded videos. Real people pushing you the same way a manager would.
03
Sales Tools and Playbooks
Every template, framework, and tool you need. Cold email sequences, call scripts, LinkedIn outreach, CRM guides, and qualification frameworks.
04
Career Coaching and Interview Prep
We build your candidate profile and prep you specifically for every interview. The company, the role, the likely questions. No surprises.
05
Direct Introductions to Companies
Warm introductions to companies who have asked to see First Rep athletes. You are known before you walk in the door.
06
90-Day Post-Placement Support
We don't disappear when you get the job. We stay in touch for the first 90 days to make sure the landing is smooth.
Ready to get started?
Applications take 2 minutes. No CV needed.
About First Rep
We built the programme we wish had existed
The skills that make a great athlete are the same skills that make a great tech salesperson. The problem has never been ability. It has always been access.
The origin story
A stranger on a driving range changed everything
After university, Simon was working as Golf and Retail Manager at a golf club, having always planned to turn professional. A back injury changed everything.
One afternoon on the range, a stranger in the next bay walked over and said something that changed Simon's life: "You should get out of golf and get into tech sales." That stranger was Andrew, a Sales Director. He became Simon's mentor and helped him land his first SDR role.
Nearly a decade on, Simon has worked at Glint, LinkedIn, Fuze, Kong, and Datadog. But he realised that break came down to luck. First Rep exists so other athletes don't need to wait for theirs.
What we believe
Our principles
Athletes are the most overlooked talent pool in UK business
The qualities that define elite athletes are exactly what companies say they cannot find. We're fixing that.
Career transition should feel like an opportunity
Too many athletes drift into something that pays the bills. We want athletes in careers where their background is a genuine advantage.
Transparency builds trust
We're upfront about process and outcomes. No vague promises. Just clarity on what we offer and what you can expect.
Luck should not determine your future
Everyone who breaks into tech sales seems to have a lucky moment. We built First Rep so you don't need one.
Our founder has worked at
Want to know more?
Drop us a message. We're always happy to talk.
Meet the team
Built by athletes who've been there
First Rep was built by athletes who found their way into tech sales and never forgot how hard that transition was.
Founder
Simon Hayes
Golf and Retail Manager → Enterprise Sales
Simon was coaching golf and had planned to turn professional until a back injury put a stop to it. Working as Golf and Retail Manager at a golf club, a chance encounter on the driving range led to a career at Glint, LinkedIn, Fuze, Kong, and Datadog. He has closed six and seven figure deals. First Rep is his way of making sure other athletes don't need a lucky break to find theirs.
"I was exactly where you are. No sales experience, no plan, no idea what tech sales even was. With the right guidance, everything changed. Now it's your turn."
Sports Partnership Manager
Beth Blacklock
Saracens RFC · Scotland Rugby · Part-time · Based in France
Before Saracens and Scotland, Beth had already worked as a journalist and a data scientist. She has competed in the Six Nations, Rugby World Cup, Premiership Rugby, and Rugby 7s. Now based in France, she manages First Rep's relationships with sports clubs, universities, and athletic organisations across the UK.
Want to talk to the team?
We're always happy to have a conversation.
For athletes
Am I the right fit? +
If you've competed seriously at any level — pro, semi-pro, university, or dedicated amateur — you're the right fit.
I've never thought about tech sales. Is that a problem? +
Not at all. Most of our athletes haven't. We start from the beginning. What we can't teach is character and you've already got that.
Is it really free? +
Yes. Completely free for athletes. No programme fee, no deferred cost, no catch.
Is the programme fully online? +
Yes. All content is online with live group coaching sessions. You can work through it around existing commitments.
How long does it take to find a job? +
Most athletes receive their first introductions within 2 weeks of completing the programme. Average time to offer is around 10 weeks from starting.
For companies
What roles do First Rep athletes go into? +
Most athletes start in SDR or BDR roles and progress to Account Executive within 12-24 months.
How is a First Rep hire different from a graduate hire? +
Pre-trained, pre-vetted, and built for the environment. Pressure, targets, and feedback are things they've lived their whole careers.
What's your 90-day guarantee? +
If a placement doesn't work out within 30 days for any reason related to fit or performance, we will find you a replacement at no additional cost.
Can we hire from you regularly? +
Yes, and we'd encourage it. Many of our company partners have hired multiple times.
Still have questions?
Drop us a message and we'll get back to you quickly.
Career path
Recruitment: the career built for competitors
Relationship-driven, target-focused, deeply competitive. Through our partnerships with leading UK recruitment firms, we have a direct route to get First Rep athletes placed.
Apply now →
£120k+
Top billers, 3-5 years
Why athletes thrive in recruitment
Same fuel. Different arena.
Commission-driven
Top consultants in the UK earn £80-120k+ within 3-5 years. Your income is directly tied to your performance.
Relationship-based
The best recruiters build long-term relationships. Athletes understand loyalty and trust instinctively.
Resilience required
You'll hear no more than yes. Deals fall through. Athletes don't need to be told how to dust themselves off.
Team environment
The best recruitment firms feel closer to a sports dressing room. Competitive but collaborative.
Think recruitment might be your game?
Apply and we'll work out together which path is right for you.
Why athletes?
The qualities that make great athletes make great salespeople
Tech sales is one of the highest-paying careers in the UK. It is also one of the hardest. Most people can't cut it. Athletes can.
The case for athletes
Why athletes thrive where others don't
The reason most people don't last is that it demands traits that cannot be manufactured or taught in a classroom. Athletes have been building them their entire careers.
Grit
You do not reach a professional or elite level in any sport without learning how to push through the moments when everything in you wants to stop. Tech sales has those moments too. Athletes already know what to do with them.
Hard work
Elite performance is built in the sessions nobody sees. The early mornings, the extra reps, the marginal gains over years. The best salespeople share that same obsession with the process, not just the result.
Coachability
Every great athlete has had a great coach. They know how to take feedback, implement it, and improve without ego getting in the way. That is exactly what a sales manager needs from a hire on day one.
Competitiveness
Athletes are obsessed with winning. In tech sales that translates directly to hitting quota, beating targets and wanting to be top of the leaderboard. It is not manufactured. It is just who they are.
Communication
Sport teaches you how to read a room, lead a team and perform under scrutiny. Those are the same skills that build trust with prospects and close deals. Athletes have been practising them since day one.
Simon has worked alongside ex-Olympians and former professional athletes who found their way into tech sales and watched them thrive. The talent was never the question. Access was. First Rep exists to fix that.
Ready to make your move?
Applications take 2 minutes. No CV needed.
