Should I leave sales or am I making a big mistake?

Should I leave sales or am I making a big mistake?

I am currently at VP of Business Development for a service company. I’m not over a team. I just go after new business for the company. I’m fully remote making $140k and I feel like I will never be successful.

I have no team in the US and pretty much work all alone all the time. No one to bounce ideas off of or to help which I find is something I value in my work life. I only have 60 accounts I can go after and get commission for which are HUGE companies that will take years to get into (Ex: Volvo Group). Marketing is non existent. I do my own outreach, create the pitch, do the meetings (if I can get them), and also work on current accounts. I do everything except the actual service.

I don’t see myself being successful in this role after being in it for 6 months and I’m afraid I’m burning my contact base from my previous role. The company I’m with now has a very distorted view of sales and the sales process (my boss expects me to call on the CEO of Volvo and get a meeting — if I don’t, I’m unsuccessful). I don’t personally see anyone being successful in the role because they don’t understand sales, their role in the market, and many other things that need to change to get more business.

However they think I’m the best salesperson they’ve ever hired which is nice but I feel like it’s just a matter of time before they become unhappy with me. They already treat salespeople very poorly.

I have an opportunity to move into higher education. It’s a massive pay cut, but I’ve always been interested in getting into higher education specifically growing opportunities for internships for the students (that’s the role). I think I’d be doing something that matters and that I can feel good about at the end of the day rather than a cog in the corporate machine. We can make it on the pay cut but it will tight. I’m afraid of the backlash I’ll face from family when they figure out I left my high paying job and how stupid that is. I’ve already heard comments that it would be stupid to consider as you will dislike every job — it’s a job — take the higher paying one because at least you’re paid well the job you don’t like.

Am I an idiot for considering leaving? Am I ruining my chance to make a high income permanently? Ive read that early in your career is the time to set your price in the market (your salary) and I’m only 28. I feel conflicted.

If there’s any other information I can provide, let me know. I’m looking for feedback on how to make this decision or perhaps a personal story on something similar played out in your life?