How Top Aerospace Executives Set the Vision, Grow Their Business & Develop Talent
Episodes
Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
Commercial Airlines in the United States have achieved an amazing accomplishment– 10 years without a major mishap. This is an enviable safety record that is a direct result of professionalism and industry improvements made through the years. Resting on our laurels, however, is not an option.
How do we maintain this stellar record despite massive industry changes?
In this episode, I’m joined by former VP of Flight Ops for Southwest Airlines, Bob Waltz shares what’s behind the improvement of safety and how to keep it that way going forward.
How we’re training pilots is better than it was even a couple of years ago. -Bob Waltz
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- How to set pilots up for safety: With rampant pilot hiring what training gaps needed to be closed?
- Solving the pilot shortfall: Would it be wise to reduce the 1500 hour rule?
- Why the human-machine interface is still needed: As aircraft become more complicated, how do we make sure pilots are familiar with the basics?
Guest Bio
Bob is the former VP of Flight Ops for Southwest Airlines. At the core of his experience is leadership in the operational and training arenas of aviation, both in the military and the civilian sectors--but his interests are wider than commercial aviation alone. He enjoys helping others see the value of Safety Management Systems and continuous improvement and bringing these concepts to life in their enterprise. Bob’s skill set translates well across other industries and areas of focus, from unmanned systems to space to formal education and educational administration to venture capital start-ups. His background was forged while attending the U.S. Air Force Academy, leading crews flying combat/combat support sorties in the Middle East and the Balkans, serving at the national level as the head of a recruiting team delivering educational opportunities to the widest audience, and guiding a multi-billion dollar OPEX and multi-million dollar CAPEX team of 10,500 folks through the pandemic while completing his Ph.D. in Aerospace Science / Safety Management Systems.
For more information, head to https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-waltz-1829a51b/.
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 Apr 27, 2023
Thursday Apr 27, 2023
The pilot shortage might feel like a relatively recent thing, but it has been decades in the making. The foundation had been buckling for a long time and now we’re in full-on free fall, which is being reflected in the salaries and contracts we’re seeing today.
Will this be the new normal going forward? In order to solve this issue, the whole industry has to present a united front to create a solid pipeline of talent. The companies that refuse to pay competitively will suffer accordingly.
In this episode, I’m joined by speaker, author and CEO of The AirComp Calculator, Chris Broyhill. We discuss the roots of the pilot shortage and how it can be rectified.
OEMs have a dog in the compensation fight whether they know it or not. They have to lead by example. -Chris Broyhill
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- The pilot pipeline crisis
Why is the barrier of entry for pilots so much higher than it was in the 1980s?
- Why so many companies suffer
Pilots are expensive to replace, how do we avoid losing them?
- OEMs have a dog in the compensation fight
How can the entire industry make a push towards retaining talent?
Guest Bio
Chris Broyhill is a speaker, author and recognized business aviation industry authority on compensation, personnel retention, leadership, and organizational culture. He is the inventor and CEO of The AirComp Calculator. The AirComp Calculator™ is business aviation’s only online compensation analysis system. It can provide precise compensation ranges for 14 business aviation positions in six aircraft classes at over 50 locations throughout the United States in seconds. For more information, head to https://aircompcalculator.com/ or send an email to drchrisbroyhill@aircompcalculator.com.
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 Apr 20, 2023
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
Stories about the collapse of banks rightfully spook investors in a variety of industries, but things aren’t quite as dire as they are made out to be. Collapses make for great news stories, but if we really look at what’s happening in the aerospace and defense market, there’s no real cause for media panic.
Why is A&D in what my guest calls “A Goldilocks Place” right now? How do we separate media-fueled panic from what’s actually happening?
In this episode, aerospace and defense M&A banker and Founder and President of Alderman & Company, Bill Alderman returns to share how the “credit scare” is affecting A&D.
People are going to use the news any way they can to get a better deal. -Craig Picken
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- Why aerospace and defense are in a really great place right now
It’s very rare for both A & D to be having a good run. Why are they thriving?
- How aerospace and defense have been affected by the “capital scare”
With inflation and everything else going on, is this a great time to sell your aerospace and defense business?
- Strategic buyers are keeping the market honest
Are financial buyers taking advantage of the situation to try and get a better deal?
Guest Bio
William ‘Bill’ Alderman is the Founder and President of Alderman & Company who are aerospace and defense M&A bankers. Bill has always had a passion for aviation, and is both a commercial pilot and aircraft owner. Today, he uses his expertise, coupled with his interests to represent Middle Market Sellers in the Aerospace and Defense industry.
To find out more, go to:
https://aldermanco.com/
You can also call or text him on:
9144144070
Or email him at:
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 Apr 13, 2023
Thursday Apr 13, 2023
Reinventing your career is something just about everyone will have to do at some point, but what about companies? Can a company that was headed in one direction shift its entire trajectory?
The short answer: yes. With thought and intention a company can change its culture, realign their hiring practices and do what it takes to grow. The only thing is, the leaders have to adapt a specific mindset to successfully do this.
In this episode of Million Dollar Careers, we discuss what it takes to transform a company.
It’s about active listening and then coming up with benchmarks and actions that are mutually agreed upon between staff and management. -Rob Houghton
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- Why great organizations lose great people
Really good people get pigeonholed because they are good at their jobs, how do you provide growth opportunities?
- The mark of great management
Many leaders say they listen to their people, but it’s really in one ear and out the other. How do you really start taking in what they say and taking action on it?
- When companies say “we can’t find the right people”..
Is the problem the talent in the market or something in the company's practices?
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 Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
With interest rates, inflation and the running businesses in the post-covid era, leaders are being hit by challenges from all directions. The problem is: if we’re orienting towards everything that’s happening as temporary, we’re not helping ourselves or our businesses.
If we try to carbon copy the way we operated before to now, we’ll stagnate. If we choose to go back to basics and reorient ourselves to this new North Star, we’ll accelerate our organizations.
How do we raise the quality of our decision making? What do great leaders bring to the table?
In this episode, executive coach and facilitator, Miriam Meima shares her observations on leadership today.
The companies who are not trying to carbon copy the way they operated before and are more willing to reinvent from building blocks are the companies that have accelerated. -Miriam Meima
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- Advice for the accidental leader
When the leadership mantle is thrust upon you, how do you find your feet and thrive?
- How to lead for today, not yesteryear
How have the last few years impacted the collective decision making of teams?
- The truth about ‘hit the ground running’, ‘sink or swim’ culture
What does it take to set an employee up for success?
Guest Bio
Miriam Meima has been a Coach & Facilitator for over twenty years. She has closely studied the overlap between business and psychology in effort to learn how to support her clients in finding simple ways to be authentic and effective simultaneously. Miriam has coached founders/executives and supported leadership development strategies at Slack, Twitter, LinkedIn, Hims & Hers, Glassdoor, Glossier and 100s of start-ups of all sizes across industries and regions.
She has worked closely with the thought leaders studying the link between culture and bottom-line success. Miriam has a unique ability to understand an entire system and how to most effectively influence change, taking into consideration the infinite complexity of the individual, company and current market conditions. She is well known for her success with cultural change and often speaks on the topic of “How to Preserve your Culture While You Scale.” Miriam’s credentials include an MA in Organizational & Management Development, a BA in Business & Psychology. She is a Master Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation, a Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Coaching and a member of Forbes Coaches Council. Her work exists in the sweet spot blending left-brain research and right-brain creativity.
For more information, connect with Miriam on LinkedIn.
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 Mar 30, 2023
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Most organizations don’t put enough time into the culture and mindset that makes them a great place to work and they miss out on talent because of it.
It’s one thing to post a job and wait for applicants to start rolling in. It’s another thing to proactively make your company a destination - a place people would beat down doors to join.
Maybe it’s HR laziness or an inability to determine your company’s true value proposition, but ultimately, if you’re not thinking about what your company brings to the marketplace, you’re in trouble.
In this edition of Million Dollar Careers, we explore how to make your company stand above the rest when it comes to attracting and retaining talent.
If you’re really good and you can take a company, P&L or territory to new heights, you take the base salary for you to live on and then you work for the upside which you can thrive on. -Craig Picken
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
-How to establish your company as an elite workplace
What would make someone want to relocate and move to your company?
-How to make joining your company a no-brainer
If salary isn’t enough to compel the best people to join your company, what are they looking for?
-What special force operations teach us about attraction and retention
A lot of military operations aren’t lacking in ambitious people eager to join, what’s their secret?
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 Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
We’ve all heard about the massive lay-offs at Google and Facebook, but what you probably haven’t heard is how quickly those employees were able to find new jobs. It just goes to show that when it comes to high quality talent, the power isn’t on the employer’s side.
Many companies are still working off old data, putting them at a great disadvantage in terms of finding talent. When it comes to getting the best people, we can’t get away with paying them less in this market.
How do we make sure our pay packages are meeting the demands of the market?
In this episode, we talk about what most employers are getting wrong about this job market.
If your company has limited resources, what can we do in lieu of cash to make someone happy? It always comes down to equity - make someone an owner. Align their goals with yours. -Craig Picken
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
-Why small companies are winning
Most people are afraid of going to small companies, but could they be the best place to work in turbulent times?
-Pay a valuable people more than you’re comfortable with
How do we design pay packages that reflect the demands of the market?
-The power of giving A+ talent equity
How do we sweeten a package when you have limited resources?
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 Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
After the Eagles’ Super Bowl defeat, Jalen Hurts said, ‘you either win or you learn’, and it’s true. Losses and setbacks are the biggest teachers in life, but what if we could learn while we’re winning? Learning doesn’t have to be punitive, it can be something we do proactively.
What if we didn’t get too comfortable and complacent when we’re succeeding, so that we get ahead of failure?
In this episode of Million Dollar Careers, we talk about how to learn while you’re succeeding so you don’t have to learn when things go wrong.
You can win and learn at the same time. -Rob Houghton
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- Learning doesn’t have to be punitive
What’s the biggest misconception about learning?
-Even if you won the game, you still watch the tape on Tuesday
Instead of resting on our laurels, how do we stay hungry and on our toes when things are going well?
- From self-awareness to self-actualization
Can you move towards something and live in the moment at the same time?
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 Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Once upon a time in aviation and defense, tier 1 operators held all the cards and led all the innovation. Now the days of “you need us more than we need you” are squarely in the rearview mirror and smaller operators have a lot more power than they ever did before.
In a supply-constrained environment, the big operators rely on every single deliverable from small operators to keep their lines afloat. In terms of innovation, it's no longer the Boeings, Airbuses, and big OEMs leading in the adoption of new technologies.
What does this mean for the future of the whole industry? Could this lead to disruption?
In this episode, Executive Business Editor at Aviation Week Network, Michael Bruno returns, and we discuss what’s going on in aviation and defense and the innovation storm headed our way.
There is a tremendous amount of opportunity for suppliers to grow and really shine in a supply constrained environment. -Michael Bruno
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- The shift in aviation power dynamics
In such a supply chain constrained environment, do the tier-1 operators need the smaller guys more than they need them?
- Business aviation, from zombie industry to profitable powerhouse
Have the last few years brought many ailing sectors back from the brink?
- Getting Boeing back on track
There’s no way Boeing will emerge from this decade the same, what can we expect to change?
Guest Bio
Michael Bruno is the Executive Business Editor at Aviation Week Network. A recipient of the Jesse H. Neal award, known as the 'Pulitzer Prize of business media', Michael covers aviation, aerospace, and defense businesses, their supply chains, and related topics. Before joining Aviation Week, Michael was a staff writer for the Washington Post and Bloomberg NBA.
To find out more, head to:
https://aviationweek.com/author/michael-bruno#
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-bruno-469658a
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 Feb 23, 2023
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Entrepreneurial individuals and salary-focused people aren’t built the same. This is a lesson smaller organizations learn the hard way when they bring on a leader who has a large corporate mentality.
The two types of business mentality don’t gel, and forcing a bureaucratic leadership style on an entrepreneurial organization can tank the business faster than any market downturn.
In this episode, we share why a salaried employee mindset will never, ever work in a “tugboat” environment.
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
-The big challenge private equity firms and startups are facing
A big company mentality won’t work in an entrepreneurial environment, why are the two such a poor fit for each other?
-What all entrepreneurs have in common
Can someone who’s used to the safety and certainty of a high salary ever take on the risk-tolerance of an entrepreneur?
-How small businesses become successful
What does it take to build and grow a company from the ground up?
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.