Why Your Competitor's Sales Reps Are a Trap (And Who to Hire Instead)
29m | Apr 3, 2026Hiring 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:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/builderprime/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/builderprime/
- Jonathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweinberg/
- John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kolbaska-a271a757/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builderprimecrm/
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