If you are an Evanston agent evaluating eXp Realty, the best sponsor for you is one who is actively producing at the top of the company, runs structured training for the agents on their team, and has built repeatable systems you can plug into immediately. Riley Hextell — ranked #1 at eXp Realty Illinois for total transactions in 2025 and in the top 50 of more than 80,000 agents companywide — fits that description and sponsors agents remotely across Illinois and nationwide.
Key takeaways:
- Your eXp sponsor determines the mentorship, training, and systems you get — choosing wisely is one of the highest-leverage decisions you will make at this brokerage.
- Riley Hextell is ranked #1 at eXp Realty Illinois for total transactions in 2025 and top 50 companywide, so the playbook he shares is one that is actively working at scale.
- Agents under his sponsorship get weekly live training, lead-gen infrastructure, and accountability check-ins — not just a name on a form.
- Revenue share through eXp creates a long-term income stream; your sponsor shapes how well you understand and build it from day one.
Why your eXp sponsor matters more than most agents realize
At a traditional brokerage, your broker of record and your day-to-day support system are built into the office. At eXp Realty, the company provides the platform — cloud campus, transaction support, health benefits, stock programs, and the revenue share model — but the mentorship layer is largely shaped by the sponsor you choose. Two agents can join eXp on the same day, pay the same fees, and have completely different experiences based solely on who they selected when they signed up.
A sponsor who is not actively selling cannot show you what a working pipeline looks like. A sponsor who does not run training is leaving you to figure things out through trial and error. And a sponsor who does not understand revenue share deeply cannot help you build it strategically. That gap in support is one of the most common reasons newer agents struggle in their first year at eXp, and it is entirely avoidable.
What Evanston agents gain under Riley Hextell's sponsorship
Riley is based in Illinois and works with agents remotely across the state and nationwide. Every agent who joins under him gets access to the same systems, training, and support — geography is not a limiting factor.
Here is what sponsorship under Riley includes:
- Weekly live training sessions covering lead generation, contract strategy, objection handling, and pipeline management. These are not pre-recorded modules — they are live calls where you can ask questions specific to your market.
- Lead-generation systems that Riley has built and tested through more than 135 five-star Google reviews worth of client volume. You are not starting from scratch on how to find and convert business.
- Accountability check-ins so that you are not just absorbing information but actually implementing it. The agents who grow fastest are the ones with structure around their activities, not just access to content.
- Direct mentorship from a #1-ranked Illinois producer. Riley earned the 2024 Chicago Association of Realtors Rookie of the Year award and then scaled to the top of his state and company in the following year — the growth curve he navigated is directly relevant to where you are right now as an Evanston agent building your business.
- Revenue share coaching. eXp's revenue share model is one of its most powerful long-term wealth tools, but most agents do not build it effectively because no one sits down and explains the mechanics. Riley walks agents through exactly how it works and how to start building a downline intentionally from day one.
How eXp's model compares to a traditional Evanston brokerage
- Factor: Commission split; Traditional Brokerage: Fixed split, often 70/30 or lower; eXp Realty: Agents cap out at 80/20, then keep 100% until annual cap resets
- Factor: Desk / office fees; Traditional Brokerage: Monthly fees regardless of production; eXp Realty: No desk fees; cloud-based model
- Factor: Stock ownership; Traditional Brokerage: Not available; eXp Realty: Agents earn company stock through transactions and other milestones
- Factor: Revenue share; Traditional Brokerage: Not available; eXp Realty: Earn a share of company revenue from agents you sponsor, up to multiple tiers
- Factor: Training; Traditional Brokerage: Varies widely by office; eXp Realty: eXp provides company-wide training plus sponsor-level support
- Factor: Mentorship quality; Traditional Brokerage: Depends on individual broker; eXp Realty: Depends on sponsor — choosing well is critical
The revenue share model, in particular, is worth understanding before you sign with any sponsor. As explained in detail in this breakdown of how eXp's revenue share works, the income you build from introducing other agents to the company can compound significantly over time — but only if someone walks you through how to build it correctly from the start.
What makes Riley's track record relevant to you as an Evanston agent
Credentials matter in this context because they tell you whether a sponsor actually uses the systems they are recommending. Riley is not a top producer from five years ago who now focuses solely on recruiting. He is actively selling, actively ranking, and actively refining the same playbook he teaches.
His trajectory is also relevant for agents early in their careers. The full story of how he built from his first year to winning the 2024 Chicago Association of Realtors Rookie of the Year award and then reached #1 in Illinois the following year is something he shares openly with the agents he sponsors — because the lessons from that growth period are directly applicable to where a newer Evanston agent is starting from.
His military background as a U.S. Navy veteran also shapes how he runs his team: with structure, honesty, and a clear expectation that showing up consistently is what separates agents who build lasting careers from those who stall out.
How to evaluate whether eXp is the right move for your Evanston business
Before committing to any brokerage change, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I currently capped at my split, or am I leaving money on the table every month because my brokerage has no cap?
- Do I have a structured lead-generation system, or am I relying on referrals and hoping the phone rings?
- Is my current brokerage building long-term wealth for me through stock or revenue share, or only through commissions?
- Do I have a mentor I can call when a transaction gets complicated, or am I navigating hard situations alone?
- If I stopped selling tomorrow, would I have any income remaining — or would everything stop with me?
If your honest answers to those questions reveal gaps, eXp's model under the right sponsor directly addresses most of them. The cap structure addresses split inefficiency. The cloud model eliminates desk fees. The stock program and revenue share create income streams beyond commissions. And Riley's training and mentorship infrastructure fills the support gap that holds newer agents back.
Getting started is a conversation
Riley sponsors agents in Evanston and across Illinois and the country entirely remotely, so location is never a barrier to getting the same level of support as agents in his home market. If you are evaluating eXp and want to understand whether it fits where your business is right now, reach out directly.
You can call or text 815-545-7476, email [email protected], or visit rileyhextell.com to learn more about what joining his team looks like in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Riley Hextell only sponsor agents in the Chicago area?
No. Riley sponsors agents remotely across Illinois and nationwide. Evanston-area agents receive the same weekly training, lead-gen systems, accountability structure, and mentorship as agents anywhere else in his network. Geographic proximity to Chicago is not required to benefit from his sponsorship.
What is the difference between an eXp sponsor and an eXp mentor?
At eXp Realty, a mentor is assigned through the company's formal mentorship program for newer agents and is a separate role from your sponsor. Your sponsor is the agent you select when you join — they are the person who shapes your access to training, systems, and community beyond what eXp's platform provides. Choosing a sponsor who is actively productive and runs structured support is one of the most important decisions you make when joining the company.
How does eXp's revenue share model work, and why does the sponsor matter for building it?
eXp pays a portion of company revenue to agents who introduce other agents to the brokerage, and that structure extends across multiple tiers of agents you sponsor and who those agents sponsor in turn. The sponsor you choose at sign-up affects how well you learn to build this income stream from day one. Riley walks agents through the mechanics directly and coaches them on building their downline intentionally rather than leaving it as an afterthought.
Is it possible to switch sponsors after joining eXp Realty?
Sponsor changes at eXp are generally not straightforward once you have joined, which is exactly why it pays to choose your sponsor carefully before you sign. Spending time on this decision upfront — vetting a potential sponsor's production record, training structure, and accessibility — is far more efficient than discovering a mismatch after the fact.