I want to share a story that hits a lot of people especially if you’re young, coming out of college, and staring at job posts that basically say: “Must have experience… but also this is entry-level.” This is about Alexa McCulla. She broke into medical device sales at 22 years old with one of the largest medical device companies in the world. No B2B sales background. No business major. Just a clear goal, real effort, and the willingness to do the work.

The doubt is real when you’re just starting

Alexa said something that a lot of people feel but don’t always admit:

Before she got serious about the process, she started thinking, “Can I even do this? Do I need two years of B2B sales experience first?”

And here’s the truth she learned: if you really set your mind on it, you can do it. But you’ve got to stop looking for reasons it won’t work and start building the skills to make it work.

Why she chose medical device sales instead of med school

Alexa was on a path a lot of science kids are on: med school, PA school, something clinical. She worked at a hospital as a patient care assistant, majored in biology, and minored in chemistry. She wanted to be in the medical world.

But she didn’t want the debt. She didn’t want another eight years of school. And when she found out medical device sales could still let her help people, be around science, and even be in the OR—she was like, “Why wouldn’t I do this?”

She wanted a career where she could still be part of the team, still be around procedures, and still have freedom later if she ever wanted to pivot.

What made her commit

Alexa’s personality matters here. She straight up said she loves a challenge. When someone tells her something is hard, her brain goes: “Good. I’m doing it.”

She also didn’t want pharma. She wanted doctors, the OR, and real impact. That was her lane.

But even with motivation, she hit the wall most people hit: applying online and getting nothing back. Auto-rejections. Silence. No real conversations.

That’s when she realized the real game isn’t just applying—it’s standing out.

The biggest struggle: networking (and LinkedIn)

Alexa didn’t come from a business background. She didn’t take business classes. She didn’t even really use LinkedIn before.

So her biggest growth area wasn’t “being likable.” It was learning how to move conversations forward in a productive way. Not just chatting. Not just “being nice.” Actually turning a conversation into next steps.

And she had to learn how to research companies, understand divisions, and walk into interviews prepared instead of hoping.

The trap she almost fell into: waiting on one company

This part is huge.

Alexa got momentum with a big company early. Conversations were going well. People sounded supportive. But nothing was moving.

And she did what a lot of people do—she waited. She told herself, “It’s going to happen.”

Then she got called out (in a loving way): stop waiting. Go talk to more people. Go create more opportunities.

So she did. In one week she opened up conversations with multiple companies, and that led her toward the role she ultimately landed.

The lesson: don’t “marry” a company that hasn’t even committed to you. Keep building options.

Her interview process was not “normal,” and that’s the point

Alexa’s actual process looked like this:

• She got connected with a hiring manager.
• He asked to meet the next day for coffee.
• She showed up early and prepared.
• He gave her a list of names and said, “Go talk to these people.”
• For the next two weeks, she drove all over her state meeting around 10 people in person.
• Then she got invited to a conference.
• She showed up three hours early.
• Stayed out late with the group (team + surgeons).
• Got up at 5:45 a.m. the next morning and showed up early again.
• Took notes, stayed present, stayed energized, and made real connections.
  
  

And people told her straight up: “You’d be surprised how many candidates don’t do the basics.”

That’s the part people ignore. Showing up early. Being prepared. Dressing like you care. Bringing a pen and paper. Following through. Being positive.

There’s no talent required for that. Just discipline.

Why she loved it (and why that matters)

Alexa called it the coolest weekend of her life.

Not because it was fancy. Not because she got to “network.” But because it was the first time she finally got to see the job in real life. She helped in a cadaver lab. She worked around surgeons. She saw what the team actually does. And she was like, “This is exactly what I want.”

That’s the difference between people who just want the paycheck and people who actually want the career. Passion shows. Energy shows. And teams notice it immediately.

Alexa McCulla’s advice to anyone trying to break in

Her advice was simple and real:

1. Make sure you actually want this. It’s not easy to get in, and it’s not easy once you’re in.
2. Know your “why.” She built her own personal mission statement and used that as fuel.
3. Expect rejection and be willing to learn from it. That’s sales.
4. Build confidence through the work. Confidence came as she kept showing up, preparing, and doing the reps.
   
   

Final thoughts

If you’re sitting there thinking you can’t break into medical device sales because you’re “too young” or you “don’t have the right background,” Alexa McCulla is proof that’s not the real issue—the real issue is most people don’t stay consistent, don’t build the right skills, and wait around hoping someone hands them an opportunity; if you’re willing to work, stay coachable, and do the little things like showing up early and following through, you can absolutely make it happen.

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All the best,

Jacob McLaughlin