The Aerospace Executive Podcast

Big ships and tugboats are entirely different machines, and the captains who steer them serve very different roles. This rule shows up in our careers -  it’s hard for someone who thrives in a start-up to excel in a large corporation, and the people who are great in corporate would struggle in a more entrepreneurial environment. There’s nothing wrong with either path, but the key is knowing yoursel...

In football, throwing a red flag allows a coach to contest the ref’s decision. It installs an extra layer of accountability and fairness. In military operations, we red team our strategies to identify weaknesses that can be improved upon. Corporate organizations and businesses can benefit from the same approach. Having someone on the team who can interrogate a decision or call BS on a potential mo...

Most resumes, even the ones with the most impressive accomplishments, are nothing more than a list of boring bullet points. If you’re trying to get a great job with a profile that’s devoid of personality and storytelling, it’s going to be really hard to stand out. Everyone has an incredible story to tell about their lives and careers, the more we tell them, the more people want to bring us into th...

Recruiting the next generation of professionals is a big concern for the aviation industry. It is now mandatory that aviation companies, large and small, to paint a clear picture of attractive career opportunities.  How can the industry accomplish this?  Andy Priester, Chairman and CEO of the world's largest and oldest family-owned Management and Charter company talks about navigating challenges s...

One of the fastest ways to tank a career with a lot of potential is to be the guy or gal known for gossiping, whining and loudly airing discontent. It drags down the morale of the whole office and you become a cancer the company desperately wants to cut out. Instead of being the resident naysayer on the team, how do we show up ready to pull our weight and get the job done with minimal grumbling? I...

Over the last few years, what people expect from an employer-employee relationship has shifted significantly, and leaders have to keep up. The days of the traditional clock-in-clock-out, 9-5 job are over. People want real meaning, equity and trust out their companies. How do we progress towards happier workplaces? What are the employees of today seeking from their leaders, and how do so many compa...

Over the last 2 decades, the needs of veterans have come into the spotlight more than ever before, and there’s still a huge need to understand the challenges that come with military service. How do we make the transition out of service less difficult? What can civilians and the private sector do to better support the men and women who have served our country? In this episode, Fighter Pilot, Milita...

The mark of a great organization is a leader who empowers their people to make decisions at a tactical level; and employees who can advocate for change within the system. When business owners micromanage and smother their top talent, they make progress impossible. When employees complain about the shortcomings of the company without coming up with real solutions, they can’t thrive in their roles....

Too many people find themselves stressed and burnt out - not because their lives are too busy, but because they’re piling on way more BS on their plates than they need to. Our lives would be way easier if we followed this simple golden rule: if it’s not a hell yeah, it’s a no. Whether it’s jobs, business opportunities or even social commitments, we need to value our time by saying no to what doesn...

In today’s fast-paced world of algorithms and shiny objects, people overcomplicate career and business success, but just like in fitness, committing to a few simple actions is what drives results. The simpler we make things, the better we get at our jobs, and the faster we get to our goals. How do we simplify what we’re doing, and cut out the unnecessary complexity? In this episode, Robert Houghto...

As of May 2022, inflation remains the biggest concern for businesses. It’s not only raising production costs and eroding earnings, it’s also slowing down mergers and acquisitions, which should be very active right now.  Is it all gloom and doom or is this a speed bump before the big opportunity? In this episode, President of Alderman & Company, Bill Alderman returns to share how inflation is affec...

Once in a lifetime opportunities and massive breakthroughs don’t happen by accident - they are a direct byproduct of how we position ourselves. The next great career move could be one conversation or one even question away, but if we’re complacent or comfortable in what we know right now - it will always be out of reach. What keeps people from professional and personal growth? In today’s special e...

When it comes to investing in recruiting A+ talent, most companies talk a big game,  but just don’t do enough to really appeal to those heavy hitters in the job market. Where are they going wrong? From unexciting job listings to an unwillingness to pay for the best, we’re seeing employers make various mistakes, and as a result, their recruiting efforts keep falling flat. This is the craziest job m...

Everyone wants to land that big promotion, but when it comes down to snagging the role, many of us find ourselves stuck. So, how can we get unstuck? What would it take for us to impress the leadership in our organizations so much so that we’re the natural choice, when it comes to promotions? In this episode, Robert Houghton and I unpack the 3 ways to get unstuck, so you can finally land that milli...

Everyone wants to have a million dollar career, but when it comes down to thinking of how we’ll get there, things tend to get foggy.  The only way to reach our goals is by getting practical and tactical. We can’t expect to see big results if we’re not actively planning how to attain them.  How do we start planning accordingly? Is there a foolproof formula that takes our goals from dream to reality...

In order to build a successful, scalable business that sets us free, we have to first build a really great team. Our teams and the way they operate dictate the success of our organizations, and most of us know that. However, when it comes to building those teams, most of us just don’t know what we don’t know. So, how can we build the kinds of teams that allow us to create the businesses of our dre...

News Flash!! The Performance Review doesn’t need to be a nerve-wracking experience.    All it takes is a confidence.   In this episode, Robert Houghton and I share strategies on how to master the art of the performance review and get your career to the next level.      "The minute you go into a performance review, understand where you added value to the business." -Craig Picken     Three Things Yo...

If we think back to the group activities we did in school, there were always a few top achievers who took the lead, while the rest put in the bare minimum. The former were the group’s ‘A-players’, and they’re not limited to school environments: in fact, we often see the same dynamic play out in our organizations today.    So, what is it that makes some people more likely than others to put in the...

If there’s one thing that could characterize our present moment, it’s a general sense of unhappiness. People just aren’t content in their jobs anymore, and as a result, they’re quitting en masse. Thus, The Great Resignation. What’s behind this general discontent and what can we do about it?  Is there a simple solution or do we need to dig deeper to reach the roots of the issue? In this episode, MR...

There’s a general trend taking place at the moment, across industries, where everyone seems to be more concerned with what everyone else is doing, but that’s not going to get us anywhere. Only focus can do that.    What’s stopping more people from staying dialed in to their own jobs, and what can we do as leaders to make that easier for them?   Is there a way to pinpoint recruits more likely to kn...

COVID-19 was destructive to the aviation industry.     However, nearly 2 years after the global onset of the virus, much of the world is reopening. So, where does our industry stand today?   Are we finally on the road to recovery, or is there still a long way to go? Will we ever fully bounce back from the effects the pandemic has had on our business?   In this episode, co-founder of Inception Avia...

Making the transition from a military career to civilian is no easy task, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.    With the right tools and support finding the career of your dreams is within reach..    The question is, what do the right tools and support look like? Moreover, how can veterans show potential employers that they’re capable of adapting their skills to a whole new world?   In this ep...

Every business leader wants to have an abundance of A-Players but what happens when the “rainmakers” have trouble working with the rest of the team?    A disconnect between employees often causes havoc in our businesses and once disruption starts it may be hard to contain.     The question is, however, how do we even begin to find  the solution? Is retaining a rainmaking disruptor really worth los...

We’ve all heard the cliche saying, ‘people don’t leave jobs, they leave people’, but it’s time to debunk that idea, once and for all!   People leave jobs for all kinds of reasons, from higher pay, to better opportunities for growth and even convenience, so we’ve got to stop chalking it all up to leadership.    The question we should be asking is, what happens when people do leave?    In this episo...

Satellites have been around for decades, but thanks to the new affordability of low earth orbit, they're finally more attainable, so it's no surprise that the market is on fire right now.    The question is, what are all those satellites being used for?    What opportunities do satellites afford us today, and what can we expect the satellite business to look like in a few years' time?    In this e...