When I talked with Brandon Supernaw, I wanted to understand how he went from being a high school chemistry teacher and wrestling coach with no sales or clinical experience to breaking into medical device sales in about eight weeks.

Brandon is 30 years old, married, and a father of two. He had spent seven years teaching and coaching before deciding it was time for something different. What stood out to me most was that he did not have to move to a major city or leave his family behind to make the transition. 

His journey shows what preparation, consistency, and a willingness to get uncomfortable can do when you are serious about changing careers.

Teaching Was Making an Impact, but Brandon Wanted More

Brandon originally thought teaching and coaching would be his long-term career.

He loved helping students and athletes because many of the people who had made the biggest impact on his own life were teachers and coaches.

But things started changing as his family grew.

Brandon and his wife were both teachers living in California, and financially, they were starting to feel squeezed. After the birth of their second child in December, Brandon began thinking seriously about how he could better support his family.

Medical device sales gave him something he was looking for: the opportunity to continue building relationships and helping people while also creating more room for financial and professional growth.

Breaking Into Medical Device Sales Without Sales Experience

One of Brandon’s biggest concerns was that he had no traditional sales or clinical background.

He would look at job descriptions requiring B2B experience and wonder how he could compete.

The answer was learning how his existing experience applied.

As a teacher, Brandon already knew how to communicate, educate, build relationships, and persuade people. As a wrestling coach, he also managed a program that could require around $15,000 to $20,000 a year for tournaments, hotels, and other expenses.

During his interviews, he learned how to connect those experiences to the skills medical device companies were looking for.

You may not have the exact job title companies are asking for, but that does not mean you have no relevant experience.

Preparation Helped Him Handle Objections

Brandon knew interviewers were going to question his lack of B2B and clinical experience.

Instead of hoping those questions would not come up, he prepared for them.

Before each stage of the interview process, he went back through the material that applied to that specific interview and made sure he understood what he needed to communicate.

That preparation gave him confidence.

You are still going to be nervous. Brandon was nervous before interviews just like he had been nervous before wrestling matches.

The difference is knowing you prepared.

Consistency Created the Opportunity

Brandon was still teaching full-time, coaching, being a husband, and raising two children while trying to break into medical device sales.

He had to make the time.

Some networking calls happened early in the morning before school. Others happened during lunch or when he had an opening in his schedule.

There was no secret trick.

He stayed consistent.

Eventually, one networking call changed everything. That conversation connected him with the opportunity that ultimately became his new medical device sales career.

Brandon did not have to relocate. The territory worked with where he and his family were already living.

That is why I always tell people that you only need one right opportunity.

His Wrestling Background Taught Him to Get Uncomfortable

Brandon’s mindset did not start with medical device sales.

He learned it through wrestling.

He was recruited by one school, Western Colorado, and that opportunity eventually led to him becoming a two-time All-American and team captain.

He learned that growth usually happens when you put yourself in difficult and unpredictable situations.

Leaving teaching brought those same feelings back.

He was comfortable. He knew what he would be teaching the following year. His career felt predictable.

But predictable was no longer giving him the growth he wanted.

Be Willing to Make a Temporary Sacrifice

Brandon also had to sacrifice some family time while making the transition.

That did not mean his family stopped being important.

It meant that for about eight weeks, there were times when he needed to take another networking call or put additional work into the process.

His wife supported the decision, and Brandon knew why he was doing it.

That short period of discomfort helped create a completely different career opportunity for their family.

Final Thoughts

Brandon’s story showed me that you do not need traditional sales or clinical experience to bring value into medical device sales, but you do need preparation, consistency, and the willingness to do the work. He went from seven years as a high school chemistry teacher and wrestling coach to breaking into medical device sales in about eight weeks, without having to move his family. His biggest lesson is something I think anyone considering a career change needs to hear: being scared does not mean you should stop. Sometimes growth requires putting yourself in an uncomfortable environment, trusting what you already bring to the table, and giving yourself the chance to become something more.

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All the best,

Jacob McLaughlin

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