In this episode of the Collective Genius Podcast, I sit down with Joe Theriault—founder of Top Flight Investments—to unpack how he scaled from a modest $80K starting budget to generating over $2 million annually in a single market. Joe shares how a series of early mistakes almost took him out of the game, and how a laser focus on building an elite acquisitions team turned everything around.

We dive deep into his hiring process, training systems, leadership principles, and the daily sales rituals that helped him build a high-performance sales engine. Joe doesn't rely on massive marketing budgets—instead, he teaches his team how to extract maximum value from every lead. This episode is essential listening for investors who want to scale without bloat, build a killer sales culture, and turn struggle into strategy.

Timeline Summary

[0:00] - Joe's journey: from $80K in capital to $2M+ in annual revenue

[4:50] - Why trying to scale too fast nearly killed his business early on

[6:40] - The bad hires and blurred accountability that created chaos

[8:10] - The moment he realized acquisitions—not marketing—was the true lever

[10:30] - Building a sales-first culture inside a lean team

[12:00] - How Joe restructured his org chart around his strongest players

[14:00] - Joe's current sales team setup and how each role drives revenue

[16:30] - Using daily huddles and call reviews to create coaching moments

[18:30] - The scorecard system that keeps reps aligned and hungry

[20:45] - Traits he looks for when hiring acquisition reps

[22:10] - The onboarding and training process that gets new hires productive fast

[24:30] - How they track lead sources and identify conversion opportunities

[26:40] - Joe's leadership philosophy: ownership, feedback, and standards

[29:00] - Shifting focus from generating leads to maximizing conversions

[31:00] - Eliminating complexity: why simplicity is a growth accelerator

[33:20] - Learning to step out of the day-to-day and empower his team

[35:20] - Advice for founders stuck doing it all—how to start letting go

[37:40] - What keeps him sharp: masterminds, metrics, and mission clarity

[39:10] - What's next: new markets, new hires, and scaling smart—not sloppy

5 Key Takeaways

1. Your Sales Team Is the Engine – A strong acquisitions team will outperform a bloated marketing budget every time.

2. Scorecards Create Clarity – Daily accountability and clear KPIs drive performance and culture.

3. Hire Slow, Train Deep – Great reps are built, not bought. Joe's onboarding process sets the foundation early.

4. Conversion > Volume – You don't need more leads—you need to close the ones you already have better.

5. Leadership Is Leverage – Scaling happens when you lead people, not just manage tasks.

Links & Resources

• ExploreCG.com – Learn more about the Collective Genius community

If this episode gave you a clearer path to building your sales team or inspired you to tighten your acquisition game, be sure to follow, rate, and review the Collective Genius Podcast. And send it to someone who needs to stop chasing leads—and start converting them.