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Opportunities In Medical Device Sales With Dorian Jordan – Part 2

Posted on August 10, 2022

MSP S3 98 | Medical Device Sales

 

Medical sales jobs are high in demand and could be a possible career if you’re determined to succeed in this industry. Join your host Samuel Gbadebo as he dives deep into an informational conversation with Dorian Jordan about selling medical devices such as advanced surgical instruments, surgical stapling, electrosurgery, and more. Dorian shares his background and what got him into the industry. He discusses how he entered the lowest level in the field to become successful today. Tune in so you can have a glimpse of what you can expect in this industry!

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Opportunities In Medical Device Sales With Dorian Jordan – Part 2

We have part two with Dorian Jordan. Part one was fascinating. He has had so many colorful experiences in his medical sales career. We’re going to dig a little deeper into part two. I’m not going to spoil it. You’re going to have to read the episode. If you’re someone that’s breaking in, this is a must-read. For some that’s already in the industry, you’ll want to read it. For some of those leading the way, they are pearls of wisdom to share. As always, thank you for tuning in to the show. I do hope you enjoy part two with Dorian Jordan.

The interesting thing about that Baxter experience after close to four years is we break this ground. We accomplish a lot of things. We have some ups and downs with the diversity inclusion conversation. Out of nowhere, I have another company. My current company comes knocking on the door. They make me an offer I can’t refuse and then I leave. Baxter looks at it like, “We’re doing that bad of a job. The person that we’re counting on has bounced. We got to do better.”

I remember when a former colleague said, “That’s what everybody thinks.” My response to him was like, “That’s good. It has nothing to do with it, but let them think that because that might create a positive change.” That leads me to my role and mentality of why I’m even here. I’m in a space where I don’t want to keep anything that has helped benefit me in my career to my chest anymore and keep my trade secrets hidden. I would rather help other people grow and navigate things, and be honest, open, and have candid conversations like this.

I love it. I’m so glad you said that because I was going to ask you. I’m sure you were excited to get into that role at Baxter where you were getting to be the voice of an underrepresented group, especially with all the turmoil that was going on around what happened with the murder of George Floyd. When you left, what did you do to channel all that energy that was building up and you were ready to let loose? Where did you take that?

Where there’s an excitement that you’re finally told that your voice matters and given a platform to make a difference, you also have the other things that a lot of us navigate as people of color. People are saying, “I’m not racist. Why are you trying to make me feel bad?” There were moments where I sat there and was like, “It would probably be good if I went back to being a regular Black person for free,” because it’s so complex trying to make a point but then make people feel better. It’s not your job because you haven’t even been in their life this whole time.

The organization I went to has a huge authentic focus on inclusiveness, equity, and diversity. It’s so much so that it didn’t take long. I’ve been with this organization for a little bit less than two years. Within one year, I had already landed another position and taken on two different roles. One of them was based on philanthropy and then the other one is based on a group that’s for people of color.

You don’t have to be Black to be in this group. We’ve got people from all different backgrounds and ethnicity on this. There are a lot of people that are like these resource groups. They maybe want to fill the gaps or be better themselves but they haven’t had this experience or they’re in a state where they don’t have diversity. We welcome those folks with open arms as well.

Being able to have not just that platform but then even make it more constructive and more impactful is awesome. I landed over an organization that takes that wholeheartedly, so it’s great. That’s what I’m doing with it. My particular focus is professional development. It’s great. I got people that call me and they’re like, “I want to go for this position. I’m going to interview. Tell me about your preparation and what you were doing.” Outside of my regular job, that stuff is what keeps me going and gets me excited.

You’ve had varied experiences that I would love for you to share. Think about the audience members that are reading because they want to get into a medical sales role. What are 1 or 2 points you would share with them that they need to be mindful of as they consider making that transition?

MSP S3 98 | Medical Device Sales

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First and foremost, you have to be willing to understand that none of these jobs come with zero sacrifices. There’s always something, and that’s the nature of what makes our sales jobs different than others. When you take a double-click on that, think about it that way, “I have a job where if it goes incorrectly, that patient could die.” It doesn’t mean that it’s your fault because we’re not scrubbed in. We’re not wearing the gloves, but if I don’t teach these folks how to use the equipment the right way or let them know that they have the options that they need, that is a significantly important role to have. You have to understand that there are sacrifices.

In certain jobs or certain careers, you can have a bad day and be off your game. Maybe somebody else can pick you up, or maybe it’s not as impacting. Whether you’re in orthopedics, biologics, or pharmaceuticals, you have to understand that sense of responsibility and sacrifice that you got to make. For some people, that sacrifice this flexibility. For some people, that’s what their stress level is. For some people, if they love to be in the gym every single day, six days a week, they may not get that amount of flexibility. They better get used to working out in the middle of the night or early in the morning. There’s always going to be some sacrifice. That’s the first thing.

The second thing is to understand that if you have an idea that you think we are a certain way like a medical device rep has a certain personality or a certain look, you need to throw that away. This is not an arrogant thing, but I’ve done very well in this industry. For several years, I have had this plan for four different companies. I have a formula that works. Outside of me, there are not a lot of people that look like or carry themselves exactly the way I do because I’ve figured it out. What are the basis and the foundation of that? I have made a focus on bringing my authentic self to the actual job.

I know reps that have been in this business for years. You would never know that they were married, had kids, what they’re interested in, and what they like. I’m a big sneakerhead. I’m into art. I don’t have a pre-done Zoom background because I don’t care what people think about me to the extent of the old hip-hop saying, “I would rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I’m not.” That’s what I bring to the business. Understand that if you want to be effective, you better be yourself. Don’t be someone that you think you need to be. I don’t walk up in the OR like, “How’s it going? Did you golf this weekend?” I don’t know anything about golf. I don’t fake like that.

We’re in a world where attention spans are short. There is a lot of fake stuff. When you go on Instagram, you’re like, “That person’s rich,” and then you see them at the bus stop. The least you could do is bring yourself and be real. When people want to deal with real people in business, it works, so be yourself. It should be easy, but for whatever reason, some people struggle with it. I would say that’s the second thing. These are in no particular order, but for some people, that might be the most important thing.

The third thing is to be patient. I was 27 years old when I got into this industry. I was treated like a child like I was behind you. They were like, “You’re a baby.” Fast forward years later, we’ve got people that are right out of college coming in. There are 22 and 23-year-olds walking into a hospital probably for the first time since they exited a hospital as a baby. It’s fascinating to see, but with the different generations, you’ve got certain people that have entitlements. They’re like, “I did this. I’ve been an associate for one year. I should have a territory by now. Make a territory for me.” It’s fascinating. I give them credit. They know what they want. That’s a beautiful thing, but it has to come with patience. The third thing is having patience.

I have this run and this career. I started off running equipment. Now I have 40 people directly reporting to me. I won accolades and had these plaques, medals, and stuff from the things that I accomplished there, but I was an Uber Eats driver of medical devices when I got into this industry. I understood it was about where I was going to end up, not where I was at that moment. I had to get my foot in the door.

It’s that patience with the hillbilly guy I had to work with who needed me to do 90% of the work, but then when I was trying to get promoted, he was like, “He’s not ready.” I had to be patient. Now, I don’t have to be as patient because I get to make the decisions for myself. You can get to where you need to, but be patient. Those are the three things that have helped me.

Just be yourself. It should be easy, but for whatever reason, some people struggle with it. Click To Tweet

Thank you for that. That’s good. I hope people are taking notes. Let me ask you this. You brought up how you are authentic and you have other things going on. Let’s talk about what life looks like outside of medical sales. How do you organize your time? What are you into that keeps you sharp, focused, and allows you to give it your best every day?

My hero in life and the person I admire the most is Kobe Bryant. He’s technically only a few months older than me. Rest in peace. He had a tremendous effect on the City of Los Angeles in general. I grew up in Indiana, so I’ve always been a basketball guy anyway. I played basketball when I was in high school as well. The one thing that he teaches is the Mamba Mentality. It’s a simple idea that you got to be the best version of yourself every day with some intention. As I’ve become more emotionally mature and grown up and become the man that I am, a lot of it centers around that.

In my real life, there are two things. I’m highly organized at work, but I’m not big on expectations in my real life. I don’t like to sit there and say, “I got to do this. If it doesn’t happen, then I’m ruined.” If you’re talking to me and you’re like, “What do you have going on this weekend?” I might be like, “I don’t know,” but then I’ll figure it out. Living like that is awesome. Some time ago, I didn’t know what I was going to do and ended up at a Dodgers game, watching Kershaw throw ten strikeouts. They beat the Cubs.

I keep things as less is more. My wife and I like to go get good food. I am a vegan. Hopefully, the people out there don’t hold that against me. I don’t eat anything with eyeballs. I try to take care of myself that way. I stay in shape. I may not be as athletic as when I was in the Big 12, competing for the University of Kansas. A few years back, I did a workout with my sons and they were like, “He’s still got it.” I try to take care of myself that way.

I still care about how I dress. I’m not afraid to spend money on hot shoes and good clothing brands. I got to have my drip right. I do that. My wife is into some of the same things that I am. My wife’s a medical device rep. Between both of our schedules, it’s hard to say we’re going to do this at this time, but to alleviate the stress with that, we keep it open and keep the things that are important. My sons are young men at this point, so I also spend a lot of time making sure that they’re always good. I have 1 in college and 1 almost done in high school.

Look at you. You got it all worked out. How long have you been a vegan?

It’s about close to five years. I’m a cool vegan. I’m not running in a restaurant like, “Can you change the spatula? Did that touch that?” I’m not on that deal. I don’t sit there and make them go to a vegan restaurant. If I got to talk to somebody, I’ll figure it out. If there’s nothing else, I will check down. If there’s nothing else and I got to eat some sea bass, I will do it.

I’m few or far between, but I’m not scared of it. For me, it’s clearly a choice. I do like the benefits. I like the impact on the environment. It’s cool. I have a rescue dog. It hits you differently when you have a rescue dog. I care about animals a little bit, but I understand you got to be realistic. I have shoes made out of leather, so I don’t want to be hypocritical either.

MSP S3 98 | Medical Device Sales

Medical Device Sales: If you want to be effective, you better be yourself. Don’t be someone that you think you need to be.

 

How many shoes do you have?

I sold some, so I might have 200 pairs.

That’s not a hobby. You don’t play around. That’s an investment. You do have an actual collection. I’ve heard of people being sneakerheads, but I don’t think I’ve met one. This is fascinating.

I didn’t say it earlier, but I grew up poor. I couldn’t afford this stuff like all the other kids. I was like, “I will get there eventually.”

Before we come to a close, I have some questions I want to ask you. We do this with our guests towards the end of the show. I’m going to ask you four questions. You got to give me an answer within the next 5 to 10 seconds. You can’t think of it too long. You got to give me what comes to mind immediately. The first question is what’s the best book you’ve read in the last couple of months?

It’s the Nipsey Hussle book called The Marathon Don’t Stop.

What was great about it?

Nipsey Hussle was great. I get it. He was a rapper. He is important to this town in LA. I had the opportunity to meet him back when I lived in Vegas. He did a performance. I loved that he was one of those guys, like myself, that wasn’t going to settle for whatever the streets were offering. He went back to that area of Crenshaw and invested in that community. He created a store, jobs, and opportunities.

You are far between but scared. Click To Tweet

It’s amazing. He was leaps and bounds ahead of the game. He was so smart. We lost him way too soon. It makes no sense. I remember where I was when I found out that he was murdered. That’s how impactful he was. He had a guy that used to write articles for Vibe magazine. He had followed him and did some interviews, so he released stuff and did his biography. It’s good. That’s the last one I read about.

What’s the best movie you’ve watched in the last few months?

The best movie in the last few months for me is called Everything Everywhere All at Once. It starred Michelle Yeoh. It’s a metaverse type of movie.

Where do you find this movie?

It was in theaters. It came out and you can get it on Apple TV+ or maybe Amazon. It’s very good.

Don’t give it away, but what’s the intrigue?

If you’re into Marvel stuff, there’s a Dr. Strange movie where they talk about different layers of the world and the universe. This is with an Asian lady who, in certain lives, she’s a movie star, and in other lives, she’s working at a laundromat. They fluctuate. It has super cinematography, a great story, and great writing. It was good. You watch a fair amount of movies. It’s called Everything Everywhere All at Once. Michelle Yeoh is the woman that played the mom in Crazy Rich Asians. She was also in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon way back in the day. She’s a well-accomplished actress.

What is the best meal you’ve had in the last couple of months?

MSP S3 98 | Medical Device Sales

Medical Device Sales: You have to be patient because now you can make the decisions for yourself and get to where you need to.

 

There is a place called Nic’s On Beverly. It is a high-end vegan spot in Beverly Hills. They have a vegan pizza that you would never know that’s vegan. It’s so good. They have a variety of other things. They take a potato and cut it into french fries shapes. They bake it and fry it again. It’s like eating a fry that has mashed potatoes. It’s so good. They do all these creative things. It’s in Beverly Hills.

Lastly, what’s the best experience you’ve had in the last few months?

That’s easy for me. On Father’s Day/June 18th, 2022, I had my youngest son in town who is sixteen. He was supposed to be here for the whole summer. He got a job at Sonic, so I am trying to keep him from his money. He came out for one week. He’s been doing well. He’s got the same work ethic as me. He is working 40 to 45 hours and has been doing his finals in high school. I’m like, “You’re crazy but good for you.” He has A’s on all his finals.

He comes up here and my wife sets up dinner at this vegan restaurant in Long Beach. It’s a $150 dinner for the three of us. My son pulls out his debit card and split the bill with my wife. It almost made me cry. That was the greatest Father’s Day gift ever. I’m not saying it like I’m trying to sound broke, but he didn’t have to. That was awesome. That was the best experience I’ve ever had.

It was fantastic having you as a guest. I know our audience learned a lot, especially those trying to enter the industry. Are there any last words you would like to share with our audience?

I always tell everybody that the best way to live is to respect the past. Be where you are as where your feet are. Be mindful, present, and optimistic about the future.

It was great seeing you. We can’t wait to see more things coming from you. It was good having you on the show.

Thank you so much. I appreciate you.

That was Dorian Jordan with part two. I like the way he wrapped that up. Those are messages to truly honor and implement into your daily practices. If you’re someone that’s been tuning in to this episode, you’ve read part one and now, you’ve read part two. You’ve heard his complete story. Medical sales is something you’ve always been thinking about.

Maybe you want to enter pharmaceutical sales or medical device sales, or you’ve heard about capital equipment or even medical supply sales. Maybe you don’t know which field you want to be in but you know you want to be in some type of sales role that involves medicine. Visit EvolveYourSuccess.com. Select Attain A Medical Sales Role. Give us a little bit of information and have a conversation with us. We can help you get into the right position within medical sales and give you the career you’ve been dreaming about.

Maybe you’re someone that’s been in the field. You’re in medical supplies or medical device sales, or even in pharma. You want to level up. You want to step your game up. There are a few months left in 2022. Everyone in medical sales knows that your entire world can change within a few months. Why leave it to chance? Why do the same thing over again? Take a different action. Visit EvolveYourSuccess.com. Select Improve Sales Performance. Give a little bit of information and have a conversation with us here at Evolve Your Success.

Let’s get you to a winner circle. Let’s get you that promotion or that role that you’ve been dreaming about. Here at Evolve Your Success, we’re changing careers and lives. This is what we believe in, and we believe it happens in the medical sales space. We do our best to bring you guests that give you insight, perspective, and resources to make your life better so that in this space, you’re continuing to help that end consumer, which is the patient. As always, thank you for tuning in to the show. Make sure you tune in for another episode.

 

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About Dorian Jordan

MSP S3 98 | Medical Device SalesSenior Market Sales Representative
16 year Medical Sales Veteran. Avid Sneaker Head
Medical Device> Advanced surgical instruments, surgical stapling, electrosurgery, access & ligation
Minimally Invasive Therapy Group

 

 

 

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