Summary of "The 10 Best Sales Industries for 2026 (Ranked From Worst to BEST)"

Summary of “The 10 Best Sales Industries for 2026 (Ranked From Worst to BEST)”

This video ranks and analyzes the top 10 sales industries for 2026, focusing on income potential, skill requirements, time to income, and suitability for different experience levels. The presenter offers a detailed breakdown of each industry, highlighting transferable skills, earning ceilings/floors, and career progression potential.

Industry Rankings and Key Insights

Retail Sales (Worst)
- Income floor: Low but not zero; income ceiling very low.
- Skill required: Minimal; mostly basic communication.
- Time to money: Long; low skill transferability.
- Best for: Absolute beginners wanting basic people skills.
- Example: 9 West shoe company noted for decent retail training.
- Recommendation: Not ideal for career progression in sales.
Door-to-Door Low Ticket Sales (#9)
- Income floor & ceiling: Both low.
- Skill required: High persistence, door-knocking skills.
- Time to money: Long; high rejection rate.
- Best for: Newbies wanting to build resilience and volume selling experience.
- Drawback: Very frustrating, low income potential.
Telco In-Store Consumer Sales (#8)
- Income floor: Above minimum wage.
- Income ceiling: Low; struggle to reach six figures.
- Skill required: Moderate; not highly transferable.
- Time to money: Medium; competitive environment.
- Best for: Entry-level reps seeking stable wage with some commission.
Car Sales (#7)
- Income floor: Low.
- Income ceiling: Moderate (top earners ~$500K/year).
- Skill required: High; confidence and forthright personality needed.
- Time to money: Medium to long.
- Drawbacks: Commoditized product, limited skill transferability.
- Best for: Highly confident, extroverted salespeople.
Real Estate Leasing (#6)
- Income floor & ceiling: Both low.
- Skill required: Similar to sales but high admin and touchpoints.
- Time to money: Long.
- Best for: Entry point into real estate sales without burning networks.
- Drawback: High admin, low payoff compared to sales.
Real Estate Sales (#5)
- Income ceiling: Highest among all industries; top agents can make 8 figures.
- Income floor: Very low.
- Skill required: High networking and hustle; less emphasis on traditional sales skills.
- Time to money: Long ramp-up.
- Best for: Hustlers, self-motivated networkers who thrive outside 9-5.
- Note: Income heavily skewed; 1% earn majority of income.
- Comparison: Real estate agents are hustlers but may lack sales finesse.
SaaS / Tech Sales (#4)
- Income floor: Usually a solid salary (~$100K).
- Income ceiling: High but capped by commission percentages (~5% commission).
- Skill required: Professionalism, CRM discipline, multi-stakeholder sales.
- Time to money: Quick due to salary base.
- Best for: Experienced salespeople comfortable with structured processes and follow-ups.
- Example: Selling software with lifetime value (LTV) commissions.
High Ticket Sales (#2)
- Income floor: Zero (commission-only).
- Income ceiling: Very high, second only to real estate.
- Skill required: High phone skills, emotional selling, ability to handle rejection.
- Time to money: Usually quick ramp-up.
- Best for: Entrepreneurial, high-risk/high-reward personalities.
- Example: Committed Coaches (health-related product) with 11,000+ booked calls/month and 300-400K leads.
- Recommendation: Most transferable sales skill set; difficult medium but highly rewarding.
Insurance Sales (#1 - Best)
- Income floor: Zero or negative initially (due to lead costs).
- Income ceiling: Extremely high; some reps make $300K-$400K/month.
- Skill required: Moderate; not very high but requires hustle and long-term relationship building.
- Time to money: Relatively quick with consistent effort.
- Best for: Hard workers wanting a recession-proof, bulletproof industry.
- Compensation structure: Paid ~160% of first-year premium upfront (split among rep, manager, agency).
- Unique advantage: Ability to build and sell a book of business; long-term residual income.
- Additional notes: More millionaires made in insurance than any other industry; very stable demand.
- Related industries: Medical device sales often feed into insurance.
- Agency example: Sniper Insurance (US only), offering training and selective recruitment.

Frameworks and Processes Highlighted

Sales Skill Transferability: Emphasized as a key factor in industry ranking.
Income Floor and Ceiling: Used as primary metrics to evaluate opportunity.
Time to Money: How long it takes to start earning meaningful income.
Personality Fit: Matching sales environment to personality traits (e.g., hustler, professional, grinder).
Commission Structures: Especially detailed for insurance (upfront + residuals, layered payouts).
Lead Volume and Quality: Noted in high ticket (unlimited leads) and SaaS (lifetime commissions).
Sales Distribution Curve: Compared to professional sports, highlighting skill and hustle impact on earnings.

Key Metrics and KPIs

Retail: Low ceiling, low floor.
Door-to-Door: Low income, high rejection rate.
Telco: Income ceiling below six figures.
Car Sales: Top reps ~$500K/year.
Real Estate Sales: Top 0.1% agents earning 8 figures.
SaaS Sales: Base salary ~$100K; commissions up to $50-60K/month.
High Ticket: Zero floor, very high ceiling; 11,000+ calls/month example.
Insurance: Up to $300K-$400K/month for top reps; 160% first-year premium payout.

Actionable Recommendations

Avoid retail and door-to-door for serious sales career growth.
Consider telco or car sales only if personality and environment fit.
Use real estate leasing as a stepping stone to real estate sales.
Real estate sales demands hustle and networking but offers the highest ceiling.
SaaS sales suits organized, professional salespeople with multi-stakeholder skills.
High ticket sales provide the most transferable skill set; best for entrepreneurial risk-takers.
Insurance sales offer the best long-term, recession-proof opportunity with high earning potential and residual income.
Build skills progressively: retail → door-to-door → telco → SaaS/high ticket → insurance.
For insurance, be prepared for upfront lead costs and focus on building a book of business.
Engage with companies offering training and quality leads, e.g., Sniper Insurance or Committed Coaches.

Presenters / Sources

The video is presented by an experienced sales professional who owns a SaaS company and runs an insurance agency (Sniper Insurance) with a partner named Kaden.
Mentions of industry insiders like Ryan Sirant (real estate) and “Road Tamaki” (telco sales).
References to Committed Coaches, a high ticket coaching company with extensive lead volume.

This summary captures the strategic and operational insights from the video, focusing on sales industry opportunities, skill requirements, compensation structures, and career advice for sales professionals targeting 2026.