Think Like an Owner

In this episode of Think Like an Owner , I sit down with Trey Bryson , an aviation industry veteran with deep experience across business aviation, commercial MRO, and aircraft completions . Trey shares how his career has spanned everything from customizing luxury VIP jets —including designing in-air hot tubs and modular gyms —to founding Jet Works , an independent MRO business. We dive into: The m...

In this episode of Think Like an Owner , I sit down with Eric Legvold and Trey Darr of Davinci Jets to explore the business of private aviation management and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) services . We dive into how Davinci Jets was built from the ground up , the evolution of private jet management, and why the company has remained profitable every year since its founding . Eric shares...

In this episode of Think Like an Owner , I sit down with David Neeleman , one of the most accomplished entrepreneurs in aviation history. With a track record that includes founding five airlines —Morris Air (sold to Southwest), WestJet, JetBlue, Azul, and now Breeze Airways—David has built transformative companies across three different countries and reshaped the industry at every step. Given my w...

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bmq6URHPLJ0

In this episode of Think Like an Owner, we're tackling one of the most critical elements of scaling a business—building a world-class talent engine. Joining me are Jake Dancyger and Cyrus Symoom, co-CEOs of Clariti, who have spent the last five years growing their company from 20 employees to over 120. We break down the entire talent lifecycle, from sourcing and hiring top performers to coaching,...

In this episode of Think Like an Owner , I'm diving into one of the most crucial aspects of scaling a business—building and optimizing high-performing sales teams. To bring you the best insights, I've pulled together wisdom from past conversations with some of the sharpest minds in the game, including Tim Strickland, Mahesh Rajasekharan, Michael Coscetta, Dennis Dresser, and Ben Tagoe. We're break...

From Episode 257. Watcht the full episode here: https://youtu.be/x1utcQzmxjI

Ep.257: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by Steuart Botchford ( @Botchford ) and Sam Hyde. In this episode, I sit down with Sam Hyde and Steuart Botchford to dive into their journey of acquiring and growing Northstar Fertility, a leading surrogacy and egg donation agency. Sam and Steuart share their insights from building and managing the business, including how they identified value levers early o...

From Ep.256 with Corgy Bengtzen. Get the full episode here.

Ep.256: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by Cory Bengtzen ( @Cory-Bengtzen ). In this episode, I sit down with Cory Bengtzen, founder and CEO of SkyShare, to explore his entrepreneurial journey from the auto industry to building a vertically integrated private aviation business. Cory shares how his passion for aviation inspired him to leave the car business and start an airplane brokerage with no p...

From Ep. 255 with Savneet Singh. Get the full episode here.

Ep.255: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by Savneet Singh ( @SavneetS ). In this episode, I sit down with Savneet Singh, CEO of PAR Technology, to explore the interplay between urgency, culture, and leadership in building a successful public company. We discuss how Savneet has embedded a sense of urgency as a core value at PAR and how it drives decision-making, team alignment, and outcomes across t...

From Ep.254 of Think Like an Owner. Listen to the full episode here.

Ep.254: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by Tim Wade ( @Twade889 ). In this interview, we dive deep into safety in the aviation industry with Tim, the Director of Environmental Health and Safety at FlexJet. We discuss the current safety landscape, Tim's role, and the importance of a Safety Management System (SMS).  The conversation highlights the transition from the 60s' and 70s' rough aviation saf...

Welcome to a special holiday episode of Think Like an Owner ! For this unique experiment, we've compiled highlights, concepts, and invaluable ideas from some of our most popular episodes, creating a "mega episode" filled with wisdom from multiple accomplished guests. The focus? M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions)—a topic that captivated our audience throughout the year. This episode features clips from...

Ep.252: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by Savneet Singh ( @SavneetS ). My guest today is Savneet Signh, CEO of PAR Technology, a billion-dollar market cap publicly traded point of sale software business serving the restaurant industry. I've been following Savneet's career since college when he went on Invest Like the Best talking about acquiring software businesses through his holding company Ter...

Ep.251: Alex ( @Aebridgeman ) is joined by Richard Emery ( @Richardemery2 ). In this episode, my guest is Richard Emery, who has held various notable positions in business aviation sales at brands like Canadair, Bombardier, Gulfstream, and Hawker Beechcraft. Richard shares his experiences in different sales cultures, managing high-performing teams, and participating in brand turnarounds. The discu...

My guest on this episode is Craig Fuller. Craig is the founder of FreightWaves, a data and media business focused on freight and supply chains. FreightWaves is a VC backed company with $19 million in revenue with editorial content, a data product, job board, video content, and multiple podcasts. Prior to FreightWaves, Craig had no background in media but has built quite a playbook for media busine...

My guest on this episode is Craig Picken, an executive recruiter for C-suite executives in the aviation industry. We discuss key trends in aviation recruiting, top firms' strategies to attract and retain talent, and how small companies can have recruiting advantages over larger competitors. We also touch on the importance of having an external-facing CEO and fostering a dynamic, fast-moving organi...

My guest for this third episode in our Build Series is Kush Das, CEO of Ennoble Care, to talk about profitable growth. Or as he calls it, sustainable growth; something that goes to the heart of his mission to serve patients with the best possible care alongside a disciplined and motivated team. Kush and I discuss how they measure return on investment internally to remain profitable, how keeping th...

My guest on this podcast episode is Jim Derry, the CEO of Field Fastener, a $180 million fastener business based in the Midwest with a unique vendor-managed inventory system. We discuss two main topics: culture and maintaining a multi-generational family business. Jim shares insights on creating a measurable, data-driven culture where talented people thrive and the importance of values in defining...

Episode 246: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by Johnny Lieberman ( @JohnnyLieberman ) and Zack Miller ( @ZackMiller ). In this episode I am joined by Johnny Lieberman and Zack Miller, co-founders of Worklyn Partners, about their approach to integrating cybersecurity and IT services for middle-market companies. We discuss their multi-acquisition strategy and the integration of these services under...

Ep.245: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by James Lindstrom ( @James-Lindstrom ). The episode features Jim Lindstrom, a seasoned CEO with experience in leading companies like IES, Providence Service Corp and Verdian. The discussion covers his experiences with accelerating company growth, executing turnarounds, managing balance sheets, and strategic value creation. Jim shares insights on governance,...

Ep.244: Alex ( @aebridgeman ) is joined by Collin Hathaway ( @CollinHathaway ). I'm excited to welcome Collin Hathaway back for his third appearance on the podcast. Collin has a wealth of experience in the home services industry and company operations, and today we dive into his recent exit from Flint Group, which he sold to General Atlantic. We get into what he might have done differently, his be...

In this second episode of the Build Series, I speak to Rob Southern and James Bergeron about their experiences and strategies for upleveling as CEOs. We discuss their journeys in acquiring and running companies, the importance of executive coaching, and actionable habits and practices that contribute to continuous personal and professional growth. We also delve into distinguishing signal from nois...