If you’ve ever told yourself “I can’t because I don’t have a degree,” this one’s for you. Today I’m sharing Ashley Rohrback’s story. She didn’t finish college, broke into medical device sales, and now earns over six figures. Not theory. Not “maybe.” She did it.

Who is Ashley?

Ashley’s path mirrors a lot of you:

• Started college on the physical therapy track (exercise science major).
  
  
• Got all the way to senior year three classes shorter than life happened.
  
  
• Worked in a PT office and fell into personal training for 4–5 years (coaching classes and 1:1s).
  
  
• Loves helping people, building relationships, and improving quality of life but the hours (5 a.m.–9 p.m.) and income ceiling forced a reality check.
  
  

On a cross-country flight, she binged our podcast. That’s where the switch flipped: she decided she wouldn’t let “no degree” be the lie that kept her stuck.

“I don’t want to let the fact that I didn’t finish a college degree hold me back anymore.”

The Degree Myth (and the mindset that breaks it)

For years, Ashley told herself she couldn’t get the jobs she wanted because hiring managers would ask, “Where’s your degree?” Listening to the show, she reframed it:

“I can. I absolutely can because I am hardworking and intelligent, and I’ll be good at that job if somebody takes a chance on me.”

I’ll add this: the people I meet without degrees are often the most driven, with real people skills and communication you can’t teach.

Why she left personal training

Two big reasons kept coming up for Ashley:

1. Financial ceiling & schedule – 14-hour days, odd hours, and still worrying about rent.
   
   
2. Future family – She wanted a path where growth and division fit could align with having a family (and yes, there are plenty of divisions in med device where that’s realistic).
   
   

Breaking in without “the boxes”

Ashley didn’t check the standard boxes (no degree, no B2B). So she prepared for an uphill battle:

• Kept training clients, then came home to grind: program calls, outreach, study.
  
  
• Called 10–12+ people a day on LinkedIn at times.
  
  
• Held onto one truth: it only takes one person to take a chance.
  
  

She got that shot and she took it.

Realities of the job (early challenges)

Ashley landed in orthopedics and had to learn fast:
sizes, drills, screws, plates, multiple procedures plus learning the OR from scratch.

Confidence took ~6–8 months to build. Early on she was too passive in the room (totally normal) respectful but hesitant to speak up. With reps under her belt, preparation, and steady wins, her voice matched her value.

Her toughest day (the one that changed everything)

Christmas Day. On trauma call. Three cases were added. Ashley was fired up to prove herself and then the wheels came off:

• Wrong or missing items (solid vs. cannulated drill, threaded vs. smooth eye, etc.).
  
  
• The surgeon kept asking, “Where’s this?” and the answer too often was, “We don’t have it.”
  
  
• He let her know, in no uncertain terms: “Don’t ever come back to my operating room unless you are prepared.”
  
  

Brutal. And pivotal.

What she did with it: owned it, changed her prep, brought backups on backups, got eyes on trays beforehand, and learned how to navigate the “we don’t have it” moment without blaming anyone (because the patient is what matters).

A best-day moment (from the same surgeon)

Months later, after multiple well-run cases (including a 2:30 a.m. courier meetup to ensure parts were on hand), that same surgeon turned and said:

“You’re a really hard worker, and I told your boss you were a good hire.”

That’s the arc: from “don’t come back unprepared” to “you were a good hire.”

What changed for her (beyond the paycheck)

• Confidence — not just at work. She’s more relaxed with friends and family because she’s not constantly wondering if she needs to squeeze in one more session to afford life.
  
  
• Ownership — she still studies before cases, asks for help when it’s smart, and treats every rep (both kinds) like it matters.
  
  
• Perspective — it didn’t happen overnight, but a year can change your life when you stop letting fear win.
  
  

Ashley’s advice to break in

Believe in yourself.
It might take longer than it takes others, but you can absolutely do it  if you work for it.

She also learned what I preach: don’t do it alone. Mentorship doesn’t make you dependent; good mentors make you more independent, faster.

Final Thoughts

Ashley’s story isn’t “lucky.” It’s a choice, then consistent action:

• She stopped letting “no degree” define her.
  
  
• She did the unglamorous work when no one was watching.
  
  
• She learned from the worst day and turned it into the best validation.
  
  

If you’re sitting where she was hearing the lie in your head borrow Ashley’s line:
“I can.” Then go prove it.

Want More Details?

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All the best,

Jacob McLaughlin