Building a Sales Career Through Authentic Relationships with Rebekah Panepinto | Ep055

Episode Information Show NotesWhat happens when a drummer who played for 10,000 people realizes the music business won’t pay the bills? Rebekah Panepinto shares her unconventional journey from Nashville musician to successful Account Executive, proving that your next career move might come from the least expected place.This conversation goes deep on how relationships trump resumes, why being visible matters more than being perfect, and how asking better questions opens doors you didn’t know existed.Guest BackgroundRebekah Panepinto is an Account Executive and podcast host who has built her sales career by prioritizing authentic relationships over transactions. After pursuing music as a drummer for Grammy-nominated artists, she pivoted to tech sales where she discovered her talent for building partnerships. Her journey from healthcare IT to global software consulting shows how following trusted relationships creates better outcomes than chasing job titles.Episode HighlightsThe Pivot MomentRebekah earned just $150 playing drums for 10,000 people while getting paid more per day as a nanny. That moment at 21 forced her to Google “best jobs in Nashville” and discover healthcare IT—launching an unexpected career path.Zero to Sales HeroWithout any sales experience, Rebekah got recruited by a bandmate who saw intangibles in her that she didn’t see herself. He taught her the fundamentals while she brought natural relationship-building skills that can’t be taught.Female Drummer AdvantageBeing a female drummer in a male-dominated music industry prepared Rebekah for tech sales in ways she never expected. It taught her to believe she could do anything and to never back down from male-dominated spaces.The Everyone’s-a-Prospect TrapEarly in her sales career, Rebekah believed everyone on every flight and elevator was a potential customer. Learning to properly qualify prospects saved companies from bleeding money on bad-fit customers.Podcasting Beats NetworkingTraditional networking events create forgettable exchanges. Podcasting builds authentic relationships where people share vulnerable moments and create lasting connections.Continuous Learning PhilosophyGrowing up homeschooled taught Rebekah how to love learning as a lifelong journey. Now she dedicates an hour every morning to podcasts and audiobooks, absorbing insights from business leaders while working out.Key Takeaways1. Follow relationships, not job descriptions. Every one of Rebekah’s career moves came through trusted connections2. Personal branding is non-negotiable. Being visible and consistent makes you memorable when opportunities arise3. Quality relationships beat transactional wins. Nobody should dread your outreach because you only call for the check4. Learn from everything. Even finance podcasts teach you about newsletter strategies and content creation5. Going all-in creates mastery. Whether it’s scuba diving or sales, full commitment accelerates learningResources Mentioned– Tom Bilyeu’s Impact Theory Podcast– Ramit Sethi’s Money for Couples– Antifragile by Nassim TalebListen to the full episode to hear how Rebekah builds multi-channel touchpoints with prospects, why she’d choose relationship quality over quota-hitting, and what she learned from being capped at her first sales job.Released: January 13, 2026Subscribe to Career Downloads for weekly conversations with tech professionals sharing their career journeys. TranscriptManuel Martinez: Welcome everyone, my name is Manuel Martinez, and this is another episode of Career Downloads, where each episode I basically hit the refresh button, bring on a different guest to learn more about their background and their experiences, to help you uncover any actionable advice that you can use as you’re managing your own career. So I’m excited for today’s episode. I have with me Rebecca Panepinto, and she is she’s an account executive, and she does a lot of, she also has her own podcast,