Corporate recruiters often overlook military veterans for sales roles, unsure how combat experience translates to closing deals. This hesitation costs companies access to professionals who’ve already mastered many skills that drive sales success. John Lutz learned this firsthand after serving in Iraq and building a career in sales and business development. His journey reveals how military training creates natural advantages for those willing to reframe their experience.
How Military Experience Drives Sales Success
Making the jump from military service to corporate sales feels daunting for most veterans. Lutz discovered this when he first entered civilian work. “Transitioning from military service to the civilian workforce can feel like stepping into an entirely different world,” he explains. The structured environment and clear hierarchies veterans know don’t match typical sales environments. But Lutz found something interesting. Military experience actually builds exactly what sales teams need. “Veterans bring a lot of discipline, resilience, strategic thinking, and team building, which are essentials for driving revenue growth and building lasting client relationships,” he says. The challenge isn’t lacking skills, it’s knowing how to talk about them.
Highlighting Key Military Traits in Sales
When pressed about which military skills matter most, he points to resilience without hesitation. “Resilience is probably number one, just making sure that I never stop, and strategic thinking,” he notes. Combat taught him to make quick decisions under pressure, something that helps him navigate complex sales cycles and client problems. The confidence factor surprised him too. Military service forces you to work with all kinds of people in changing situations. “The military builds a lot of confidence in you because you’re working with tons of people from all over the place,” Lutz explains. That confidence shows up in client meetings and team discussions.
Translating Mission Planning into Sales Strategy
Military planning methods translate directly to sales work, though few veterans realize it initially. “Military skills translate well into business value. Think of mission planning—it equals strategic sales planning,” he observes. Every military operation starts with clear objectives and detailed plans. Sales requires the same approach through go-to-market strategies and account management. The secret lies in translation. Veterans often struggle to explain their experience in business terms. “Instead of saying I led a platoon in complex operations, say I managed a team of 30 people under high-stress conditions, achieving objectives ahead of schedule with limited resources,” Lutz suggests. “It’s just positioning yourself in the right framework.”
Leading Sales Teams with Military Principles
Leading sales teams shares surprising similarities with military leadership. People remain people, regardless of environment. “You’re dealing with people with different backgrounds, different education levels, but also different personalities,” Lutz explains. Success comes from understanding individual strengths and matching personalities to roles. “You always need to try to match the right personality to the right job and what you want them to accomplish.” Most companies miss opportunities to support veteran transitions effectively. “While leadership and resilience are natural strengths for veterans, the technical side of sales—CRM, pipeline forecasting, negotiation strategies—some of these things may be new,” Lutz points out. Smart organizations provide sales training and mentorship programs while veterans develop technical skills.
Practical Advice for Veterans
Veterans entering sales need to build networks and use veteran communities. “Don’t be afraid to lean on your military network or your military background because a lot of people in the industry appreciate that type of leadership,” he advises. Learning never stops, especially with industry-specific technical requirements. The service mindset remains crucial. “Focus on the mission and the service through a new lens. At its core, sales is about solving problems and creating value for clients,” Lutz explains. He treats client relationships as military alliances. “Treat each new client as a mission, understand their pain points and develop a strategy, then focus on long-term relationships, not just closing deals.”
Lutz sees clear connections between military service and sales success. Both require strategic thinking, team leadership, and adapting under pressure. “The battlefield may change, but the core principles of leadership, resilience, and service remain the same,” he concludes. Veterans just need to learn how to speak the business language.
Connect with John Lutz on LinkedIn to learn more about his approach to sales success.
