E50 | From Sales Rep to National Sales Director at Guardant Health w/ Todd Ford

E50 | From Sales Rep to National Sales Director at Guardant Health w/ Todd Ford

From Medical Sales U with Dave Sterrett by Dave Sterrett

April 6, 2026 · 32 min

About this episode

In this episode, Todd Ford shares insights on transitioning from a sales rep to a National Sales Director and the importance of networking in medical sales.

Stop applying to medical sales jobs online. You’re doing it wrong. In this episode of Medical Sales U, I sit down with Todd Ford, National Sales Director at Guardant Health, to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to lead and land a role in the high-stakes world of precision medicine and oncology diagnostics. Todd has hired over 150+ people at Guardant alone, and his data is clear: only 1 in 65 successful hires comes from an online application. So, how do you get in? We break down the "networking secret," the evolution of genomic testing (NGS), and the daily habits of the top 10% of sales reps who win President’s Club year after year. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why B2B sales (like copiers) is the ultimate stepping stone to Medical Sales. The "hidden" criteria Todd uses to hire D1 athletes and top-tier talent. How Precision Medicine shifted from Chemotherapy to Targeted Therapy. The reality of "The Hustle": Managing 160 flights a year while raising a family. Why your resume is the least important part of your job search. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Introduction: Meet Todd Ford of Guardant Health 2:15 - The 10-Year Evolution: From Chemo to…

People in this episode

Host: Dave Sterrett

Guest: Todd Ford

Topics covered

  • medical sales
  • networking
  • precision medicine
  • oncology diagnostics
  • career development
  • hiring practices

Keywords

  • medical sales jobs
  • networking secret
  • genomic testing
  • sales rep
  • hiring criteria
  • B2B sales
  • career advice

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Guardant Health

Products: Precision Medicine, Chemotherapy, Targeted Therapy

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