If you’re one of the millions who follow one of America’s favorite pastimes, this might catch your attention.
Dorian “Doe” Boyland was a former Major League Baseball first baseman drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second-round back in 1976. Boyland’s last game with the Pirates was on Oct. 4, 1981; he only played 21 games with the team before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Tom Griffin.
These days, he’s making headlines as one of the top black-owned car dealership owners for the past decade, and he’s not your ordinary dealer. Boyland is also a recipient of a doctoral degree from The University of Wisconsin; very few auto dealers can claim that distinguished honor.
Boyland has managed to successfully own and operate 22 dealerships in six states before selling the dealerships as he prepared for retirement. He operates his Orlando, Florida-based auto group with dealerships scattered throughout Oregon, Florida and Wisconsin.
Boyland’s dealerships include a luxury franchise for Mercedes-Benz of South Orlando. Boyland claims that the Florida location has produced 25 percent annually to total revenues over the past 15 years. That achievement earned him the Mercedes-Benz “Best of the Best Dealer” Recognition Award in both 2017 and 2018.
While most dealerships seek to gain recognition based on the number of vehicles sold or revenue generated, Boyland Auto Group prefers to focus on the profitable gains produced from each sale. Talk about a jack-of-all-trades!
In case you’re wondering how sales are generated during the current digital era climate, new business developments have become contingent on sales from the internet, social media, and digital marketing.
That makes up for nearly 80 percent of the auto group’s advertising spending; it was around 55 percent almost five years ago. Online tactics have given the company room to minimize promulgated costs 50 percent annually from five years ago.
“I operate this business as a tight business that is supposed to generate a profit,” he said.
Boyland isn’t at all shy about helping other black business owners. He said he believes that one of his highest achievements isn’t that of his business, but helping other black entrepreneurs get involved in the auto industry.
In fact, Boyland has been able to provide assistance for 10 people of color to become either general managers or dealership owners under the umbrella of his own company.
“We have to do it ourselves,” he said. “We’re not doing enough for each other.”
Boyland serves as another example of winning in life and continued success after retiring from a sport well played.
