SHOW / EPISODE

Why Your Competitor's Sales Reps Are a Trap (And Who to Hire Instead)

29m | Apr 3, 2026

Hiring sales reps from your competitors feels like a shortcut. It's not.

In this episode of Build to Win, John Kolbaska breaks down how he grew his sales team from 7 to 12 reps — and why the best candidates aren't coming from inside your industry. You'll hear how he built a full-time training program, what it actually costs to onboard a bad rep, and the two things he tests in the first three days to weed out the wrong hires fast.

If you're trying to scale a sales team and keep burning through recruits, this one's for you.

🎧 Listen now.

Key Takeaways

00:00 Intro

01:36 Why you need a full-time sales trainer

03:50 Recruiting is a marketing funnel

07:52 The real cost of a failed rep: $15,000+

13:42 Early role-play and tech screening

17:38 Never hire your competitor’s failed reps

19:24 Recruit from lower-ticket industries

26:18 Always lead with financing

Additional Links & Resources:

🔥 Watch our FREE on-demand webinar: HERE

⚡ Learn more about us: https://www.builderprime.com/ 

📱 Connect with us on social media:

Build to Win is a podcast for contractors where we give you the tools to grow your home improvement business. Follow us wherever you listen to your podcasts!

Paused
Audio Player Image
Build to Win
Loading...