KEY POINTS
- The "All-In" Mandate: Juggling side hustles will kill your D2D success. To win, you must be mentally and physically committed to sales, treating it as your sole mission.
- Momentum Beats Talent: Avoiding "bagel days" (zero sales) is a non-negotiable minimum that builds unstoppable momentum, proving consistency is more powerful than innate skill.
- Honesty is the Ultimate Close: Walking away from a sale that doesn't genuinely benefit the customer—or recruiting a rep that's not a good fit—is the most powerful form of integrity and trust-building.
Struggling to close even one deal on a given day?
That feeling of hitting a wall is one of the hardest parts of sales, but imagine transforming that initial struggle into running a $2 million sales office in under two years. This kind of exponential growth isn’t due to luck; it stems from an “all-in” commitment—a relentless focus that eliminates every distraction and excuse.
This incredible transformation is the story of Ty Dayton, a rising manager at Avayda Pest Control, featured in this episode of The D2D Podcast. Host Hunter Lee sits down with Ty, who quickly jumped from being a raw recruit to overseeing a thriving office of over 30 representatives, putting him on a fast track toward the prestigious Golden Door Award.
The full conversation dives into the tough sacrifices, the family challenges, and the key mindset shifts that powered his ascent. You can watch the full conversation on the D2D Experts YouTube channel or continue reading for Ty’s complete playbook on beating the slump and mastering team scalability.
Watch / Listen
Guest: Ty Dayton, Regional Manager at Avayda Pest Control and D2DCon Canada Speaker.
The Rookie Reality: Why Side Hustles Kill Momentum
Ty’s career began with an initial hustle—he was running a car detailing business and selling products on Amazon while attending university. However, the moment a manager offered him a Red Bull and a challenge, he was hooked on the high-commission D2D life.
1. Burn the Ships, Not the Candle
Ty quickly realized that the rookie misconception of “multiple streams of income” is a fantasy. He advocates for the “burn your ships” mentality: you can’t be one foot in and one foot out. The D2D industry demands 100% of your energy, and splitting your focus—even with seemingly productive side hustles—will prevent you from achieving the breakthrough needed for financial freedom.
2. Overcoming the Parental Naysayer
One of Ty’s biggest challenges was selling his own parents on his career choice. As first-generation university graduates, they saw dropping out for a commission job as reckless. Ty’s survival strategy was to never complain and always present a positive front: “I always said, ‘Yeah, it was the best day ever.'”. He advises rookies to seek support from people who understand the industry (mentors), not parents who only want to remember the struggle.
3. The No-Bagel Mandate
Ty attributes his rapid success to his relentless drive to avoid a “bagel day” (zero sales). This wasn’t about setting arbitrary high goals; it was about establishing a daily minimum and refusing to leave the field until he hit that first sale. This action builds momentum, which is the key multiplier in sales—a concept far more important than innate talent.
The Blueprint for Leadership and Integrity
Ty’s rapid jump from rep to manager was fueled by successfully recruiting his twin brother and other close friends. He learned that leading people requires teaching, which simultaneously forces the manager to get better at their own craft.
1. The Honesty Barometer
A crucial lesson Ty learned about integrity is the ability to walk away from a sale. While it’s tempting to close an account (like an elderly couple who may not fully understand the contract), true honesty means saying no when the deal is not in the customer’s best interest. This integrity, he notes, is what builds the long-term trust required for referrals and sustained success.
2. Recruiting the “Whole House”
Ty emphasizes that in recruiting, especially for high-level reps, you must sell the people of influence. This means inviting spouses, partners, or even parents to dinner to ensure they are on board. If the main decision-makers in a rep’s life aren’t supportive, they will inevitably pull that rep away from their mission.
Fewer “try again tomorrow” days
Quick bites, real scripts, instant answers (for free)
JP Arlie is a seasoned professional with a remarkable 30-year career in the direct sales industry. He has achieved significant milestones, leading organizations responsible for over 300,000 in-home sales transactions and recruiting more than 40,000 sales representatives.
JP’s versatile journey in the direct sales field has seen him take on various roles, from business owner to Vice President in a publicly traded company. One of JP’s core values is his commitment to positively impact the lives of others and change the course of history. Additionally, JP serves as an esteemed Executive Education Coach at Harvard Business School’s Program for Leadership Development.
JP Arlie specializes in vital areas, including recruiting and retention strategies through effective systems and processes. His insights have proven instrumental in helping businesses of all sizes build and maintain high-performing sales teams. Furthermore, he excels in guiding organizations through the process of meaningful organizational change.
