Fit + FAQ
Is HPN right for you?
We'd rather tell you the truth now than have you find out later. Here's who does well here, who doesn't, and the questions every hotel seller asks before making the jump.
“I talked to three people and I asked them all, give me the good, the bad, the ugly, and they were very transparent.”
Jeremy Shaw Wright
Fit
Who thrives here
You'll fit if you:
- Have 10+ years of group sales behind you in hotels, resorts, or meetings
- Sell on relationships, the long game
- Want to call your own shots, and hold yourself accountable for the results
- Handle change well and keep a positive head
- Do what you say you're going to do
- Want to have fun and still get stuff done
You may not fit if you:
- Need a steady paycheck starting on day one
- Prefer someone else to set your priorities
- Want to climb into a director's chair and lead a team
- Treat clients as one-and-done deals
“They have that fire. They have that desire to grow, to be better, but also they want to be their own boss... We're a little bit anti-authority, if you will. And I love that.”
Bill Kilburg, CEO, HPN Global
“the people who can identify, assimilate, and manage change are the people who are successful.”
Bill Kilburg, CEO, HPN Global
Change is our friend here. Leaving the property ceiling is the leap that opens a bigger book.
“I knew I wouldn't be a director. That's not me.”
Jeremy Shaw Wright
Bill Kilburg on the entrepreneurial chip.
FAQ
Questions hotel sellers ask us
How do I get paid?
100% commission. Hotels pay HPN a commission on the business you book, planners pay nothing, and you structure your split with HPN based on your experience and the size of your business. There's no base pay because you're not on a payroll. You're running a business, and your split reflects what you bring. See How You Get Paid.
How long until I earn?
Honestly, it takes time. Group business has long lead times, and commissions come when the business actualizes. How long the ramp takes depends on you: the longer you've been in hotel sales, the shorter your ramp tends to be — more experience, more contacts. Newer in hotel sales? The ramp is slower. Many associates plan their move around timing, for example after a hotel bonus.
“You have no income.”
Jenny Jenkins, on the scariest part
Is there a cost to join?
No. There is no cost to join HPN: no buy-in, no franchise fee, no startup fee.
What about health care and benefits?
As independent contractors, associates arrange their own coverage. We walk you through how others in our family have set it up for themselves and their families, so it doesn't stand between you and the opportunity.
Am I an independent contractor?
Yes. HPN associates are independent contractors. You set your schedule, choose your clients, and work from where you want.
Do I need to bring a book of business?
No. Some associates bring existing clients, and others start from scratch. Either way, your years of relationships with planners and hotels count.
“I didn't come over with customers and things like that. I had to figure it out.”
Jenny Jenkins
[CONFIRM C24: if HPN provides leads to new associates, say so here.]
What if I have a non-compete with my current hotel or company?
Check your own agreements, and talk to your own advisor if you're unsure. We're happy to talk through general questions confidentially on a call.
Who owns my client relationships?
[CONFIRM C5: e.g., "Your client relationships are yours," per HPN's published Sell Freedom post, plus what happens if you leave.]
Do I have a territory? A goal?
[CONFIRM C26: territory policy.] There's no one handing you a number to hit. Your goals are your own.
Can I do this part-time?
Yes. Your schedule is yours, full-time or part-time.
Will I be on my own?Video answer
Not even close.
“I can call anybody in this company and they pick up the phone, they answer, they will help, they jump in and they care.”
Jenny Jenkins
“We're a network of former hotel professionals who can lean on each other.”
Adam Crow
Won't I lose my hotel relationships?Video answer
You keep them, and you put them to work for your clients. You'll also meet a lot of new partners.
“I've gotten to know so many new hotel partners.”
Jenny Jenkins
Do I have to take every piece of business?
No. If a client isn't a fit, you can walk away.
“Bill says, ‘Call me when you fire your first customer.’”
Jeremy Shaw Wright
Is the family-first culture real?Video answer
Ask anyone here.
“HPN was the only one that supported me and they supported my family and they supported my business and they supported how I wanted to work with customers. And it wasn't fake, it was real.”
Patrick Halpin
“If something happens in somebody's life and they need time for family, family first, man, go do it.”
Bill Kilburg, CEO, HPN Global
Leaving a brand feels scary. Is that normal?Video answer
Completely. Our associates talk about it openly.
“that first couple of weeks leaving a hotel, it was this feeling of being completely untethered and it was unsettling... But you settle into it.”
Adam Crow
Isn't the market too uncertain right now?Video answer
“We can make money in up cycles and down cycles.”
Bill Kilburg, CEO, HPN Global
“don't put it off until tomorrow... Tomorrow's not promised.”
Brien Arone
Won't AI replace third-party sourcing?Video answer
AI can speed up the data. It can't build the trust that gets a contract signed.
“to get a hotel transaction done, there's going to have to be people talking because it's not a homogenous transaction ever.”
Bill Kilburg, CEO, HPN Global
Where can I live and work?
Anywhere. There's no limit on where you work from. Associates work from home, from the road, and from wherever life takes them.
What happens after I apply?
- Someone from our recruiting team reaches out personally.
- A confidential intro call to talk about your background and goals.
- Conversations with associates (ask them anything).
- You meet Bill Kilburg. Everyone does.
- Agreement and onboarding.
“Nobody gets in the company without meeting me personally.”
Bill Kilburg, CEO, HPN Global
