How to start a sales career at 40

You start a sales career at 40 the same way anyone does: learn a simple sales process, practise it out loud until it feels natural, then get hired into an entry role (often appointment setting) and build from there. The difference at 40 is that you bring decades of reading people, staying calm and getting things done, which helps a lot on sales calls. Plan for a 60 to 90 day ramp, keep some income coming in while you learn, and expect commission to take time. That applies whether you’re in Australia or the US, and the She Sells team works with women in both.

Is 40 too late to start in sales?

No. Sales is one of the few careers where nobody asks for a degree in it, and where the skills you’ve built in other work and in life show up on every single call. Plenty of women come to remote sales after teaching, nursing, retail, admin or years at home with kids, once those kids are at school or old enough to need less of them.

I started as a primary school teacher in a small town. My first taste of sales was network marketing in 2014, I became a fitness coach in 2017 and moved to Sydney broke, and I only moved into remote sales in 2020. My first month brought in $440. That’s my result, not a typical one, and I share it because it shows how slowly things can start. I’ve since generated over $10M in online sales, so the slow start isn’t the end of the story.

If you’re brand new to sales at any age, our guide on how to get into sales with no experience covers the basics. This one is about doing it at 40 or beyond, with the life, responsibilities and doubts that come with that.

Why life experience helps on sales calls

Remote closing and setting mostly happen on Zoom or the phone, with people who have already shown interest in an offer: a coaching program, a course with live support, a service or software. Those buyers are often adults making a considered decision with real money, a partner to check with and a busy life. You’ve been that person. That counts for more than people think.

• You’ve had hard conversations. Parent-teacher meetings, difficult patients, angry customers, family negotiations. A sales objection is a lot less scary after those.
• You listen before you talk. Good sales is mostly asking questions and listening properly. Younger reps often rush to pitch; you’re more likely to let a silence sit.
• You can relate to the buyer’s situation. If someone says “I need to talk to my husband” or “money’s tight with school fees”, you understand that from the inside, without judging it.
• You’re reliable. Showing up on time, following up when you said you would and keeping notes tidy are half the job, and you’ve been doing them for years.

The honest challenges (and how to handle them)

The ego hit of starting over

Going from being the experienced one at work to being the beginner is uncomfortable. You’ll fumble calls, forget questions and get feedback from managers who might be younger than you. Treat the first 90 days like a course you’re enrolled in, not a test you’re failing. Role play, call reviews and feedback are how everyone gets better.

Commission takes time

Many remote sales roles are commission-heavy or commission-only, especially closing roles with online coaching and course businesses. That means your income can be low or patchy while you learn the offer and build skill. Setter roles are more often paid with a base, an hourly rate or a smaller per-appointment amount, but terms vary a lot, so always get them in writing. We break down the public pay data in how much remote closers make.

If you’re in Australia and hired as an employee (not a contractor), the Fair Work Ombudsman says you can only be paid commission-only if an award or enterprise agreement allows it. In both countries, plenty of closer and setter roles are set up as contractor arrangements instead, which usually means you handle your own tax. Either way, ask which arrangement you’re signing before you start.

The tech learning curve

You’ll use a CRM (the system that tracks every lead), a calendar booking tool, Zoom or Google Meet, and probably Slack or a similar chat app. None of it is hard, but it’s a lot at once. Pick one tool a week, watch the free tutorials, and practise in a test account if the business gives you one. Nobody expects you to know every platform on day one.

Age bias is real

It would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. In a 2023 survey of 297 HR professionals by the Australian HR Institute and the Australian Human Rights Commission, 18% said their organisation had an age above which it was reluctant to hire, and common reasons included concerns about technology skills and ability to change. The good news in the same report: that figure fell from 52% in 2014.

The law is on your side in both countries. In Australia, the Age Discrimination Act 2004 makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate on the ground of age, including in deciding who should be offered a job. In the US, the EEOC explains that the Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects people aged 40 or older from age discrimination in hiring, firing, pay and other parts of employment, and it applies to employers with 20 or more employees. These laws mainly cover employees and job applicants, so if you’re taking a contractor role, the protections can look different.

Practically, the best answer to “will she cope with the tech?” is to show you already can. Turn up to the interview on camera, on time, with a clean background, good audio and a short role play you’ve practised.

Which role should you target first: setter or closer?

An appointment setter starts conversations, usually by message or a short call, and books qualified people in. A closer takes the longer sales call (often 45 to 60 minutes) and asks for the decision. For most career changers, setting is the gentler first step: shorter conversations, less pressure on the outcome, and you learn the offer and the buyer before moving up.

Some women at 40 are ready for closing sooner, because a long conversation suits them better than quick messages. Our guide to remote closer vs appointment setter helps you choose.

	Appointment setter	Closer
Main task	Start conversations and book calls	Run the sales call and ask for the decision
Typical pay setup	Often base, hourly or per appointment, sometimes plus bonus	Often commission-heavy or commission-only
Good first step if	You want lower pressure while you learn	You love long conversations and can handle a “no”
Hours	Often message blocks you can fit around school	Booked call slots, sometimes early or late for other time zones

Your 90-day plan to start a sales career at 40

Here’s a realistic plan if you’re fitting this around a job, kids or both. Adjust the pace to your life, not someone else’s.

Days	Focus	What to actually do
1 to 14	Learn how remote sales works	Learn the difference between setting and closing, how commission works, and the red flags. Write down the people-skills you already use at work and at home.
15 to 30	Learn a sales process	Pick one simple call structure (rapport, current situation, goals, what’s in the way, offer, decision) and learn it properly. Listen to sales calls and podcasts on your commute or school run.
31 to 45	Practise out loud	Role play several times a week with a friend, partner or training group. Record yourself. This is where most of the progress happens.
46 to 60	Get your setup and story ready	Sort a quiet space, headset and reliable internet. Update your résumé (CV) and LinkedIn to frame past roles as sales skills. Prepare a two-minute “why sales, why now” answer.
61 to 90	Apply and get hired	Apply for setter (and some closer) roles, ask about lead flow, pay structure and contractor vs employee status, and keep practising between interviews.

Reframing your past jobs for a sales résumé

• Teacher: explaining complex ideas simply, managing tricky parent conversations, keeping 25 people engaged.
• Nurse or carer: building trust quickly, asking good questions, staying calm under pressure.
• Retail or hospitality: handling objections, upselling, working to targets.
• Years at home with kids: negotiation, scheduling, patience. Keep it brief, confident and unapologetic.

Keeping your income while you transition

Please don’t quit your job on day one. Because so many remote sales roles are commission-based, the smart move is to overlap for a while.

• Learn on the side first. Days 1 to 60 of the plan fit around a full-time or part-time job.
• Start part-time. Many setter roles and some closer roles are flexible blocks, so you can take a few hours a week before going further. Our guide to working from home after having kids covers fitting work around school hours (or school schedules in the US).
• Build a buffer. If you can, save enough to cover a few slower months before relying on commission.
• Set money aside for tax. As a contractor in Australia or the US, tax usually isn’t taken out for you. A quick chat with an accountant early on is worth it.
• Watch for scams. A genuine employer pays you to work; they don’t charge you to take the role or to access leads. If income depends on recruiting other people, walk away.

Do you need training to start?

You don’t need a formal qualification to work in remote sales. Some people teach themselves, and some start as setters and learn on the job. Others want structure, role play and feedback so they’re not guessing, which is what She Sells is built for. “She Launches” is our foundation program with live coaching, role play and frameworks. “She Soars” is our career program through the She Sells Cert III in Remote Sales certificate, and once you’re certified, our recruitment team works with you to land a role within 90 days, or your money back. You can read more on our programs page or in the FAQ, and more about my story on the about page.

Whichever way you go, the formula is the same at 40 as at 25: learn a process, practise more than feels necessary, start where the pressure is lower, and give it time. The difference is that you’re walking in with a lot more life behind you.

Frequently asked questions

Is 40 too old to get into sales?

No. Sales doesn’t require a specific degree, and life experience like handling hard conversations, listening and staying calm helps on calls. Age bias does exist in some hiring, but laws in Australia and the US prohibit age discrimination in employment, and showing you’re confident with the tech goes a long way.

How long does it take to start earning in sales?

It varies a lot. Plan for roughly 60 to 90 days to learn, practise and get hired, then expect a ramp-up period while you learn the offer. Commission-heavy roles can mean patchy income at first, so keep another income source while you transition if you can.

Should I be a setter or a closer first?

Most career changers start as setters because the conversations are shorter and the pressure to close sits with someone else. If you love long, thoughtful conversations and handle rejection well, closing might suit you sooner.

Is age discrimination in hiring illegal?

In Australia, the Age Discrimination Act 2004 makes age discrimination in employment unlawful, including in deciding who gets offered a job. In the US, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects people aged 40 or older and applies to employers with 20 or more employees. Contractor arrangements can be treated differently, so check your situation.

Results vary. Nothing here is a promise of income. See our earnings disclaimer.

Keep reading

• Is remote sales legit? How to spot the scams
• Is a remote sales certification worth it?
• Legit work from home jobs vs scams: a checklist
• How much do remote closers make? Honest income ranges