Why financial clarity is one of the most underrated drivers of long‑term sales performance.

Early in my career, when I was still finding my feet as an Inside Sales Rep, an Account Director that I looked up to gave me a piece of advice that stuck with me and shaped my career from that point on. He won’t remember it, but I do. We were driving to a client meeting, talking about targets and commission, when he simply said: Live off your base and be intentional with your commission.

At the time I was young, ambitious, and earning more money than I ever had before. Commission felt like part of the overall package - more money to spend, and something that would always be there next month. Looking back, what he’d given me wasn’t financial advice, it was career advice - life advice. And it’s one of the biggest differentiators I’ve seen between sellers who succeed for a year or two, and those who succeed for a career.

Sales is a profession that comes with pressure, uncertainty, and expectation. Targets reset every year. Pipelines fluctuate. Deals slip. Markets shift. Comp plans evolve. And yet we expect sellers to show up every day with consistency, resilience, and clarity. But it’s incredibly difficult to perform consistently when your personal finances feel chaotic. I’ve seen it play out, when someone is carrying financial stress, it shows up everywhere - in their decision‑making, their confidence, their ability to qualify properly, their willingness to walk away from bad deals, their emotional resilience, and even their sense of identity.

Financial pressure pushes people into short‑term thinking. And short‑term thinking is the enemy of long‑term performance.

Over the years, as I moved through roles and eventually into leadership, I noticed a pattern among the sellers who thrived over long periods. They weren’t always the loudest, the flashiest, or the most naturally gifted. But they all had one thing in common - they treated their financial plans and their sales plans as connected, not separate. They didn’t live to their means and rely on commission to survive. Instead, they set clear intentions for their earnings. They used commission to build and made decisions with clarity, not panic. And because of that, they were free to operate with a mantra I’ve lived by for years: right thing, right reason, every time.

You can only sell that way when you’re not making decisions from a place of fear.

Some of my favourite moments as a leader came from seeing people connect their personal goals with their professional performance. I’ve had team members tell me they wanted to hit a certain level of attainment because they planned to propose that year. They weren’t chasing commission for the sake of it; they were chasing something meaningful. And when you get that WhatsApp, the one with the photo of the happy couple and the impressive engagement ring, you realise how powerful it is when someone’s financial clarity fuels their motivation rather than undermines it.

But here’s the challenge: most people don’t feel confident with money. Simon Rogerson, Founder & CEO of Octopus Group, recently shared that 80% of UK adults feel uneducated when it comes to their personal finances. Eighty percent. That means the vast majority of people working in one of the most volatile, high‑pressure professions, are doing so without the financial confidence to support it. Combine that with 50/50 comp plans, inconsistent earnings, lifestyle creep, and a lack of financial education, and it’s no surprise that so many sellers feel stuck, stressed, or constantly behind. That isn’t a sales problem, it’s a financial clarity problem.

And that’s exactly why financial wellbeing sits alongside Comple’s mission.

Comple exists to help sales professionals achieve lasting success - not just in their roles, but in their lives. Clarity, confidence, connection: these aren’t just brand words; they’re the foundation of a career that grows in a sustainable way. Financial clarity is a huge part of that, which is why we’re partnering with Octopus Money to give Comple members access to financial support, planning, and wealth guidance from experts who specialise in helping people build long‑term stability and confidence. It’s part of the bigger picture - when you feel in control of your money, you feel in control of your career. And when you feel in control of your career, you perform better, earn more, and build a life that grows in the right direction.

That early piece of advice, “live off your base and be intentional with your commission”, is the reason I was able to make the decision I did last year. To step away, back myself, and fund the mission I’m now building through Comple. To help other sales professionals achieve lasting success, not just short‑term wins. Financial clarity gave me the confidence to take that leap, and I want more sellers to feel that same sense of control and possibility.

Sales is a profession where your performance determines your earnings. But your relationship with your earnings determines your performance. When your financial world is clear, intentional, and aligned with your goals, everything else becomes easier. You think better. You sell better. You live better. And that’s the heart of Comple: helping sellers build careers, and lives, that flourish.

Comple members can access financial guidance and exclusive financial planning rates through our partnership with Octopus Money. Explore the member benefits here.