Eric Forbes, MBA

Evaluator
DISC Type : dcs

Director of Operations Strategy & Analytics at United Parks & Resorts

Greater Chicago Area, United States

Overview

Eric Forbes is a commercial strategy leader and Chief of Staff to the COO at United Parks & Resorts, with over 12 years of experience driving growth for brands like SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and specializes in turning strategy into execution.

His passion for the attractions industry extends to entrepreneurship, having co-founded Passmate, a digital guest experience startup for theme parks and museums. Earlier in his career, he received multiple awards for innovation and collaboration, underscoring his creative and team-oriented approach.

Unique fact: He is a listed inventor on patents for a "Zero Turn Mower Light System" and a "Ballast Assembly for a Work Vehicle. "

Personality Overview

Hard To Convince

Quality Focused

Fast But Analytical

They have a unique set of diverse traits where they are decisive and methodical but can sometimes be extra cautious and skeptical  They focus on the results, but can still be quite procedural and analytical about how to get there They are not very likely to become strong advocates of your product or service

Topics They Care About

Guest Experience
Co-founded Passmate, a startup focused on digital guest experiences for attractions, and leads guest experience enhancements in his current role at United Parks & Resorts.
Commercial Strategy
His career focus involves aligning strategy, analytics, and execution for major investment initiatives, annual planning, and business case development in the entertainment sector.
Attractions Industry
Deeply involved in the theme park and attractions sector through his leadership roles at United Parks & Resorts and as the co-founder of a relevant startup.

Media Appearances

Eric has no verified media appearances

Work History

1-2024
Director of Operations Strategy & Analytics at United Parks & Resorts
11-2022 - 1-2024
Director of Revenue Management at United Parks & Resorts
10-2021 - 11-2022
Manager, Acquisition Marketing at Discover Financial Services
4-2020 - 10-2021
Pricing Strategy at Discover Financial Services
4-2020 - 12-2021
Co-Founder at Passmate

Education

2016 - 2019
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management
2008 - 2012
Bachelor’s Degree from Iowa State University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 14 Location : Greater Chicago Area, United States Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Director of Operations Strategy & Analytics at United Parks & Resorts
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Insights For Selling To Eric

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Use phrases like ‘the ROI of this’, ‘X% more’ etc.
  • Help them weigh the risks by sharing objective proof points instead of anecdotes and examples
  • Keep a professional, business-like approach; especially if you tend to get informal quickly

DONT's

  • Avoid self-deprecating references or general informality, it could decrease their trust in you
  • Avoid inviting them for any social interactions until you have built some rapport with them
  • Don’t focus on relationship, focus purely on the merit of your product

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Eric is

  • ROI matters the most to them, followed by process and finally proof of results
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Eric

  • They might hesitate a little, but will go ahead and say no when necessary (or asked)

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Eric move?

  • They are unlikely to move very fast, especially when it comes to new products or services
  • Can Eric take some risk or not?

  • They have relatively low risk-appetite and are not very likely to go for something unproven and risky

You And Eric

Personality Compatibility


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