Game On! Chris Hondl Shares Coaching Expertise at Rilla Masters

Masterminds of the trades will soon converge in Las Vegas for the Rilla Masters, an event with an all-star lineup hosted Feb. 24 – 26, 2025 by Nexstar Network’s Strategic Partner team at Rilla. A top-tier roster of inspiring keynotes includes game-day sports legends Nick Saban and Billy Beane as well as leading contractors and notable sales pros from across the country.

Nexstar Sales Coach Chris Hondl, a 15-year industry veteran, plans to bring his winning approach to Rilla Masters attendees when he leads “The Core Four of Sales Coaching” on Wednesday, Feb. 25th from 11:15 a.m. to noon. Chris will share actionable strategies leaders can use to inspire their own teams, boost performance, and gain confidence.

We caught up with Chris to learn more about his game day presentation and to hear what he’s most looking forward to at Rilla Masters. Here’s what he had to say!

Q: Thank you for previewing your breakout session at Rilla Masters, Chris! First, what are you most looking forward to?

Obviously, Nick Saban! How often do you get to see and experience nuggets of knowledge from one of the greatest coaching minds to ever roam the earth?! Aside from that, however, I’m most excited to rub elbows with our Nexstar members that will be in attendance. Rilla has been a game changer for many members. Being able to connect with them in this setting and hear what is working and what they are excited about energizes me as a sales coach.

Q: Awesome! Let’s talk about your Tuesday topic… it’s an important one. Why did you choose to speak on the core four?

A philosophy I live by is that there is no silver bullet, but there are tons of golden BBs. As amazing as Rilla is, some think it’s a set-it-and-forget-it tool. The reality is that AI tools like Rilla require constant refinement. Look at pro and college-level sports. Quick access to real-time information has reshaped the game, but it has not replaced great coaches like Nick Saban. They’ve adapted to use the information and data to benefit their team, yet they’re still effective as coaches. In my breakout session we’ll dive into the core four of sales coaching and how it dovetails with Rilla services.

Q: We realize you can’t reveal too much, but can you touch on the core four?

Absolutely! The core four reminds me of eating your vegetables. My wife has been after me for years to eat healthy. However, it’s tough to do so with my busy travel schedule. Recently, however, my wife and I have gotten really good at cooking and making amazing, healthy dishes that include vegetables and actually taste good. So, the core four is similar to my healthy eating journey. We all know we need to physically ride along, have 1-on-1’s with our salespeople, train our teams, and set goals but often like vegetables we tend to avoid it. Rilla doesn’t replace these essentials but supports them so that we can complete our “core four” in an enhanced manner and achieve better results than we ever could have in the past.

Q: Who inspired you as you worked through your presentation? Share a bit about that person and why they’re an important part of your journey.

Years ago, I had the pleasure of co-facilitating with a gentleman named Eric Boles. Eric is a former NFL player that then turned leadership coach and has coached companies like Starbuck’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Verizon. He walks through how we live in a ‘both/and’ world. Successful companies today can’t be either/or, they need to be both/and. His positive, passionate approach, paired with a down-to-earth manner positively influenced my approach to coaching and speaking and I’ve been able, in turn, to help members break free of their self-image and reach potential they didn’t even know they had.

Q: Who is your breakout topic geared for, Chris?

I am specifically gearing the message to sales leaders. Often after I speak, I have people from the audience say things like, “I’m not in sales but a lot of what you discussed applies to my team as well!” The core four that we’ll explore at Rilla Masters applies to anyone leading a team, but the content offers a specific sales leadership theme.

Q: What’s the key takeaway attendees will walk away with?

If you adopt the core four into your own sales coaching you will see results in the form of revenue, profit, retention, and culture. As a bonus, if you are a Nexstar member, your coaches will support you in this journey with everything from getting started, to implementing, and using it to continually grow your business.

Q: How can members and attendees connect with you at Rilla Masters?

I am most excited to see both members I work with closely, and to connect with new members that I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet. If you’re attending Rilla Masters, feel free to grab me and chat during the event or please reach out via:

• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn (where I release a Sales Tip of the Day): Connect Here
• Nexstar’s Sales Operating System: Click Here