Covid drove the demand for charter aviation off the charts. Undoubtedly, we saw a sugar rush, and even though it’s tapered off, the industry is still benefiting from that peak.   Private aviation is spoken more of a lot more as a solution, and the audience is more educated about it than ever before. Where does the industry go from here? What are some of the opportunities? Considering how its fate is often linked to the economy, will the good times stop rolling?   In this episode, Executive...

The growth and financial opportunity in space isn’t going away anytime soon - in fact, it’s just getting started. Many people might think it’s just a flash-in-the-pan buzzword, but that’s like saying the ocean’s going away and we should stop building ships.   There are still some hurdles, however. Which include the ability to prove out the business models.   How are private equity firms navigating the space opportunity? Why did our guest make the switch from engineering to private equity? In...

Covid, Inflation, Supply Chain interruptions and more have caused very volatile markets. A&D has also seen its share of volatility…and it is ever adapting to the environment.   With the squeeze on labor, working capital and raw materials organic growth seems difficult - but not impossible.   It’s a market of contradictions. The deal flow is there, but it’s also a tumultuous time to borrow money. There are a lot of great contracts, but with a backed up supply chain, manufacturers don't...

Everyone has the potential to have a million dollar career - whether you’re starting your own business or climbing the corporate ladder, the recipe is really simple.  The things that separate thousands of college athletes from the 200 that are drafted into the league are the same things that separate mediocre players from the cream of the crop in the professional arena.    There will always be barriers to excellence and success, and most of them are internal. How do we identify and eliminate...

During the pandemic, aviation was in a world of hurt and it took a long time to recover. Now that we’re out of that, everyone is making money…except Boeing and anyone tied to them.   If you’re a well-run company, executing at a high level, you’re benefiting from the industry bounce back. If you’re programmatically connected to Boeing - well, it’s complicated and will be for a while.   Is there any silver lining for Boeing, or can we expect trouble for the next decade? Are interest rates...

There’s an acute talent shortage in aviation, and it’s not just being felt in flight departments. From pilots to maintenance and leaders, the industry is short-staffed, and solving this issue requires an all-in, concerted effort from all organizations and stakeholders.   At the heart of our talent shortage is a crisis of leadership, and the hard truth that despite all it offers, aviation isn’t being viewed as an attractive career anymore. How do we show that aviation is a good industry to...

With the supply chain still recovering from covid, turn time, parts availability and cost sensitivity are the paramount concerns for airlines and leasing companies. That means more organizations are willing to look to creative solutions for complex problems. And, this has created lucrative market opportunities.   What is particularly fascinating is the team creating the solutions and capitalizing on opportunities; They’re young, aggressive, and willing to act fast in a very dynamic...

The frothiness of the covid market in business aviation may be in the rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean the space has slowed down. We’ve certainly come down from the rabid highs, but we’re still hovering above pre-pandemic levels in terms of activity.    From the Wheels Up/Delta deal to competition in big cabin jets and pilots, there’s a lot happening in the market. What does this activity tell us about the health of and outlook for business aviation? Can we expect more competition...

With even award-winning organizations coming up short in terms of employee happiness, is it possible that everything we think we know about leadership is way off base?   What makes the difference between a good working environment and a GREAT one? What can leaders do to create a better atmosphere, and how can employees play a role in effecting positive changes?    In this episode, CEO of Veritas Leadership Research & Consulting, Dr Steve Merrill shares the 4 pillars that need to be...

Success is easy to find when it’s broken down into the basics.   What are the 10 key ingredients of a successful career? How do you avoid the common pitfalls?   In this special 200th episode of the podcast, we talk about the secrets to a million dollar career.   If you don’t understand what you need to do to be successful in a company or it’s ambiguous, stay away. -Craig Picken   Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode    - Mediocrity doesn’t open doors What are signs that you’re not...

The traditional career is dead. Instead of climbing the resume ladder, many people are waking up to possibilities outside the cubicle or corner office.   We don’t live in an age where people stick with one career for decades. One person can have multiple iterations of their career, but it takes courage to make the leap.   How do you decide what your true calling is? How do you pivot before your job sucks the life out of you?   In this episode of Million Dollar Careers, we discuss an...

Leading an aircraft carrier with a 5,000 person crew is like running an entire city. The flight deck is dangerous, the number of moving parts is countless, the stakes are high. and the magnitude of responsibility is unparalleled.    How do you deal with all this and still manage to be an approachable leader with the respect and loyalty of your crew? Why is delegation THE key to success?    In this episode, I’m joined by retired Navy captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Brett Crozier. He...

Data, data, and more data. The issue isn’t a lack of data but the inability to use it effectively.   It could be a challenge of interoperability, formatting or turning the data into motivation across the organization. The truth is: there’s a real art to utilizing the intelligence a business already has.   What can we do to organize scattered data? How do you use data to not just learn, but to motivate different areas of the business?   In this episode, I’m joined by the CEO of Nowsight™,...

The NFL draft is the greatest talent-hunting mission on display, and it’s a master class in excellence, business, recruiting, and people development.   Millions of kids play high school football. In college that number precipitously drops to 96,000 and at the professional level that drops further to 1,600. That exponential leap in caliber raises the game, and only the exceptional can make it.   What parallels can we draw in the business world? What makes the superstars so special? In this...

It’s an exciting time to be in the business of aviation. The industry finds itself at the confluence of exciting and game-changing technologies and innovations.   The advancement of electric propulsion, the evolution of eVtol, and the massive increase in computing power. All these changes are creating a leap forward akin to the revolutionary jump from analog to digital.   How will all these advancements change aviation as we know it for the next 10-20 years?   In this episode, President and...

The charter space is a high-touch, high-trust business with a lot of moving parts, especially when you’re dealing with the political elite. They aren’t just after a great experience, considerations like security have to be made too.   What are charter businesses doing to stay on the leading edge? How do they ensure the highest level of service, care, convenience, and safety?   In this episode, I’m joined by the founder and CEO of Advanced Aviation Team, Gregg Brunson-Pitts. He talks about his...

When it comes to finding and bringing on superstar talent, some companies just can’t get out of their own way. They don’t do enough to make themselves a destination for the best of the best. They don’t offer enough value to stand out in the marketplace and they look for candidates in all the wrong places.   How do you shift your recruiting strategy? How do you open up your aperture when it comes to finding talent?   In this episode of Million Dollar Careers, we talk about what keeps...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...