Hiring a Sales Team? Why Most Agency Owners Sabotage Themselves (and How to Get it Right) with Travis Hoechlin | Ep #797

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Most agency owners screw up their first sales hire. Why? Because they either hire the wrong person, or refuse to let go of control.

Travis Hoechlin used to think building a sales team was a waste of time—until he realized he was the bottleneck. In this episode, you’ll hear how he went from solo closer to leading a performance-driven team that fuels his agency’s growth.

Travis Hoechlin is the CEO of Rize Up Media, a marketing company specializing in law firm services. He shares insights into his journey from working at a large agency to starting his own and discusses the challenges of stepping out of a comfortable position and the motivations that ultimately led him and his business partner to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Travis also shared his experience building a top sales team, his logic behind hiring experienced seller instead of going for junior salespeople he could train, and how he keeps his team motivated and competitive.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

• What most owners get wrong when building sales teams.

• The hidden cost of overlooking your top performers.

• How to hire competitive closers who don’t need babysitting.

• Incentives that actually work (even with a remote team).

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

The True Cost of Overlooking Top Performers

Travis began his career working for one of the largest agencies in the industry. Despite previously owning a mortgage company, he and his current business partner found themselves settling into the comfort of corporate life—big paychecks, steady accolades, and a sense of stability.

But deep down, Travis always knew he wanted to build something of his own again. It wasn’t until a disagreement with his former boss that he finally made the leap. Looking back, he wishes he’d made the move sooner. Still, the way it unfolded taught him an important lesson.

As one of the agency’s top sellers, Travis had earned a spot in their elite President’s Club—or so he thought. When he was unexpectedly passed over, it became clear that his contributions weren’t truly valued. That moment of frustration became the catalyst for change.

Sometimes, it takes a setback to shake us out of complacency. Travis’s story is a powerful reminder: comfort can be deceiving, and top perfor