David Dobbin

David Dobbin

It's not every day you get the opportunity to work with people like David Dobbin. In the fast-changing market that is mobile communications, he has lead the Canadian cellular industry into new territory, taking on what has traditionally been a very closed, hard-to-compete market. 

David was recruited to Mobilicity after a successful career with Toronto Hydro Telecom and Cogeco Cable. With huge barriers to entry, the company has already won a bold bid for $243 million worth of wireless spectrum in 2009, covering 13 of the 15 largest cities in Canada. 

Make no mistake, this was a massive undertaking - especially considering what had already been accomplished in the 3 years David led the company. Battling through regional and legal consent, technology, infrastructure, and construction - not to mention the logistics of running a cellular company once it's established: millions of text messages to set route, calls to set up, and the fast-evolving world of mobile handsets. 

On top of that, Mobilicity operates a large network of dealers, staff, and retail stores with hundreds of locations spread across the country. To give you an idea of how hands on David is in the expansion, last year alone he banked 184,000 Aeroplan miles.
That's a tough life for a family man. "Before I took that job, I talked it over with my wife," tells David. "I told her I am going to be gone for five years, but this is a real opportunity to make a huge difference in Canadian telecom. I'm blessed that my wife is a saint. She has been carrying a big load of family stuff for the last couple of years."

As for David's success as an executive, he points to group feedback and honest advice as a cornerstone. "All of my critical decisions in the last seven years have been made with my Group Leader's feedback. He's helped me think through things, and ensure outcomes that I want. In times of stress, he's been a sounding board for me and the most important function is that he's my 'business truth meter'."
David explains the "business truth meter": it's for those decisions where you know the answer but have been unwilling to accept it for one reason or another. Key questions and critical thinking from his group and Leader have been key, he notes. 

"And the group itself is such a unique form of feedback. That just doesn't exist anywhere. When I was fundraising for Mobilicity, for example, I ran that by my group to get their impressions: how was I presenting? What was being delivered?"

Finally, David says "Membership has 100% had impact with whole life balance. This isn't just about business. It's about how healthy you are, how you're balancing. It's an outsider's view on everything."