Sales Development Representative (Columbus)

What we do

Ascend is a fintech company building the financing and payments infrastructure for the $1T insurance market (did you know insurance premiums make up 7.2% of global GDP?). More than 40% of payments are still made with paper checks resulting in poor customer experience and expensive and operationally intensive commercial workflow. Today's solutions were built 40 years ago for pen and paper insurance sales. Ascend is the first modern payments platform for insurance helping to enable the industry's rapid digitalization.

Founded in April 2021, Ascend has achieved the following milestones:

• Annualized run rate of $20 million and growing 15% monthly
• Processing over a billion dollars in transaction volume, originating hundreds of millions of dollars in loans on the platform.
• Acquired over 2,000 customers, including several of the top 25 largest insurance distributors nationally (Acrisure, Insurica, NFP, etc.) as well as leading Inusrtechs (Vouch, Embroker, Founder Shield).
• Operated with an efficiency and profitability mindset - maintaining minimal burn and a balance sheet exceeding $25 million.
• Named a Top 50 Insurtech by CB Insights.
• Built a world-class team of 25 based out of our San Francisco, CA, and Columbus, OH offices.

How we do it

Ascend automates insurance payments end-to-end — from online customer payments and financing to the distribution of commissions and carrier payables — so that insurance distributors can eliminate laborious, expensive processes while giving their customers the great online checkout and financing experience they've come to expect. Think Stripe + Affirm + Modern Treasury for insurance.

Why we do it

We exist to make it easier for people to protect the things they care about by simplifying and modernizing the insurance industry’s financial infrastructure.

The role

As a Sales Development Representative, you will take on the responsibility of initiating and conducting cold outreach efforts to secure qualified meetings for our sales team. Your pivotal role involves identifying and connecting with potential leads, nurturing relationships, and ultimately setting the stage for successful sales interactions. Your adeptness at crafting compelling messages, understanding prospect needs, and establishing rapport will be key to driving our sales growth. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a proven history of effective cold calling, coupled with a strong drive for constant improvement and innovative approaches within the realm of sales outreach.

Responsibilities will include

• Collaborating with the sales team to generate and book meetings with qualified opportunities, primarily through phone outbound but also email and in-person events, as well as capitalizing on inbound leads generated by marketing initiatives.
• Leading the development and enhancement of impactful outbound campaigns.
• Engaging in a high volume of outbound prospect calls to assess their needs and challenges, presenting Ascend's value proposition.

You might be a good fit if you have

• A background of at least 1 year in business development, sales development, or a related field, with a history of achieving and surpassing targets.
• Strong capabilities in cold calling and communication, and an ability to effectively engage potential clients and establish rapport.
• A robust work ethic and openness to feedback.
• An analytical mindset, adept at utilizing data to inform decisions and enhance performance.
• Strategic thinking skills, with a focus on process streamlining and perpetual enhancement.
• The ability to excel in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, adapting to shifting priorities and business demands.

Nice to have

• Experience with Salesforce or Outreach.
• Familiarity with the insurance industry.
• Exposure to startup environments and adeptness in navigating ambiguity.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary and meaningful equity in a fast-growing company
• 100% health premiums covered for you and your dependents
• 401k with employer matching options
• Unlimited PTO
• Monthly company-paid commuter benefit options, and fitness stipends
• Parental and family leave
• Lunch provided when in office
• Company outings and offsites

We encourage you to connect with us, even if you think you may not have the exact experience for this opportunity. We know that imposter syndrome is real – and that being outside of your comfort zone often prevents us from meeting candidates we would love to connect with and learn from as we grow.

Equal Opportunity

We're an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We don't discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

In accordance with Ascend policies and our commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of our employees, all positions will require proof of COVID vaccination prior to entering the office. Guests who visit the office must also provide proof of vaccination prior to entry. Our COVID-19 health and safety protocols may change over time as local and national guidance and regulations evolve.