How Top Aerospace Executives Set the Vision, Grow Their Business & Develop Talent
Episodes
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
Tuesday Jul 14, 2020
We live in a society that teaches that there’s only two paths, win or lose. But the path to success isn’t that simple, and one key ingredient of success is learning from failure. The truth is, there’s no such thing as failure. As Nelson Mandela so famously quoted, “I either win, or I learn.”
Even when things don’t seem to be working out, we’re learning valuable lessons.
To succeed in business and in life, we need to understand that we won’t always win in the traditional sense, and that’s okay! We have to stop torturing ourselves for making mistakes.
In this episode, Founder and CEO of Extraordinary Advisors, Todd Palmer shares how to fail forward.
If you’re not failing forward, you’re not succeeding. -Todd Palmer
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- How to be intentional in everything we do
Whether we’re struggling with finding the right systems to implement in our businesses or facing something out of our control, like a pandemic, challenges are inevitable. It’s how we handle the challenge that determines if we win. - Why we must lean into uncomfortable conversations
It’s okay to feel stuck in a box, but we have to tell people. Communicate about potential problems and ask for help. Uncomfortable conversations are often more uncomfortable in our heads than they are in the real world, so lean into them. - How to embrace mistakes rather than fear them
When things don’t go according to plan, we get an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and grow from them. There’s no way to lose; we either win, or we learn.
Guest Bio
Todd Palmer is the Founder, President and CEO of Extraordinary Advisors. He is also a business coach and keynote speaker within the organization, and is passionate about helping people find ways around obstacles in their businesses. Todd is the author of The Job Search Process, and also writes on Human Capital Issues at Production Machining and DBusiness Magazine. Todd served as the owner and President of Diversified Industrial Staffing for over 22 years before retiring from day-to-day operations in 2019.
To find out more about Todd, visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddpalmer1
Find his book at:
https://www.amazon.com/Todd-Palmer/e/B019A60UQS%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
You can also email him on:
Thursday Jun 25, 2020
Thursday Jun 25, 2020
The world we once knew no longer exists, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We can now rethink and reaffirm our values as business leaders.
But are we changing or transitioning? There is a difference! Whichever it is we’re doing, communicating who we serve and what we stand for is the key to success.
Michael Alan Tate, author of Roll Up Your Sleeves, returns and discusses what it takes to be an effective leader in a world filled with constant change.
Principles and purpose are extremely important. When the people in your organization return to work, remind them how important their job is. -Michael Alan Tate
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
Reaffirm purpose: Why it is leadership’s job to help teams navigate their emotions, affirm their purpose and remind them of their importance.
Have a 90-day vision: Short term goals are very effective to move our businesses forward, and make them as clear as possible.
Communicate effectively: Nobody ever died from over-communication! People are hungry for information. Tell your story, communicate your vision.
Guest Bio
Michael Alan Tate is an executive consultant and career coach. He is also the author of The White Shirt: Find Your Ideal Career with the Secrets Hidden in This Ancient History, Design a Life that Works and Roll Up Your Sleeves: Leading and Living in a World of Constant Change. Michael is the Founder and President of On the Same Page consulting.
To find out more about Michael, head to:
Learn More About Your Host:
Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers.
Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.
Thursday Jun 18, 2020
Thursday Jun 18, 2020
It may be an act of God, but is force majeure a realistic path to go down?
Mark Ditto, Vedder Price Shareholder and Attorney, explains how stakeholders are responding to this and other pertinent legal issues in our current commercial aviation reality.
At the end of the day, we’ve got to look to the future. If we use force majeure as a reason not to pay bills, it puts us in a precarious position going forward. -Craig Picken
3 Things We Learned from Mark
- Force Majeure: It may seem like a viable option now, but be sure to think about the future. It may help protect cash, but it could impact future relationships with service providers.
- Rent Deferrals: Rent deferral requests continue to come fast and furious from operators and have taken on a variety of flavors. These often need to be approved by lenders as well, and it can take a long time to get consent.
- Relationships Matter: Lessors and banks have been relatively understanding of the toll this has taken on the airlines and the industry. The ones that thrive will focus on maintaining good relationships.
Guest Bio
Mark Ditto is an Aviation/Equipment Finance Attorney and shareholder at Vedder Price, P.C. He represents operating lessors, commercial banks, finance companies, private equity firms, hedge funds and other investors in all manner of aircraft finance transactions.
To find out more about Mark, head to:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ditto-90491464
You can also email him at mditto@vetterprice.com
Or call him on 3126097643
Learn More About Your Host:
Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers.
Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.
Thursday Jun 11, 2020
Thursday Jun 11, 2020
Airlines and Dinosaurs… Fighting off extinction! How does the industry rebuild?
With so much uncertainty, it will be difficult to plan a way forward, but it’s not all doom and gloom – people WILL want to travel again. We just have to figure out how to stay afloat until demand fully returns.
Leasing industry veteran and CEO / Chief Investment Officer at Warbird Capital LLC, Nick Pastushan joins me to discuss the future of aviation in a time of uncertainty.
Think of it like this: COVID-19 is like the asteroid that knocked out the dinosaurs. All parts of our industry’s ecosystem are at risk. -Nick Pastushan
Three Things Nick and I Discuss:
- The aviation industry will take flight, but we have to be prepared for intense restructuring to get us through “to the other side.”
- OEMs should take this time to go into hibernation. Even with all the skills and tools to keep producing, it’s a good idea to put a pause on operations until there’s more clarity in the industry.
- Once borders reopen, consumers may be hesitant to board flights. But, they will still want to see the world!
Learn More About Your Host:
Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers.
Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.
Guest Bio
Nick Pastushan is the Founder, CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Warbird Capital LLC. Prior to this, he was the Chief Investment Officer and Chief Credit Officer at CIT for over 10 years. Nick holds a Bachelor of Science from Rochester Institute of Technology.
To find out more about Nick, visit:
Thursday Jun 04, 2020
Thursday Jun 04, 2020
COVID brought CHAOS! It will also bring out two groups of people – those who will use it as a chance to grow and those who will bury their heads in the sand.
I find it ironic that most of the opportunity comes during times of uncertainty…How many new businesses were started during the great recession? How many millions were minted during the Savings & Loan crisis? How many took advantage of a recent 30% stock market drop? It’s time to navigate the chaos and identify the opportunity. The winners are aggressively doing that now. The losers are those saying “I’m not making calls today…businesses are closed.”
In this episode, I talk about why chaotic times are the best times to roll up our sleeves and dig in.
If you’ve got your head in the sand, hoping for the best is not going to work, you have to be driving forward and getting out of your comfort zone. -Craig Picken
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- Winning or losing is determined by the mindset we find ourselves in.
- Many companies can restructure for the better: Now is the time to hire engineers, A&Ps and pilots – skill sets that were in short supply 12 months ago.
- Use this time to prepare to drive your business and career forward. As businesses shift in the chaos, there will be new opportunities.
Learn More About Your Host:
Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers.
Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.
Thursday May 28, 2020
Thursday May 28, 2020
What makes a Navy SEAL a Navy Seal? Why did 25% of my Officer Candidate School classmates quit training in the first week? Why does your top sales exec produce exponentially better results than your bottom one?
It can be summed up in one word – GRIT! Those who talk about the dream and those who actually accomplish it.
People with grit have the determination to get things done, no matter the circumstance. They don’t quit.
The economy is now challenged and many businesses are fighting for survival. How will grit get us through to the other side?
Great economies create a lot of mediocre behavior. Right now, it’s time for us to roll up our sleeves, get into the trenches and find true grit. If you can produce 5x your salary in value, you’re going to be king forever. -Craig Picken
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- If you don’t feel like you’re in the right job, then start preparing and networking now. It’s time to position ourselves for the mass restructuring that will be coming in the next 24 months.
- The downside of a great economy is that it hid a lot of bad behavior. Now is the time to be evaluating everything and everyone in your business. Are you getting what you need to be successful?
- Challenging times create great opportunities. It’s a great time for reinvention so start planning for a new venture or direction.
Thursday May 21, 2020
Thursday May 21, 2020
In the wake of COVID-19 it is time to look forward and use the pandemic as an opportunity to improve. How can we use AI to take aviation forward and shape the future?
Neil Sahota, author of Own the AI Revolution, returns to the show to share how to rebuild the aviation industry.
The aviation industry as we know it has changed: we have to start changing the way we think about business. -Neil Sahota
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- New metrics that will precisely target flying airline customer
- Use AI to find our customers’ ‘why’. If we know why people were choosing to fly before the pandemic, we’ll be more likely to find ways to win them back.
- How to change mindsets to reshape the industry
Guest Bio
Neil Sahota is a United Nations Artificial Intelligence subject matter expert, IBM Master Inventor and Professor at UC Irvine. He is also a speaker on inspiring innovation, and the author of Own the AI Revolution: Unlock Your Artificial Intelligence Strategy to Disrupt Your Competition. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Neil is currently working on artificial empathy technology through the United Nations.
To find out more about Neil, head to:
NeilSahota.com
You can also find his book at:
https://www.amazon.com/Own-I-Revolution-Intelligence-Competition/dp/1260458377
Learn More About Your Host:
Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers.
Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.
Thursday May 14, 2020
Thursday May 14, 2020
What should leaders be doing NOW to ensure the future of aviation? Competing or Cooperating? On this episode, transformational CEO Hooman Yazhari shares how leaders should respond to the looming economic crisis.
Like it or not, people are scared of getting into aircrafts at the moment. We have to work together as an industry to think of how to make them feel reassured. -Hooman Yazhari
Takeaways + Tactics
- To protect the future, we have to protect the now. Liquidity is the key to everything, so go source as many sources of capital as possible.
- Use the current crisis to shape the future. Use the void in certainty as an opportunity to shape destiny.
- Now is the time to collaborate with our competitors to find a way forward and ensure passengers will feel safe on airplanes.
Guest Bio
Hooman Yazhari is a transformational CEO with a vast track record in assisting distressed companies through major transformations. Hooman is a key leader in extensive chain management. He is currently serving as Vice Chairman of the Board at Bristow Group, and has just joined the Board at Speedcast. Hooman is also the Non-Executive Director at Voyager Aviation.
To find out more about Hooman, head to:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hoomanyazhari
https://www.beyondcapitalfund.org/impactinvestmentfund?lightbox=dataItem-jd3bpkbr
Learn More About Your Host:
Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers.
Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.
Thursday May 07, 2020
Thursday May 07, 2020
Leaders must find ways to push their teams through change and chaos to deliver outstanding results, but how do you do so when the world changes in an instant? Brigadier General William C. ‘Bill’ David (US Army ret.) shares how to execute change, lead teams and manage expectations in rapidly changing environments.
Stay calm if you can, talk to your customers and talk to your employees. -Bill David
Takeaways + Tactics
- Don’t be afraid to over communicate with customers. The best way to stay abreast of our customers’ needs is through constant dialogue.
- Evaluate current personnel. Now is the time for leaders to evaluate whether teammates fit company values and make necessary adjustments.
- Be transparent. For businesses to survive the storm means being open with where they are and where they are going.
Learn More About Your Host:
Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers.
Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.
Guest Bio
Brigadier General William C. ‘Bill’ David is the advisor and subject matter expert at Valiant Integrated Services. He is a decorated army veteran, having led the historic “Blackhawk Down” rescue of Task Force Ranger in Somalia. Following his retirement from active duty, Bill worked for 15 years in the private sector in executive management positions in the Aerospace and Defense industry.
To find out more about Bill, head to
Thursday Apr 30, 2020
Thursday Apr 30, 2020
Neil Sohata, author of Own the AI Revolution, discusses this controversial topic and how it will affect Aviation. Will AI ever replace us and should we feel threatened? Listen to Neil’s vision to find out…
There’s no need to feel threatened by AI: it’s meant to enhance our capabilities, not replace them. -Neil Sahota
Takeaways + Tactics
- AI will transform the aircraft manufacturing process
- Airlines and travel companies will AI to revolutionize travel experiences
- Don’t panic … it will ENHANCE human capabilities, not replace them