Great sales teams are not built by accident; they are coached, developed, challenged, and inspired. In this episode of EXCIA, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Eric Weisbrod, Sales Manager for Panama City Beach West at D.R. Horton, America’s #1 homebuilder.
Eric leads 20+ sales professionals, supports 600+ closings annually in his market alone, and is part of a leadership team responsible for over 1,200 sales per year. What makes Eric exceptional isn’t just the numbers; it’s how he leads, coaches, and builds people.
This conversation delivered powerful lessons for sales managers, builders, and frontline sales professionals alike.
Eric’s career began in mortgage lending in the early 2000s, where he spent 15 years as a loan officer, branch leader, and wholesale account executive. His transition into new home sales management came through opportunity, humility, and adaptability. Initially joining D.R. Horton on the lending side before being invited into builder leadership. “I was a fish out of water my first year,” Eric shared. “But growth comes from stepping into discomfort.”
That willingness to stretch, to learn, fail forward, and grow became a recurring theme throughout our discussion.
One of the most fascinating parts of Eric’s story is his late entry into competitive sports. Despite not playing sports growing up, Eric joined a semi-pro football league in his 20s, a physically demanding, intimidating environment that reshaped his mindset.
What did football teach him?
These lessons now show up clearly in how Eric develops sales talent, especially through bench strength, junior programs, and long-term coaching.
One of Eric’s strongest beliefs: Sales skills can be taught. Attitude cannot.
He shared a story that reshaped his entire hiring philosophy, hiring an 18-year-old part-time hire from a golf shop who progressed from assistant → junior → full-time salesperson → top performer.
The takeaway?
This mirrors what I’ve seen for decades: talent emerges when given the right pace, support, and environment.
Eric said something every sales manager needs to hear:
“I can’t motivate anyone. Motivation has to come from within. What I can do is inspire, coach, and educate.”
The best sales leaders:
But they don’t drag people forward, they invite them to grow.
One of Eric’s most impactful practices is his commitment to one hour per week, one-on-one, in the field with each salesperson.
Not behind a desk.
Not in a conference room.
In the model, where the work happens.
Why it matters:
As Eric put it:
“There are things they don’t know to ask until you’re standing there together.”
Eric renamed traditional “sales meetings” to Sales Rallies, and the difference is intentional.
His approach includes:
Fun? Yes. Accountable? Absolutely.
Each rally includes a roll call leaderboard:
There’s nowhere to hide in sales, and that’s a good thing.
Eric openly addressed one of leadership’s toughest challenges: Top producers with poor attitudes.
His philosophy aligns with mine:
Meanwhile, struggling salespeople with great attitudes often receive Eric’s strongest support because effort, habits, and mindset predict long-term success.
Throughout our conversation, Eric repeatedly emphasized process over commission breadth.
Daily habits beat short-term pressure:
When process is consistent, results follow, even in tough markets.
Eric closed with wisdom every manager should internalize:
This conversation reinforced something I’ve believed for decades:
Great sales leaders don’t create salespeople, they create environments where people become great.
Eric Weisbrod is doing exactly that.
If you’re a sales manager, builder, or aspiring leader, I encourage you to reflect on your own coaching habits and ask yourself:
Am I inspecting results… or developing people?
Happy Selling.
Roland Nairnsey, President, New Home Sales Plus
Author Mastery of Selling for New Homes, and Mastery of Negotiation, Includes the 22 Golden Rules of Negotiation