Eric Dobbie
A Wall Street Vet Exemplifying What it Means to be in Sales
Article By Nyah Marshall
Eric Dobbie is a 25-year veteran Wall Street equity trader, who currently works as a sales consultant for Allegiance Trucks, a premier truck dealer in the Northeastern United States. Whether you need to «spec a new truck, track down hard-tofind parts, or repair your vehicle after an accident,” Allegiance is committed to meeting all of these trucking needs. However as Dobbie puts it, his job is more than just selling trucks, it’s one that builds and fosters relationships. As a trading and sales insider, he enjoys sharing his knowledge and has worked with inner city kids for about 25 years, running youth programs in Harlem, Baltimore, St. Pete and Tampa. How did he become the exemplary salesperson and motivational speaker he is today? By way of a broken ankle.
How did your profession as a sales consultant at Allegiance Trucks come to be? First, my Wall Street background created the opportunity for me to see both sides of the world. I had the opportunity through sales, to do some consulting, to do some topics on networking, sales, training, networking, what it means to be a networker, the habits of being a networker, and I like to give back and share some of my knowledge.
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Now, I’m in the trucking industry. I sell commercial trucks up in Hartford, Connecticut. How do you go from Wall Street to selling trucks? Well, I got into the truck industry, by way of a broken ankle, believe it or not. In 2011, I was waiting tables in Florida and couldn’t get a job. So the guy I used to rent my condo to called me and asked, how old was my son, Luke. And I said, ‘He’s 12.’ ‘So can he play baseball?’ I said, ‹Yeah, absolutely.’ He says, ‘Well, my catcher broke his ankle and I need somebody to play catcher.’ I say, ‘Great, Luke could be on your team.’ So he actually joined the Clearwater Little League. The guy I was renting my condo to, He said ‘You’re the best salesman I’ve ever seen. Do you want to sell trucks?’ I said, ‘Absolutely.’ I started selling that following Monday. My customer in Hartford was my biggest customer in Florida for two years. He hired me four years ago, now, I’m up here in Hartford, Connecticut.
What does your average day look like? A day in the life of a truck salesman is a lot of networking. You’re always talking to business and business owners. There’s a lot of people that use trucks. You got roofers, movers, electricians, plumbers, caterers…It’s just nonstop phone calls.
June 2022
