How Top Aerospace Executives Set the Vision, Grow Their Business & Develop Talent
Episodes
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.
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
Over the last few years, the business of aviation has been impacted by so many powerful forces, it feels a lot like a rubber band that stretched too far. The question is: will that rubber band ever retract back to what it was before, or is this just the new normal?
From inflation and the pilot shortage, to new buyers and changing pricing models, the industry has had to absorb a lot. Even though it just managed to bear the brunt of it, things may never be the same.
In this episode, I’m joined by CEO of Mente Group and Four Corners Aviation, Brian Proctor. He shares his thoughts on the industry today, and how the new normal is impacting everything that touches it.
Aircraft priceability is much less stable than ever before. That will begin to impact how owners think about the asset, but also lenders and insurance companies will begin to rethink how they go about valuing the airplane. -Brian Proctor
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- Scrappy from the start
Starting a company in a down market doesn’t sound ideal, but can it serve you well in the long-run?
- How Mente Group migrates to where value is in the marketplace
How can companies keep up with the ever-increasing complexities of buying and selling aircraft?
-Where the current aircraft pricing model falls short
Is it high time we changed how we price aircraft to reflect the reality of the market?
Guest Bio
Brian is an aviation industry expert, the President and CEO of Mente Group and also the CEO of Four Corners Aviation. Brian has been serving private aviation clients for over 19 years. Having been involved in over $8 billion in aircraft transactions and over $7 billion in aviation business planning, Brian’s experience is sought by corporations and individuals worldwide.
For more information, head to https://mentegroup.com/ and https://fourcornersaviation.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 Feb 09, 2023
Thursday Feb 09, 2023
In my recent conversation with Mike ‘Nasty’ Manazir, he talked about starting with the end goal in mind and setting the intention to fly F-14s before it was even a possibility for him.
Every legendary pro-athlete knew what they wanted from a young age, and carved every aspect of their lives to get to that destination. In any field, the best of the best never lose sight of the ultimate goal, and they keep their eye on the prize at all times.
How can we apply this if we want to build a Million Dollar Career? In this episode, we’re talking about what it takes mentally to achieve the exceptional.
A million dollar career is about punching above your own weight, understanding where you want to be and having a laser focus to get there. -Craig Picken
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- The difference between mediocre and Hall of Famer
How are the habits of an exceptional professional different from the rest of the pack? - Why people lose sight of the prize
How can you become so laser focused on where you want to go that you can resist all shiny objects? - How to determine your finish line early
Are you on the right career path based on what you’re good at and what you actually want to accomplish?
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 02, 2023
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
In many facets, the idea of a fully electric future becomes more attainable by the day, and the question is if aeronautics and aviation are headed in that direction. There’s a lot of conversation about the possibility of electric aircraft, but how viable is it with the current battery technology and materials we have?
What are some of the challenges (and opportunities) in transitioning to electric aviation? In this episode, co-founder and President of HOBI International, Craig Boswell talks about green energy, EVs, the limitations that make electric aircraft harder to achieve, and what the industry is doing about them.
The Holy Grail is a very safe battery with tremendous power density that’s also cheap. It’s buried somewhere out there, but we still haven’t found it. -Craig Boswell
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- How to extend the life of existing technologies
What are some of the concerns and factors that we need to be aware of at the end of the life cycle of electronics? - How to manufacture with recyclability in mind
When it comes to batteries, how easy is it to create a circular economy? - The limitations of our current battery technology
What are the biggest hazards presented by batteries that power larger vehicles and aircraft?
Guest Bio
Craig Boswell is co-founder and President of HOBI International, Inc. In this capacity, Craig has been extensively involved in the design, development, and deployment of electronics demanufacturing and recycling techniques. Craig’s background includes nine years experience as an electrical engineer for Texas Instruments, Inc. As a member of Texas Instrument’s engineering staff, Craig managed electronics design projects and was extensively involved in development and deployment of electronics manufacturing techniques. Craig holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Texas. In addition to his managerial duties, Craig is HOBI’s chief industry consultant on demanufacturing, design for disassembly, and reverse logistics programs. Craig has published and presented numerous papers on the recycling of electronic products and the keys to designing more recyclable products.
For more information visit, https://hobi.com/, email cboswell@hobi.com or connect with him 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 Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Whether you’re leading a business organization or a ready room, excellence in leadership leaves clues. There’s an unmistakable formula to becoming the kind of leader people would walk through fire with. It’s never about the title or the ego, it’s about cohesion and the willingness to sometimes take a follower role.
In this episode, I’m joined by my old friend and author of “Learn How to Lead to Win: 33 Powerful Stories and Leadership Lessons”, Mike Manazir. From flying F-14s to rising up to Two-Star Admiral, Mike has reached the pinnacle in every stage of his career, and today he shares powerful lessons from his journey.
An effective leader has to be willing to be a teammate, put the title aside and be a follower. -Mike Manazir
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- What it takes to turn goals and even big dreams into a reality
How do you connect the dots between where you are now and the big vision you have for yourself? - The danger of leading with your title
Can you lead people effectively if you’re in it for yourself and not a team player? - How to bring the best out of the people you lead
Having high standards doesn’t mean we have to make the people we lead miserable. How do we balance expecting excellence with compassion?
Guest Bio
Mike Manazir is a graduate of Top Gun and commanded an F-14 squadron, the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, and a Carrier Strike Group. Mike retired as a Two-Star Admiral and is now an executive with a Fortune 100 aerospace and defense company. He is the author of the upcoming book, “Learn How to Lead to Win: 33 Powerful Stories and Leadership Lessons”. Mike mentors a leadership style based on heart and trust that champions inclusion. Mike believes if you have one or more people looking to you to show the way, you are a leader. He wants to help you be the best leader you can be so you can Lead to Win.
For more information about Mike’s book head to https://mikemanazir.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 Jan 19, 2023
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Whether it’s a huge corporation, a small company or a news station, taking a struggling business from dead last to dominant is a unique, yet thrilling challenge for the right person.
When you’re brought in as the fix-it specialist, a lot needs to be done, from driving culture change to motivating your people. What are the most critical pieces of a successful turnaround? In this episode, I’m joined by former TV News Director, manager and author of political thriller novel, “Fake News”, Troy Wilson. We talk about his recipe for turnarounds and how to set an organization up for success.
As a turnaround artist, you need to have the courage to come in, confront the brutal facts and develop a strategy to put the television station back on the map. -Troy Wilson
Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- What it takes to shift a negative company culture
How do you change a culture where people feel demotivated and defeated? - The unique advantage of being a smaller ‘training ground’ type company
If your organization is the springboard for talent to go elsewhere, how do you deal with their tenure being really short? - The path to becoming a giant
In order to become number 1, we first have to be the next best thing. How do we position our organizations as a worthy alternative?
Guest Bio
Troy Wilson is a former TV News Director, manager and author of political thriller novel, “Fake News” He worked for more than thirty years in medium and small markets all across the country, and managed newsrooms which have won numerous awards and led and mentored hundreds of journalists. His success in doing that he believes is evidenced by their award-winning work, including Emmys, 'Best Newscast' honors, and individual awards. Troy even managed a newsroom which remains the smallest market newsroom ever to win a Polk Award for investigative journalism. But like many, he was dismayed by the direction journalism has taken in America. 'Fake News' is a novel that explores the contemporary media landscape in a unique way.
Buy the book here (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL3WT22H) and email authortroywilson@gmail.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.