I've been a marketer for some time, but the first half of my career was spent mostly in direct sales. Don't miss the quota, but definitely do miss being in the trenches.

Talking to real customers about their real business issues every day was for me the best part of selling. I loved the authentic nature of it. It sure beat the canned role-playing that often goes on in corporate sales training. Real customers never bring up the objections you overcome expertly in training sessions, but they keep you on your toes and teach you how to continue to get better if you know how to listen. I always loved the listening part of selling, which is perhaps why I eventually morphed into a marketer.