Colton Schmidt

Evaluator
DISC Type : scd

Partner Manager at Directus

Hermosa Beach, California, United States

Overview

Colton is a former 10-year professional NFL punter, primarily with the Buffalo Bills, who has successfully transitioned into a career in technology as a Partner Manager at Directus. He leverages his background and a Masters degree in Performance Psychology from Capella University to build and manage strategic partnerships.

Drawing from his experience in elite athletics, Colton applies principles of performance psychology to drive success in the corporate world. He is passionate about coaching and mentoring, using the soft skills honed in sports to foster growth and strong relationships. He earned his bachelors degree from the University of California, Davis.

His masters thesis focused on the real-world transferability of sports psychology tools into non-sport environments.

Personality Overview

Hard To Convince

Thorough Evaluator

Fast But Analytical

They have a unique set of diverse traits where they are decisive and methodical but can sometimes be extra cautious and skeptical  They are not very likely to become strong advocates of your product or service They focus on the results, but can still be quite procedural and analytical about how to get there

Topics They Care About

Partner Ecosystems
As a Partner Manager, he designed and launched a comprehensive partner ecosystem from the ground up at Directus, a key initiative in his current role.
Performance Psychology
He holds a Master's degree in this field and bases his career transition and professional approach on applying its principles to the business world.
Athlete Career Transition
He successfully navigated the shift from a 10-year career in professional football to a partnership management role in the tech industry.

Media Appearances

Colton has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2024 - 10-2025
Partner Manager at Directus
9-2022 - 12-2023
GTM Team - SDR at Directus
10-2019 - 4-2020
Professional Athlete at XFL
1-2019 - 4-2019
Professional Athlete at AAF
9-2014 - 11-2018
Punter at Buffalo Bills

Education

10-2018 - 10-2020
Master of Science - MS from Capella University
2009 - 2013
Bachelor's degree from University of California, Davis

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 10 Location : Hermosa Beach, California, United States Job Level : N/A Designation : Partner Manager at Directus
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Insights For Selling To Colton

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Keep a professional, business-like approach; especially if you tend to get informal quickly
  • Help them see both - the ‘big picture’ impact and the ROI of the investment
  • Help them weigh the risks by sharing objective proof points instead of anecdotes and examples

DONT's

  • Don’t focus on relationship, focus purely on the merit of your product
  • Avoid too much small talk, just a few formal pleasantries should be fine
  • Avoid self-deprecating references or general informality, it could decrease their trust in you

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Colton is

  • ROI matters the most to them, followed by process and finally proof of results
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Colton

  • They might hesitate a little, but will go ahead and say no when necessary (or asked)

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Colton move?

  • They are unlikely to move very fast, especially when it comes to new products or services
  • Can Colton take some risk or not?

  • They have relatively low risk-appetite and are not very likely to go for something unproven and risky

You And Colton

Personality Compatibility


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