Sales Roundtable : Recruiting Top New Homes Sales Talent in Dallas

Sales Roundtable : Recruiting Top New Homes Sales Talent in Dallas

In this inaugural roundtable episode of the US Homebuilding Masters Sales and Marketing Leadership Community, host Gerard Ball brings together two of Dallas-Fort Worth's most respected sales leaders: Karla Horton, VP of Sales and Marketing at Ashton Woods and Starlight Homes, and Jason Walker, VP of Sales at Highland Homes. With over 44 years of combined homebuilding experience, they unpack what it really takes to recruit, develop and retain top sales talent in the most competitive new home market in the country - where more than 1,000 sales counselors compete and roughly 30% of them changed roles in the last 12 months. Episode Highlights: 1. The Dallas hiring reality - 1,000+ sales counselors, 30% churn, and the market shift driving it 2. Why the COVID-era sales playbook no longer works and how top performers are adapting 3. Lessons from 2008 and 2012 - the handful of leaders who remember "selling" versus "order-taking" 4. Karla's source pipeline for new-to-industry hires: luxury goods, military, hospitality, education and fresh graduates 5. Jason's strategy for recruiting experienced counselors: soft visits, sub-market fit and long-term relationships 6. The interview process - speed for newbies (one to two weeks), depth and out-of-office conversations for experienced hires 7. Using role play in the interview room to reveal genuine grit and confidence 8. The 30/60/90 day onboarding reality and where most new hires misalign on expectations 9. Red flags both leaders have learned to screen for the hard way 10. How to win when you are competing head-to-head with another builder for the same candidate Notable Quotes: "You can't shortcut reps. If you're in this industry for five years, think about how many handshakes, how many greets, how many introductions - that is a refined skill that just becomes second nature." - Jason Walker "It's all about leadership and support. The great athletes all came with talent, but they're not where they are without a great coach who pushed them and held them accountable. You have to have that relationship." - Karla Horton "I'd rather go without a sales counselor for a while until we have the right fit. If it's not 100% and it's not going to work with the culture, all you're doing is putting someone in a place that's not going to work out for them." - Jason Walker Key Takeaways: * The best recruiters never stop recruiting - even with no open role, top leaders maintain a handful of active conversations per month * Greatness is a behaviour pattern, not a personality type - look for grit, resilience, adaptability and CRM hygiene * Speed matters for new-to-industry hires; depth and relationship-building matter more for experienced ones * Cultural fit beats raw performance numbers - a top producer at one builder may fail at another * Scaring candidates with the reality of the job upfront protects both sides from costly misalignment * The Dallas market is collaborative, not cutthroat - leaders routinely refer candidates to each other when the fit is wrong About the Guests: Karla Horton is VP of Sales and Marketing at Ashton Woods and Starlight Homes in Dallas-Fort Worth, leading a 1,200+ unit dual-brand business with 24 years of homebuilding experience. Jason Walker is VP of Sales at Highland Homes, where he leads a team of 65 covering roughly 800 closings annually at price points from $300K to $2.5M - and where he uniquely began his career on the sales floor. This first roundtable delivers the unvarnished reality of building a winning sales team in America's toughest homebuilding market - essential listening for any VP, Director or Sales Manager refining their hiring playbook in 2025 and beyond.

The Growth Mindset Behind a 23-Year Career: Dana Mayberry, VP of Sales at Taylor Morrison, Raleigh

In this episode of "US Homebuilding 'The Masters' Series", host Gerard Ball sits down with Dana Mayberry, VP of Sales at Taylor Morrison in Raleigh, North Carolina. With 23 years in homebuilding spanning Pulte, Beazer, Ashton Woods and now Taylor Morrison, Dana shares the growth mindset, the calculated risks and the leadership lessons that have shaped her path from commission-only sales counsellor to senior operational leader. What runs through every chapter of Dana's story is a refusal to plateau. Each move - sometimes lateral, often into harder ground - was a deliberate bet on her own capacity to learn, adapt and add value in a new environment. Episode Highlights: * An unconventional entry into homebuilding, from environmental science graduate to Pulte sales counsellor after a chance encounter in real estate broker class * Selling 84 homes in her first year in a community everyone else had written off, and what that taught her about belief and buyer mindset * Why a fixed mindset is the single biggest predictor of failure in new home sales, regardless of the market * Navigating the 2008 housing crash on the front line, why it became her best earning year, and how it ultimately landed her first leadership role * The honest reality of moving from top sales performer to sales leader, including the pay cut, the loneliness and the mindset shift to winning through other people * Why "activity beats analysis" in homebuilding, and how the best leaders led during the crash without showing fear * Leaving a decade at Pulte for a VP role at Beazer, joining a brand under enormous pressure and watching one of the great turnarounds in homebuilding * Leading the cultural and product pivot at Ashton Woods from semi-custom to scalable production * Why Taylor Morrison's culture under Sheryl Palmer& Amy Rino stood apart, and the power of a brand that treats sales leaders as true operators * The case for sales leaders building deep finance fluency, and why Dana went back for an MBA mid-career to break the stereotype Notable Quotes: "You can analyse things to death, but you cannot run a company off just spreadsheets. Activity beats analysis in homebuilding." "You fail, and hopefully you fail fast. And if you're not failing, you're not trying something new." Key Takeaways: * A genuine growth mindset - openness to change, willingness to fail fast, hunger to keep learning - is what separates careers that compound from careers that plateau * Bet on yourself: the hardest career moves often unlock the next decade of growth * The best sales leaders learn to win through other people, not by stepping in to close deals themselves * Network beyond your own brand early - peers, competitors and adjacent disciplines all expand your operating lens * Finance fluency is no longer optional for sales leaders aiming for division-level impact * Choose the brand and the leader, not just the title - culture is the multiplier on every other decision About the Guest: Dana Mayberry is VP of Sales at Taylor Morrison's Raleigh division, leading a roughly 400-home-per-year operation. Born and raised in Raleigh and an NC State alumna, she built her career at Pulte (sales counsellor through GSM and Design Centre Manager), Beazer Homes (VP of Sales through the post-crash turnaround), Ashton Woods (VP of Sales through their production pivot), and now Taylor Morrison. She holds an MBA with a corporate finance specialisation. This episode is essential listening for sales counsellors with leadership ambitions, sitting GSMs and VPs of Sales, and any operational leader who wants to understand what truly great sales leadership in homebuilding looks like in 2026.

From Silicon Valley to the Summit: Brian Cutting - Regional VP - Hayden Homes - Boise - Idaho

From Silicon Valley to Summit: Brian Cutting on People-First Leadership and the Career That Built Him In this episode of US Homebuilding "The Masters" Series, host Gerard Ball sits down with Brian Cutting, current RVP at Hayden Homes and former Division President at Woodside Homes, overseeing the Hubble Homes brand in Boise, Idaho. With nearly 20 years in homebuilding spanning Silicon Valley tech, land entitlement, acquisition and development, a pivotal detour through Walmart's commercial real estate division, and two major M&A integrations, Brian brings hard-won wisdom and a distinctive worldview to leadership. An alpine mountaineer who has scaled glaciated volcanoes in Ecuador, Brian's philosophy is simple: get uncomfortable, invest in your people, and show up 100%. Episode Highlights: 1. From Silicon Valley to Sacramento: why a tactile guy who spent his evenings in his wood shop left a product management career in high tech for the world of homebuilding 2. The six-month light bulb moment: what it really takes to find your footing in a new industry and discipline 3. Surviving the 2008 recession inside Woodside as the company entered bankruptcy, and the personal and professional toll of watching colleagues exit month after month 4. The Walmart detour: how three years acquiring land for Walmart Supercenters transformed Brian's approach to due diligence, contracts and risk management - and what he brought back to homebuilding 5. Getting boots on the ground: why Brian voluntarily took on the role of land development superintendent, and what that taught him about empathy, rapport and effective leadership 6. Navigating two M&A integrations simultaneously - Hubble into Woodside, then into the Sekisui House / Richmond American group - while running a 500+ closing operation 7. Alpine mountaineering as a leadership laboratory: lessons from summiting Cotopaxi at 19,347 feet on commitment, team performance and boardroom calm 8. The Oxford comma hiring test: Brian's creative approach to spotting attention to detail in candidates Notable Quotes: "I am never going to ask one of my employees to do something that I'm not willing to do myself." - Brian Cutting "If you take care of your people, the people will take care of the process. If you're so focused on the process that you forget about the people, you are going to be running up a hill your entire time." - Brian Cutting Key Takeaways: * Get uncomfortable deliberately - that is when growth happens * Know your blind spots and seek out people who excel where you don't * Building personal relationships at every level of the organisation is non-negotiable for high-performing teams * Mountaineering teaches boardroom calm: business decisions are challenging, but they are not life-or-death * Be patient, nimble and curious - the challenges ahead may be ones the industry has never seen before About the Guest: Brian Cutting spent nearly 20 years with Woodside Homes, progressing from entitlement manager in Sacramento to VP of Land Acquisition and Development, and ultimately Division President overseeing the Hubble Homes brand in Boise, Idaho. His career has also included roles in purchasing and commercial real estate with Walmart Stores. He'scurrently RVP at Hayden Homes, and had previously been with Woodside Homes following the broader integration into the Sekisui House family of companies. This episode is a masterclass for any homebuilding professional navigating career transitions, leading teams through change, or looking to build the personal and mental resilience that separates good leaders from great ones.

Blooming Where You're Planted: Sandy Richert, VP of Sales at Trumark Homes, CA

Blooming Where You're Planted: Sandy Richert, VP of Sales at Trumark Homes, on Building a Career Through Curiosity, Culture, and Leadership In this episode of "US Homebuilding: The Masters Series," host Jamie Panter interviews Sandy Richert, VP of Sales at Trumark Homes, who shares her remarkable 30+ year journey through the homebuilding industry, from her start at Centex Homes in 1993 through leadership roles at Pulte Homes, Meritage Homes, and now Trumark Homes. Sandy offers invaluable insights on building a successful career without relocation, the evolution of sales in homebuilding, and creating high-performing teams through leadership principles that prioritize culture over individual star performers. Episode Highlights The Serendipitous Start: Sandy's unexpected entry into homebuilding through friends in the industry and how Centex's robust training program shaped her foundation in sales The Power of Curiosity: Why being genuinely curious about customers, construction processes, and industry trends separates top performers from average salespeople Navigating Career Growth Locally: How Sandy rose through the ranks while staying planted in the San Francisco Bay Area, building a powerful network through councils and volunteer leadership Technology's Transformation: The evolution from five-part NCR paper to digital systems, and why embracing technology while maintaining human connection is crucial for modern sales success Progressive Leadership Philosophy: Moving from "boss" mentality to "leader" mindset - why people want to follow you matters more than formal authority Managing Through Market Cycles: Strategies for leading teams through the 2008 recession, COVID-19, and various market shifts over three decades Building Team Culture: The critical importance of hiring for cultural fit and curiosity over lone-wolf sales talent, and why toxic performers hurt more than they help Multi-Generational Living Trends: Identifying emerging buyer needs for flexible spaces accommodating aging parents, boomerang kids, and income-generating units Notable Quotes "Don't let people diminish your value. I've had people through my career that didn't see my potential and weren't my advocates. Don't let a bad manager get you down and think that you can't do it." - Sandy Richert on overcoming career obstacles "If you're standing still, you're actually falling behind. Keep your foot on the gas, keep learning, keep growing, keep embracing new ideas." - Sandy Richert on continuous improvement Key Takeaways Geographic flexibility isn't the only path to advancement - building deep local networks and expertise can create equal opportunities Curiosity across all business functions (sales, construction, design, operations) distinguishes top performers from average ones Starting your career in a challenging market builds resilience and skills that create long-term advantages Cultural fit and team chemistry matter more than individual sales talent when building sustainable high-performing teams The best salespeople expand their knowledge beyond their core role to understand how their function impacts the entire business Protecting your personal brand and maintaining relationships is critical in homebuilding's tight-knit industry About the Guest Sandy Richert serves as VP of Sales at Trumark Homes in the San Francisco Bay Area, leading an 18-person sales team. With over 30 years of homebuilding experience spanning Centex Homes (1993-2002), Pulte Homes (14+ years), Meritage Homes, and Trumark Homes (9+ years), Sandy has navigated multiple market cycles including the 2008 recession and COVID-19 pandemic. She serves on the steering committee for the Bay Area Women's Housing Leadership Group and previously participated in Pulte's national Women's Leadership and Diversity Council. Her expertise spans sales operations, team development, product design input, and organizational culture building.

From Startup to Scale: Dave Prolo Division President - CA,AZ,UT

In this episode of "US Homebuilding: The Masters Series," host Gerard Ball interviews Dave Prolo, a 30-year industry veteran who has opened, scaled, and led divisions across the Western United States. Dave's career spans Watt Homes Utah founding team, John Laing merger, surviving 2008, orchestrating the Candlelight Homes acquisition for Cal Atlantic, and serving the Irvine Company. His experience ranges from zero-home startups to managing 2,000-unit operations. Episode Highlights: 1. Second-Generation Builder DNA: Following both grandfathers into construction, from sweeping floors to studying construction management at BYU, demonstrating deep industry roots 2. Promoted to Division President at 31: Leading Watt Homes Utah division to become #1 in customer satisfaction nationally, competing head-to-head with Larry Webb's Southern California division 3. Surviving the 2008 Crisis: Managing weekly cash decisions on which trades to pay, maintaining team morale, and transitioning to receivership work disposing of $100M+ in distressed assets 4. Leading Multiple M&A Integrations: Navigating Watt/John Laing, Standard Pacific/Ryland (Cal Atlantic), and Cal Atlantic/Lennar mergers while maintaining operational excellence 5. Market Entry Strategy: Opening Cal Atlantic Utah from scratch, then acquiring Candlelight Homes to secure 5,000 lots and instant market presence within six months 6. Scaling Operations 101: Understanding critical inflection points at 250 units (expanded trade base) and 400-500 units (staying disciplined to business model) 7. Master-Planned Community Excellence: Working directly under Donald Bren at Irvine Company, transitioning from fee-build model to in-house GC for $2.3M average homes Notable Quotes: "Don't be afraid to raise your hand and ask the question that challenges the status quo. That's what separates VPs who get promoted from those who plateau." "Go slow to be in a hurry. You need to be thoughtful and take smart steps, but you also need that innate urgency. I had the urgency but didn't have the go slow part early in my career." - Dave Prolo on leadership maturity Key Takeaways: - Building local relationships and joining Home Builders Associations immediately is essential for market entry success - New market divisions often overpay for first land deals - balance urgency to scale with disciplined underwriting - M&A cultural integration requires humility to recognize the acquired company's strengths, not just imposing your own systems - People decisions matter most during recessions - transparency and honesty about challenges builds lasting loyalty - Read one operational/management book per month to stay ahead of competitors who don't invest in learning - Cross-pollinate across disciplines by volunteering for company-wide initiatives beyond your current role - First hires in new markets often don't stay long - expect cultural and operational turnover About the Guest: Dave Prolo brings 30 years of homebuilding leadership across California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. His career includes founding team roles at Watt Homes Utah, regional president at John Laing Homes, VP of Operations for Cal Atlantic's 1,800-unit Southern California region, and leading Lennar's Utah startup from acquisition through 500-unit scale. Most recently, he led operations for the Irvine Company's master-planned communities. His experience spans multiple economic cycles, successful M&A integrations, market entries, and scaling operations from zero to 2,000 units annually. This episode offers invaluable insights for professionals seeking to advance into VP or division president roles, those considering market expansion strategies, or anyone navigating the complexities of M&A integration in homebuilding.