Training the next 100,000 sellers

We believe sales is one of the most durable and portable skills in any career. As long as there are people, there will be sales. While sales is often misunderstood as sleezy or manipulative, it is actually the art of reading a room, earning trust, and persuasion. It's exceptionally valuable, both as a profession and as a skill that will help you in any career.

We love AI. It is the most powerful tool humanity has ever built. But it is also disrupting entry-level work. That first rung of the career ladder is critically important. It teaches young people how to operate professionally and learn the skills they need to grow. But those first-rung jobs are being automated away. Sales remains a uniquely human skill that we think more young professionals should learn to AI-proof their careers.

Regrettably, sales skills are rarely taught in school. They are surprisingly learnable, but you have to learn by doing. Historically, it was quite hard to get the real-world exposure to sales before you get a job in the field. Advances in real-time simulation technology have made it easier to gain this experience. Leading enterprises already deploy Exec's AI roleplays to train their sales teams at scale. First Rung leverages that same platform to train the next generation of salespeople, for free.

First Rung is built for people who are early in their careers or between roles. That includes students, recent graduates, people who are unemployed or underemployed, and anyone shut out by the collapse in entry-level hiring. You do not need a degree, a resume full of sales jobs, or any prior experience. What we look for is genuine effort and a real desire to learn. If that sounds like you, you should apply.

Applying takes about ten minutes. You start by creating a free Exec account so your progress is saved and you can come back whenever you want. Then you record a short video that explains why you want one of these spots. This is a sales program, so treat it as your first pitch. There is no script and no single right answer. After you submit, you can track your status from your account, and we read every application that comes in.

Admission is selective and runs in rolling cohorts. Our first cohort is capped at 1,000 people. If you are not selected this time, your application stays on file and you are considered automatically for the next cohort, so you never have to start over. We would rather keep strong applicants in the pipeline than turn them away.

If you are accepted, we email you your next steps and your curriculum. You get a free seat on the same platform that professional sales teams train on, the full course library, and unlimited roleplay practice with feedback after every session. The program is self-paced, so you move through it on your own schedule. When you finish, you earn the First Rung Certified credential that you can share on your resume and on LinkedIn.