Career change after a layoff, where to begin? (update)

I want to move from sales associate to something with more stability. This is my first time dealing with any of this. I have good customer skills and I am comfortable with spreadsheets. Did you take a pay cut?

Try a small project in the new field before committing. It told me a lot about whether I would enjoy it.

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 14 months.