Area Sales Manager - CA / NV / AZ

CONFIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY BRIEF
Area Sales Manager
Vacuum Automation Technology | West Coast Territory | Remote-Based

You probably weren't looking.

Most of the best candidates we call aren't. They're heads-down, closing business, collecting a check. But every once in a while, a role shows up that makes even the most comfortable person stop and think about what they're leaving on the table.

This is a brand new territory. A blank canvas with real infrastructure behind it. And it's available right now.

THE ROLE AT A GLANCE
Title: Area Sales Manager
Company: Confidential — vacuum automation technology specialist, part of a $500M+ global group
Industry: Vacuum components, end-of-arm tooling, robotic automation
Reporting To: Regional Sales Manager, West Coast
Structure: Remote-based, individual contributor with full territory ownership
Travel: Approximately 60% — customer sites, distributor visits, tradeshows
Location: Las Vegas area preferred (Southern AZ or Central/South CA also considered)
Training: Direct onboarding with President and inside sales/engineering team

THE STORY
Our client is a privately operated vacuum technology company backed by a $500M+ global group — running with full independence, a founder-led culture, and a product line that has been setting industry firsts for nearly two decades. The President started the U.S. operation himself in 2007, still runs it today, and has built something most companies only talk about: a team that genuinely trusts each other, sells with confidence, and shows up with pride in what they represent.

They were the first company in the world to bring Ethernet-controlled vacuum generators to market. Their gripper solutions are the most versatile and configurable in the industry. Their reputation among integrators, OEMs, and complementary product suppliers is earned — and it opens doors before you make the first call.

General factory automation is booming — packaging, food, warehousing, aerospace, plastics, battery. This company is winning across all of it. 8 of 10 reps hit or exceeded quota last year. 5 beat it by meaningful amounts. And now they are planting their flag on the West Coast.

THE TERRITORY
This is not a backfill. This is a net new role — the 5th ASM position in a company actively building toward doubling its revenue over the next five years. The West Coast is wide open, and the RSM has been carrying it alone. That ends now.

West Coast Territory — New Expansion Role
States: AZ, NV, CA

• Brand new position — you are writing the playbook, not inheriting someone else's mess

• RSM has existing relationships and warm accounts to hand off — you are not starting at zero

• Massive whitespace across AZ, NV, and CA with existing distributor entry points to leverage

• Remote-based — headquartered in Las Vegas area, Southern AZ, or South/Central CA

THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER
Base Salary: $95,000 – $110,000 (stretch to $110K for the right person)
Bonus: Up to $15K annually — paid quarterly on revenue target attainment
Year 1 OTE: $120,000+ realistic W2 with auto allowance and bonus
Car Allowance: $1,000/month
Health / Dental / Vision: Company-sponsored medical, dental, and vision plan
401(k): 4% monthly match + up to 2% discretionary at year end
Phone & Laptop: Provided — fully expensed
Travel Expenses: Company credit card — you keep the hotel and airline points
PTO: 4 weeks
Year 1 Target: +10% organic revenue growth | Strengthen AZ, NV, and CA distribution

The ceiling: The West Coast is one of the largest automation markets in the country and this company is currently in early innings there. Territory revenue potential is substantial — and the person who builds it from the ground up owns the upside.

THE REAL OPPORTUNITY
Most automation reps are locked inside a single product line, selling to a narrow ICP with a script they didn't write.

This is the opposite.

Our client's vacuum and gripper solutions sit at the intersection of every major automation trend — collaborative robotics, EOAT, smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0. Their portfolio touches virtually every vertical across AZ, NV, and CA. That's not a niche. That's an entire market, and right now it's wide open.

• Step into a new role with RSM-backed warm accounts and distributor relationships already in place — you are not starting cold

• Full support infrastructure — six inside sales engineers handling quotes, product testing, and gripper design behind every deal you bring in

• Work with both distributors and end-users — you control the full relationship from specification to delivery

• Global brand recognition behind you — nearly two decades of credibility and industry firsts open doors before you dial

• Non-solicitation only — no non-compete. You're not signing away your career if this isn't the right fit

THE CULTURE THAT MAKES IT REAL
Culture gets talked about in every recruiting pitch. Most of it is marketing.

Here's what we know about how this one actually operates: the President built it from scratch 19 years ago and still leads it today — by example, not by org chart. Honesty, integrity, compassion, and respect are not wall art here. They are hiring filters. People who don't embody those traits don't get in, no matter how good the resume looks.

The result is an autonomous, transparent work environment where the team trusts each other, earns peer respect through hard work, and has near-zero tolerance for politics. They bleed and grow together — and 8 of 10 reps proved it with their quota performance last year.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
This is not a fit for everyone. The candidates who win here share a specific profile.

• Background in fluid power, automation components, or adjacent industrial sales — you know how to sell to mechanical and electrical engineers, and you earn trust through technical credibility, not just personality

• Self-driven territory builder. This is a blank canvas with real infrastructure behind it. You see whitespace as an opportunity, not a risk

• Ambition matched with honesty. You want to win, and you want to win the right way — with a product line and a culture you can actually believe in

• Currently capped — by product line, geography, or a culture that doesn't reward initiative. You are producing, but the ceiling is real and the frustration is growing

• Located in Las Vegas, Southern AZ, or South/Central CA — remote-based, living and working in your market

Sound familiar? If you've been selling automation components into a territory that deserves more attention than it's getting — and you've been doing it for a company that doesn't reward the people who show up like owners — you already know what we're pointing at.

WHO SHOULD PASS

• Those who need layers of process in a fast-moving environment

• Individuals uncomfortable with accountability for measurable results

• People who resist collaboration or avoid hands-on leadership

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Fast, structured, and respectful of your time. No black holes. Here's how it runs:
Step 1: Intro call with the President — he wants to know who you are, not just what you've sold
Step 2: Conversation with the Regional Sales Manager — real talk, no script. They'll tell you what this job actually is
Step 3: HR alignment — comp structure, benefits walkthrough, and timeline expectations
Close: Decision within 2-3 weeks of first conversation. They move fast when they find the right person

READY TO DO THE MATH?
If you're in automation sales and any of this landed, the next step is simple: a 20-minute confidential call. No pressure, no pitch — just the information you need to decide if this makes sense.

Contact: Michael "Sully" Sullivan, VenTech Search Group
Email: Sully@ventechsearch.com | ventechsearch.com