One of the numerous benefits of our annual Facilisgroup Summit is the educational sessions we offer for our Distributor Partner community. These courses are designed with topics and discussions that matter the most to them right now. We caught up with a few moderators and presenters to learn what went into their session, the importance of classes like these, and what surprised them the most.
The Folio: Can you give us a brief overview of the session you led during the Facilisgroup Summit?
Samantha Ross: In the “Building Your Sales Dream Team” session, I moderated a panel of seasoned sales leaders (JC Capote, Facilisgroup; Bethany Farr, TSC, Inc.; Joe Brown, HF Custom Specialties) who shared practical strategies for hiring, onboarding, and developing high-performing sales talent. The discussion covered creative sourcing methods, evaluating cultural fit, leadership hiring, and coaching in remote environments—all aimed at helping attendees build teams that drive long-term growth.
The Folio: Why is a session like this important to attend?
Samantha Ross: Hiring the right sales reps is one of the biggest challenges that I hear from our Partners. I wanted to bring a diverse panel together to share their experiences in unconventional ways of thinking about the hiring process. From looking at resources around, like universities, to having an in-depth hiring process that ensures the individual you are hiring is the best fit for the position and the culture of your business.
The Folio: When searching for top sales talent, what do hiring managers overlook the most?
Samantha Ross: I think JC said it best: “You don't need to be looking for the candidate with the most experience in sales; you need to be looking for the individual that has the intangibles that set them apart from the others. The traits that make a great sales rep, such as drive, ambition, being coachable, emotional intelligence, etc. You can always coach someone to learn how to sell successfully, but it is harder to coach someone to have these traits."
The Folio: Was there anything that surprised even you when researching your topic?
Samantha Ross: One thing that surprised me during my research for this session was in a conversation with Joe Brown. He has a great relationship with TCU, and when they had a need to learn more about API's and creating these connections, they went to the computer science department and hired two interns to come work for them to help with this project. It supported the students and gave them an opportunity for real-life experience, but also helped his company accomplish their goals for a fraction of the cost.
The Folio: What did you want our Distributor Partners to take away from your session?
Samantha Ross: My goal for this session was for our Distributor Partners to walk out of the room thinking outside the box when it comes to hiring sales reps and other team members. If you haven't seen success with your current hiring process, it might not be the candidates; it might be you. Take a look at your process and freshen it up.
The Folio: Can you give us a brief overview of the session you led during the Facilisgroup Summit?
Chase Kilby: At the 2025 Facilisgroup Summit in New Orleans, I led the “AI in Action, tools that streamline, simplify, and save time” session. Attendees learned how to leverage AI tools to improve their overall productivity not only in their professional lives but also in their personal lives.
The Folio: Why is a session like this important to attend?
Chase Kilby: This session took place on Tuesday. If I had a dime for every time I heard someone mention AI on Sunday or Monday, I’d have a large pile of dimes...AI is obviously a hot topic right now and for good reason. It’s changing the way we all operate day-to-day. Whether we want to or not, as professionals, we need to be able to adapt to these changes and stay up to date on how we can improve our work through the use of AI.
The Folio: Which AI tools should distributors be using right now to be more efficient?
Chase Kilby: I expressed the importance of mastering the little things. The AI landscape is vast, with new tools coming out every day. It’s easy to get analysis paralysis and not take action because it's just too overwhelming. I still believe the best thing many professionals can do is sit down with their LLM (large language models) of choice (ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, Claude, Perplexity, etc.) and just practice prompting it to get the result they want. A solid foundation of prompt engineering will go a long way.
The Folio: There are a ton of AI tools that can be overwhelming to go through and process. How do you distinguish which AI platform is the right one for your business?
Chase Kilby: It’s important for leadership at the organization to understand which tools are going to make the biggest impact on their team’s productivity. Sales teams can leverage tools that are irrelevant to the accounting team and vice versa. However, any team can leverage an LLM for increased efficiency in day-to-day tasks. That is why I believe this is a great starting point for any organization, and then as AI becomes more ingrained into their workflows, they can begin identifying tools that may be more specialized for specific teams.
The Folio: What did you want our Distributor Partners to take away from your session?
Chase Kilby: The number one thing I wanted my session attendees to understand is the importance of establishing a POV on AI usage for the entire organization. Everyone in the organization needs to be on the same page about what tools can and cannot be used, and what they can and cannot do with the tools. This prevents risky behavior with AI tools and also eliminates hesitation and fear of using them. That was the homework I gave to my session attendees was to establish a Point of View on AI usage for their organization.
The Folio: You led three courses during this year’s Facilisgroup Summit! Can you give us a brief overview of each session and what you hope our Distributor Partners took away from your session?
Terri Harland: 9:00 AM – The Perfect Day: We kicked things off by diving into how top performers structure their time—not just to stay busy, but to stay focused. This session wasn’t just about calendars and to-do lists; it was about understanding the value of protecting your time so you can actually reach your goals.
10:00 AM – Prospecting Masterclass: This wasn’t your typical “here’s what to say” sales training. Instead, we focused on helping reps find clarity and confidence in their own authentic approach to prospecting. Because when you lead with alignment and honesty, you don’t just get replies—you build relationships that last.
11:00 AM – Accountability with Jenna Q: We got real about what accountability actually looks like—with one of the most powerful voices in our industry, Jenna Q from HPG Brands. We shared personal stories, busted the myths around what doesn’t work, and challenged attendees to ask: What kind of accountability do I really need? Groups were formed, commitments were made, and the accountability momentum will continue long after the event in peer-led groups designed for real growth.
The Folio: Why are sessions like these important to attend?
Terri Harland: These sessions were designed to help sales reps operate at a higher level—by managing their time like top performers, prospecting with clarity and authenticity, and building real accountability structures that drive long-term growth. It wasn’t just about learning—it was about creating momentum that lasts beyond the event.
The Folio: Were there any tips or suggestions from the attendees that surprised you?
Terri Harland: Tips and suggestions that surprised me weren't shared during my sessions since I didn’t have a ton of time to interact until after they were over, but I was blown away at the talent at our event. Simply watching how they operate and listening to what they were thinking was worth the trip in and of itself.