The Aerospace Executive Podcast

“I’ve got this job, want it or not?” is the absolute worst way to recruit an A+ player. Whether you’re a recruiter or a company looking for talent, the approach you take matters. Ignoring their motivations or not caring about them at all means that you will risk losing those who can help you the most. Leave a negative impression at the start and you’ll guarantee the role will never get filled. What are the other mistakes people make in the hiring process? How can conversations can be set up for success instead? In this episode my good friend and podcast producer Matt Johnson and I talk about why candidates need an advocate, and how recruiters can be one. Put aside your box of toys, and think about what it would take to get someone happy, healthy and motivated to start the job, itching to go. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -There are only 6 reasons people change jobs How do you pull someone into an opportunity? -Find a champion What’s the difference between a recruiter who really cares about the candidate and someone who’s just looking to fill a slot? -Don’t knee-cap the candidate What are the things that leave a negative impression at the point when we want people to be most fired 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 OEMs, 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.

We’ve all seen the flash-in-the-pan companies that take the market by storm but then burn out fast. It’s rare for a privately held company to stay relevant for 5 decades in one of the most volatile industries on earth. But that is exactly what Clay Lacy Aviation has done. BizAv operators are constantly threading the needle between growth and stability. Rapid expansion at any cost can be deadly, but at the same time, growth can be so slow that they stop being relevant. Growth rate management is the name of the game. What is driving Clay Lacy Aviation's monumental trajectory? How do they keep their culture of excellence so strong? How do they balance ambition with discipline? In today’s episode, I’m joined by 3 dynamic Clay Lacy Aviation executives - Joe Barber, Scott Cutshall and Chris Hand. They share the key mindsets and strategies that have been instrumental to their ongoing success There isn’t a private-equity setup behind our structure so we have to be thoughtful and conservative about how we grow. It has to be done in a long-term view, with discipline. -Joe Barber Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -Pace wins the race Sometimes the best way to grow is slowly. How does the Clay Lacy team balance ambition with discipline? -Peak client alignment How does Clay Lacy Aviation set a client relationship up for success from the inception of the deal? -Bigger planes, bigger hangars What are the key trends Clay Lacy Aviation’s leadership are focusing on? -Don’t hire for the book and overlook values How does the Clay Lacy team hire and uphold their culture? Guest Bio Joe Barber is Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at Clay Lacy Aviation. directs Clay Lacy’s strategic commercial activities in aircraft management, jet charter, maintenance and FBO business units. His range of knowledge comes from a grass-roots career, having worked in many facets of the business. Joe began his aviation career in 2004 as an intern at an aircraft management and charter company, and credits the continuous learning opportunities and excellent mentors as a major component of his career. He’s a committed business aviation professional, to improve the business model and provide principal users with a legendary aviation experience. He’s an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM), and was named to NBAA’s inaugural class of “Top 40 Under 40” in 2018. He holds an MBA from California Lutheran University and a B.S. in communications from California State University at Northridge. Scott Cutshall is Senior Vice President of Strategy & Sustainability at Clay Lacy Aviation. Scott leads strategic development activities and directs marketing, sustainability, and workforce development initiatives across Clay Lacy’s diverse line of business jet services. He is a third-generation pilot whose business aviation expertise spans a wide spectrum of disciplines. His passion for aviation started early. Upon receiving his B.S. in business management from Biola University, he became a Certified Flight Instructor with instrument and multi-engine instruction privileges. In 2000 he began working as a dispatcher for an aircraft management and sales organization with four aircraft that grew to over 75 business jets in 25 cities in the U.S. and China. During his 14-year tenure he served as operations manager, sales director and then vice president of marketing and aircraft management. Scott joined Clay Lacy in 2013 as vice president of marketing, later serving as senior vice president of business operations prior to his current role. In 2021 he received his Corporate Aircraft Manager (CAM) certification from the National Business Aviation Association, is an advocate member of the International Aviation Women’s Association (IAWA), and serves as a mentor for Orange Coast College students. Chris Hand is Senior Vice President of the Northeast Region at Clay Lacy Aviation. He leads the Eastern U.S. operations, headquartered in Oxford, Connecticut, guiding the flight operations, maintenance, finance and aircraft management teams. During more than two decades in aviation he has served clients ranging from Fortune 500 flight departments to the world’s most prominent individuals. Prior to Clay Lacy, Chris was president and director of operations at a leading charter and management company with a 30-year history, and director of operations at an air freight operator. He has also owned and operated his own aviation businesses, including aircraft leasing and owner/operator airshows. Chris has 12,000 hours in more than 90 aircraft models, and is type rated in Gulfstream G650, Global Express, Falcon 2000, Falcon 50 and several other aircraft. He holds an ATP Multi-Engine Land and Sea Certificate, and is a certified flight instructor. Chris graduated from the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota with a BS in Aeronautical Studies. For more information, head to https://www.claylacy.com/. Learn More About Your Host: Co-founder and

Private aviation saw a huge COVID boom and many people who decided to fly private aren’t looking back. This is a double-edged sword. Private aviation is a complex industry where staying profitable is like walking a tightrope. There are high client expectations counterbalanced by complex machines and operational challenges. There are also plenty of business models which fail to pan out. More demand is seemingly a good thing but it has also exposed areas of concern. What are some of the biggest issues being exposed in the industry? What do customers need to understand? In this episode, I’m joined by Doug Golan who is both a preeminent expert on business jets and editor of Private Jet Card Comparisons. We talk about the state of private aviation, and all the complex issues both consumers and providers endure. There’s a lot of ways to lose money in private aviation. Sometimes it’s a cancellation fee, sometimes it’s the company going out of business. -Doug Gollan Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -Suffering from success For private aviation providers, more customers would surely be a good thing, but the reality is a lot more complicated. Why is more business a big concern? -Never over-buy How can private jet card customers protect themselves when the industry is constantly going through changes? -Empathizing with business aviation How can customers and providers get on the same page about the difficulties the industry is facing? Guest Bio Doug Gollan is the founder and editor of Private Jet Card Comparisons, the only independent buyer's guide to jet card membership programs, and DG Amazing Experiences, a weekly luxury travel e-newsletter for private jet owners. Doug is also a contributor to Forbes.com. For more information, head to https://privatejetcardcomparisons.com/. You can also sign up for the newsletter. 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 OEMs, 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.

The vulnerability of the aerospace supply chain is something we’re all well aware of. But when focusing on specific commodities, a worrying picture emerges. Considering that the industry gets its titanium from Russia, and that there hasn’t been much effort put towards de-risking the supply, we have a major issue. At the same time, with 18-24 month lead times, high strength steel is also clogging up the supply chain and causing major bottlenecks. How does it dig itself out of these specific supply chain difficulties? What are some of the other pressing issues affecting aerospace? In this episode, I’m joined by leading industry expert, and principal and partner at Aerodynamic Advisory, Kevin Michaels. We talk about aerospace’s biggest challenges and steps we can take to overcome them. Here we are, 18 months after the invasion of Ukraine, and we find ourselves extremely dependent as an industry on Russian titanium. - Kevin Michaels Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -The issue no one’s talking about: Boeing has made significant strides to wean itself off Russian titanium, but is it enough? -How the industry is managing under supply chain constraints The titanium supply chain is only hobbling along because of a suppressed demand. How catastrophic would this have been for the industry in previous years? -Growing while under threat From Boeing to Airbus, what are the challenges OEMs are facing in this current economic climate? -Beware of the “no” crowd With the challenges the industry is already facing, is the ESG consideration making the economics more difficult? Guest Bio Kevin Michaels is Managing Director of AeroDynamic Advisory, a speciality consulting firm focused on the global aerospace and aviation industries. He has 31 years of experience, including hundreds of consulting engagements for leading aviation and aerospace companies across the globe. Kevin is a globally recognized expert in the aerospace manufacturing and MRO sectors, and has significant expertise in business-to-business marketing, customer satisfaction, M&A advisory, technology assessment, cluster development, and strategic planning. His experience spans all major market segments, including air transport, business & general aviation, and military. Previously Dr Michaels was a Vice President with ICF International’s Aerospace & MRO consulting practice from 2011 – 2016. He was a co-founder and partner with AeroStrategy from 2001-2011, until its acquisition by ICF. Previously, Dr. Michaels was Director – Strategic Development with Rockwell Collins Government Systems, and Principal with The Canaan Group, an aerospace consultancy. He began his career as a project engineer with aeroengine supplier Williams International. Dr. Michaels holds BS – Aerospace Engineering and MBA degrees from the University of Michigan, and MSc and PhD degrees in International Relations from the London School of Economics. He is a contributing columnist to Aviation Week & Space Technology and chairs the advisory board of the University of Michigan’s Aerospace Engineering Department. In 2016, he joined the Board of Directors of aircraft parts distributor Kapco Global Proponent. For more information, head to https://aerodynamicadvisory.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-michaels-3025914. 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 OEMs, 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.

The dust up between American Airlines and JSX is an interesting airline industry development. The pilot’s unions say it’s all in the name of safety, but that couldn’t be further from reality. What’s up with FAR Part 380? Smaller airlines are trying to take the suck out of flying and continue service for small communities. Why are the majors so dead-set against these small players? Can we really buy the argument that they want to make the industry safer? The answer is… complicated. There is more to the feud than meets the eye (or the press). In this episode I’m joined by acclaimed aviation attorney, Paul Lange. We talk about the real motivation behind the industry’s opposition to FAA Part 380 carriers. The majors and unions don’t want to provide choice to the American public. They want the only model available to be their airlines and fortress hubs. -Paul Lange Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -An end to the pilot shortage… Is the 1500 hour rule the real reason for the opposition to Part 380 carriers (who can circumvent it). Are there more efficient and effective ways to train pilots? - Why Part 380 carriers worry the majors How can major carriers view charter carriers as competitive, existential threats when they have just 30 seats and a small fraction of the business? - Safety or sabotage Major carriers are harping on about the safety (or lack thereof) in the Part 380 carrier space. Is that really what they care about? Guest Bio Paul represents aviation businesses in solving significant and challenging problems. His background litigating and trying to verdict judgment aviation matters nationwide before federal and state courts as well as administrative agencies, sometimes simultaneously, brings a breadth of opportunities to the table when seeking to resolve disputes at their earliest opportunity or in complicated business structures restricted by regulatory overlays. In addition to remaining current trying cases, Paul’s transactional and aviation regulatory practice includes formation, mergers and acquisitions of fixed base operators (FBO’s), air carriers, air charter brokers, public charter operators, maintenance and repair organizations (MRO’s), and the purchase, sale and lease of aircraft. Go to http://lopal.com/ or call 203-375-7724. 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 OEMs, 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.

Many people talk about wanting to be leaders, but a very small number actually turn that dream into reality. The harsh truth is, most people won’t become CEOs or even grow their careers to a higher level, because they’re just not thinking the right way. So, how does a leader think, and how are their habits different from those of the average Joe? Is there a way to change our mindsets so they’re better suited to a leadership role? In this episode, executive recruiter and President of MR Fairfax, Robert Houghton and I are discussing the common attributes ALL great leaders have in common, and how to emulate them in our own careers. "Thinking like a CEO is a difficult thing to master because you have to be part-owner, part-employee and captain of the ship." -Robert Houghton Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -The importance of maintaining focus It’s impossible to reach our goals if we’re easily distracted. How can we really zone in on the activities guaranteed to help us push the needle forward? -The education EVERY CEO needs to have What are the non-negotiable skills leaders need to have and how can we go about acquiring them? -Why communication is key How can we expect to grow our careers to the next level if we don’t know how to communicate our ideas with others? -The best way to handle Negative Nancies in our organizations It’s not easy to work when we’re surrounded by negativity, so what can we do if we find ourselves in that situation? 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.

Economic fragility, long-running supply chain woes, long lead times, and labor. These are just a few forces exerting massive pressure on aviation. In this highly chaotic market, operators and suppliers have been put through the whipsaw, and that shows no sign of letting up anytime soon. With the new aircraft market still heavily backed up, ripples are being felt across the entire industry - especially in leasing. Anyone taking delivery of aircraft is making hay while the sun shines, and ultimately, the prevailing market conditions will catch up. Under such pressure cooker conditions, who wins, who loses and who should be worried? In this episode, partner at Split Rock Aviation, Andy Mansell returns to share how market pressure is affecting the industry, and what the near future holds. In our industry, there’s no such thing as an overnight fix. You can implement an overnight fix, but it takes a long time for that to flow through. -Andy Mansell Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -New aircraft…it gets worse before it gets better There was major supply chain pressure even before covid hit. What does this mean for the near future of new aircraft? -The market will resolve itself… A lot of levers are being pulled to meet the market demands, but will it be enough? -Freight ain’t for the faint of heart Could the cargo market help steady businesses or is it just too challenging a niche to explore? Guest Bio Andy Mansell is a commercial aviation leasing industry veteran with an extensive background in developing, implementing, and executing strategies for aircraft trading and leasing. He is a Partner at Split Rock Aviation and has previously held leadership roles at Charlotte Parker and Associates LLC, Aviation Capital Group, and Boullioun Aviation Services. To find out more, head to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-mansell www.splitrockaviation.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 OEMs, 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.

Every business wants to onboard top talent, but are we actively positioning our organizations as the type of place people want to work, or are we letting that crucial element slip through the cracks? For most businesses, the latter is true. The reality is, we don’t do enough to entice talented would-be recruits, and in today’s world, where salary alone just isn’t enough to impress, not being clear on what sets us apart from our competitors will only put us on the back pedal. So, how can we get more intentional about creating a brand identity that resonates with our ideal employees? In this episode, Founder and CEO of Ph.Creative, Bryan Adams shares how to build the kind of company the workforce is lining up to join. "As an employer, you have to know exactly who you are and what you’re looking for." -Bryan Adams Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -The factors most likely to attract top performers What are our ideal recruits looking for in a new position, and how can we be the ones to give it to them? -Why our interview process is more crucial than we think Could an ineffective interview system actually cost us business, as well as the potential to onboard top recruits? -How to continually attract the A-players What can we do to entice top talent both now and in the long term? Guest Bio- Bryan Adams is the Founder and CEO of leading employer brand agency, Ph.Creative. A two-times bestselling author, Bryan is also a podcaster and specialist speaker, passionate about getting his audiences to think differently. Bryan is widely renowned as an employer brand thought leader, and has worked alongside some of the world’s best-known brands to reshape their image over the years. To find out more, go to: https://www.ph-creative.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanadams1 https://www.amazon.com/Give-Get-Employer-Branding-Belonging-ebook/dp/B084ZCJWTJ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/099555949X/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 You can also contact Bryan directly at: [email protected] 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.

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 showing up at peak performance? - Focus, focus, focus How do you become a focused, specialized expert? - Forget being the best of the best What should we be paying the most attention 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 OEMs, 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.

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 Vice President and Head of Sales at Four Corners Aviation, Vincent Kavanagh shares how he sees the industry, including the current hurdles and opportunities. I’m always bullish about the industry, if you’re as good as you say you are, you can still find the audience. -Vincent Kavanagh Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -A more educated customer Where should buyers have their loyalty and what should they be looking for? -The state of the private jet industry The industry has become much more consolidated, but how has that led to more opportunities and solutions? -So goes the economy, so goes private aviation? Not quite Do the rise of interest rates hurt the charter industry or will these conditions create new opportunities? Guest Bio Vince Kavanagh is the Executive Vice President and Head of Sales at Four Corners Aviation. Four Corners Aviation has created an unprecedented suite of services, allowing business jet users to experience all the freedom, flexibility, and convenience of whole ownership, without all the headaches, responsibilities, and expense. Nobody flies on a private jet simply to be on a private jet. They go to reach their varied destinations conveniently, flexibly, and hassle-free. Four Corners Aviation offers the most comprehensive suite of solutions in business aviation today. To find out more, head to https://fourcornersaviation.com/ or email [email protected] or call 954-955-4582. 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 OEMs, 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.

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 this episode, VP at AE Industrial Partners, Jon Lusczakoski talks about his incredible career and the opportunity the company is taking advantage of. We don’t want the firm to invest in one single constellation, specific type of company or technology. There’s too much risk there. We want to provide the picks and shovels for the gold rush. -Jon Lusczakoski Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - Mapping out the space opportunity If you take out SpaceX, Starlink, and Blue Origin, what’s the real financial picture in the space industry? - From engineering to private equity Why did Jon decide to change his career trajectory? - Learn to double click on key details From growing up around a small family business to working for a massive family business like Williams International, what has Jon learned? Guest Bio Jon Lusczakoski is Vice President at AE Industrial and is primarily focused on financial modeling, due diligence, executing new investments, and monitoring portfolio investments. Jon brings over seven years of aerospace industry experience to AE Industrial. Prior to joining AE Industrial in 2018, he was a Lead Engineer in the Program Development group at Williams International, where he led multiple integration programs for UAVs, military trainer aircraft and business jets. To find out more go to; https://www.aeroequity.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-lusczakoski-3832492a. 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 OEMs, 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.

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 have the capacity to fill them. How are M&A advisors helping clients through these challenges? Where are the most surprising opportunities right now? In this episode, I’m joined by managing partners at Coeptis Consulting Group, Chuck Adams and Corbin Metz. They share why it’s equally an exciting and challenging time to be in this industry, and navigating the exciting world of A&D from an entrepreneurial perspective. Space is growing faster than people think, and there’s a big renewal in focus on it, especially on the commercial side. -Chuck Adams Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -The drive for diversification How are the companies getting pummeled by current supply chain constraints responding to these challenges? -Private equity…a gift and a curse With an industry-wide squeeze on working capital, what are the challenges of taking the route of a strategic buyer? -Raytheon GTF - a cause for concern Will this engine’s recent setbacks affect its perceived reliability? -Step out and bet on yourself What drove Chuck and Corbin to leave big Corporate America and venture out on their own? What are the biggest differences between entrepreneurship and working for a huge company? Guest Bio Chuck Adams is the managing partner of Coeptis Consulting Group. He brings years of experience to the firm with a background in the aviation/aerospace, automotive, and industrial goods industries. His deep, technical engineering expertise, combined with his business background, provides our clientele with a comprehensive, technical-business examination when providing our services. Prior to co-founding Coeptis Consulting Group, he spent over six and a half years at GE Aviation providing engineering & business services, interacting with internal & external production and MRO shops around the globe on various product lines, including the CFM56, LEAP, GE90, and CF34 commercial lines, as well graduating from GE’s Engineering Development Program. Before GE, he also spent time in the automotive, food manufacturing, industrial goods, construction, and video game industries. Additionally, he has founded a few companies, including a profitable residential & commercial construction firm in the local Idaho area, and is well-versed in data analysis, including programming (Python, MATLAB, SQL, and more). Chuck holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Boise State University, a MS in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University, and an MBA from Indiana University. Corbin Metz is the managing partner of Coeptis Consulting Group. She has spent well over a decade driving value in organizations across the aviation/aerospace, rail transportation, and industrial goods industries. Her deep operations experience compliments her strong expertise in the digital transformation & solutions space, allowing thorough understanding & implementation of solutions, observing best practices, and simplifying operations to drive business value, including the usage of techniques such as Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, and AGILE development. Prior to co-founding Coeptis Consulting Group, Corbin has spent over a combined decade alone at GE Aviation, GE Global Operations, GE Digital, and GE Transportation, delivering savings and simplification in many facets of the businesses. Also, she is a graduate of GE’s well-renowned Operations Management Leadership Program (OMLP), and has deep front-line experience in the production shop environment. Corbin holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering & MMBA from Miami University, and a Master of Supply Chain Management from Penn State University. To find out more, go to https://www.coeptiscg.com/ or phone 253-720-9058. 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 OEMs, 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 p

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 the things that stand between us and the careers we want? What are the attributes of people with million-dollar careers? In this episode, I’m joined by executive recruiter and president of MR Fairfax, Robert Houghton. We discuss the ingredients of a high-level, high-earning career, and why it’s easier to accomplish than you think! "Anyone can have a million-dollar career, just get rid of the bad influences that prevent you from doing it." -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -How to “elevate your neighborhood” Who do we have to hang out with if we want million dollar careers? -The power of finding what fuels your success Every successful person has something that won’t allow them to quit. How do you identify what that is for you? -Why success starts within What strategies can we use to reorganize our mindsets and how we view ourselves so we can create the careers we want? Guest Bio Robert Houghton is the president of MR Fairfax, headquartered in the WDC metro region. MR Fairfax is the #1 recruiter in the Mid-Atlantic region specializing in insurance and financial services. A twenty year veteran of the local business community and former founder and CEO of several successful business enterprises, Robert has a unique understanding of executive recruiting in the commercial insurance sector with specialties in employee benefits, property & casualty insurance and risk management. For more information, visit https://mrfairfax.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.

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 affecting aviation, or is the labor shortage still the most pressing concern? In this episode, M&A banker, Bill Alderman returns to share the state of the industry and it’s so bifurcated. If you are programmatically tied to Boeing, this is a difficult time for you, and it’s got nothing to do with the industry. It’s that your customer has actual operating problems and that flows right down onto you. -Bill Alderman Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -The real problem Everyone’s talking about the impact of interest rates, but is the labor shortage the real issue? -Can Boeing get its act together Why is Boeing having such a hard time while everyone else in the industry is experiencing incredible profitability? -Boeing’s fate The market’s lost confidence in Boeing, are they due for an activist investor or total collapse? 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: 914.414.4070 Or email him at: [email protected] 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 OEMs, 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.

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 work in? What can we do to raise the leadership standard? In this episode, I’m joined by third-generation business aviation professional and career coach, Jenny Showalter. She shares what it takes to bring the best and brightest into aviation. We have an aviation talent shortage. We focus on the flight department roles, but it’s all throughout the industry. -Jenny Showalter Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -Leadership or lack thereof There aren’t a lot of younger, fresh blood leaders coming into this industry. How do we bring more in or develop the professionals we already have? -Everyone should be concerned and involved There’s no blanket solution for the workforce shortage we have, but what could go a long way to remedy it? -Learning from the most effective flight departments What do the best organizations do differently? Guest Bio Jenny Showalter is a third-generation business aviation professional and career coach. As Chief Motivational Officer at SBACC, she brings over 25 years of business aviation experience to her role. This experience stems from working in her family’s former FBO, Showalter Flying Service (KORL), leading regional business aviation associations in Florida, and most recently recruiting business aviation talent for corporate flight departments. Pairing her work experience with her roles as the wife, daughter, and sister of business aviation pilots, Jenny feels she’s uniquely qualified to help you navigate your business aviation career. For more information, head to https://www.showalter.com/ or email [email protected]. 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 OEMs, 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.

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 market. Listen to how FTAI Aviation runs a business that moves fast without being reckless. In this episode, SVP and head of CFM & Module Factory at FTAI Aviation, Sam Hammoud shares the company’s unique and impressive approach to the engine MRO. The CFM56 is such a simple engine in the sense that if you just gain an advantage, vertically integrate and do this right, you can make a very healthy business out of it. -Sam Hammoud Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode -Mitigating supply chain constraints Why overspend to overbuild when there’s a modular and used parts market to take advantage of? -Culture of execution How can a company move fast in their decision making; not in a reckless way but rather a thoughtful way? -An interesting balancing act What challenges are old guard OEMs facing? Guest Bio Sam Hammoud is an SVP and head of CFM & Module Factory at FTAI Aviation. He is a seasoned professional with broad-based experience in commercial, technical, and operational domains. Sam is adept at leading diverse teams to achieve strategic goals, capture new revenue, and deliver performance improvement. He has proven success in cultivating and growing strategic partnerships. For more information, head to https://www.ftaiaviation.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 OEMs, 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.

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 between manufacturers? In this episode, aviation industry strategist, Forbes contributor, and the founder of BRiFO, Brian Foley gives us an update on business aviation trends in 2023. Guest Bio Brian Foley is an aviation industry strategist, Forbes contributor, and the Founder of Brian Foley Associates (BRiFO). Foley formed the consultancy Brian Foley Associates (BRiFO) in 2006 to help aerospace firms and investors with strategic research and guidance. Previously he was Marketing Director at Dassault Falcon Jet for 20 years. His career began at Boeing as a flight test engineer and marketing manager. He serves the Transportation Research Board as a member of the business aviation and helicopter subcommittees. He earned a Series 7 General Securities Representative license and is an instrument-rated private pilot. As a Forbes.com contributor and AvBuyer Editor-Market Intelligence, thoughts are shared on the aviation segment. A dual BS degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering from Syracuse University and an MBA from Seattle University are held. He completed Wharton’s Executive Education Program in Corporate Governance and is available for non-executive industry director roles. To find out more, visit https://www.brifo.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 OEMs, 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.

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 implemented in ANY business to ensure maximum results.  "The relationship of being able to speak up, knowing you won’t be whacked by your boss for asking a question, is so important. That’s what helps people stay in an organization longer." -Dr Steve Merrill   Things You’ll Learn In This Episode    How to lead effectively without getting mad at everything It can get frustrating when our teams make a mistake, but getting angry isn’t likely to solve anything. What should we be doing instead and what’s likely to happen when we make that shift?   The TRUE meaning of compassion in a business sense Does compassion mean avoiding hurting people’s feelings at all cost, or could giving our teams a reality check be the kindest action?   How to stop letting our egos run our organizations As leaders, we tend to think we need to have all the answers, but could that be doing more harm than good?    Why we need to re-think trust and micromanagement If you're doing your employee’s jobs, who’s doing the CEO job?   Guest Bio   Dr Steve Merrill is the CEO and Owner of Veritas Leadership Research & Consulting. The holder of a Doctorate in Education and Organizational Leadership from Argosy University, Steve has long had a passion for leadership and, more specifically, good leadership. Prior to founding Veritas Leadership Research & Consulting, he served as an Adjunct Professor and Student Success Director at Argosy University. Steve is the Vice President of Exclusive Cleaning, Inc.   To find out more, go to: https://www.vlrc1.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensmerrill   You can also email him at  [email protected]   Or call or text him on 3855494148.   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.

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 showing up at peak performance? - Focus, focus, focus How do you become a focused, specialized expert? - Forget being the best of the best What should we be paying the most attention 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 OEMs, 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.

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 interesting WSJ article, and the new reality of careers. People allow themselves to get stuck in a cubicle and they get the life sucked out of them and then they don’t know how to pivot. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - The courage to reject status What holds people back from leaving the comfy corner office even when it makes them miserable? - Getting fired might be the best thing to happen to you What triggers the great awakening that gets people to go after what they really want? - The trap too many people fall into A counter offer might just be a one-way ticket to nowhere-ville, how do we avoid taking the bait? Read the full article here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-rules-of-success-in-a-post-career-world-3e54b343 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.

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 talks about his incredible career, his philosophy on leadership and what any leader can learn from running an aircraft carrier. Never overreact. The truth is always in the third report. -Brett Crozier Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - The curse of the founder: Delegation is key to leadership efficiency, but why do so many leaders struggle to offload certain responsibilities? - How to be an approachable leader: The temperament of a leader has a huge effect on the culture, how do we keep our emotions in check? - The right way to process information: We live in a world of unfiltered information and rushes to judgment. How do we manage this as leaders? Guest Bio Brett Elliott Crozier is a retired US Navy captain and the author of “Surf When You Can: Lessons in Life, Loyalty, and Leadership from a Maverick Navy Captain”. He embarked on a thirty-year career in the Navy, flying dozens of combat missions over Iraq and leading at the highest levels of operational command. He served as the commanding officer of a combat F/A-18 strike fighter squadron, the world’s largest and most advanced communications ship, and ultimately the USS Theodore Roosevelt before retiring from the Navy in 2022. Pre-order your copy of the book here. 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.

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™, Michael Schader. We talk about the biggest challenges businesses face in collecting, assessing and leveraging all the data flowing through the organization. It’s answering the right questions with the right data and providing those answers with the right visualization. -Michael Schader Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - The real challenge in business intelligence Are companies in need of more data or are they unable to use what they already have? - Why data gathering has to go deeper than the basics What are the critical stats leaders worry about and how can they easily access that data? - Data-driven or emotion-driven How do most leaders currently make decisions? Guest Bio Michael Schader is a highly sought-after software architect, who brings a unique, elegant approach to solving complex business problems. His company, Nowsight™ stitches together company data-sources to create a real-time, always-on view of the company that you can access 24/7/365. For more information, head to https://nowsight.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.

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 episode, we talk about why The Draft is such a great learning tool for leaders and employees alike. Millions of kids play high school football. In college, that number precipitously drops to 96,000. In the NFL, it drops to 1,600. The caliber is an exponential leap. -Craig Picken Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - Drafting on potential vs. drafting on experience: How do we determine the kind of player that will fit our teams well? - The worst draft picks: There’s no force as disruptive as an un-coachable player. How do we avoid them? - It all comes down to “do you your job”: Talent alone doesn’t make a great player. Why is EQ so important? - Put more plays in your playbook: You never know what’s out there that’s going to kill you unless you’re looking out for it. How do you keep your head on a swivel? 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 OEMs, 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.

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 CEO of Aspen Avionics and COO of The AIRO Group, John Uczekaj shares what he’s excited about in aviation, and what the future holds for the business. We want to merge smaller companies and provide enough mass to be competitive with larger companies, while still retaining the small company innovation, entrepreneurship, and nimbleness. -John Uczekaj Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - Upgrade the cockpit How will technology make the process of flying safer, more efficient, and equipped for the future? - Drones and evTol, the new frontier for aviation What changes will electric mobility introduce in both logistics and passenger movement? - Huge developments, all at once What are all the forces coming together to create a huge shift in aviation? Guest Bio John Uczekaj is the President and CEO of Aspen Avionics and COO of The AIRO Group. has over 35 years of experience in the avionics industry, starting as an engineer at Boeing and moving into key management positions at Sperry and Honeywell. Before his position as COO at The AIRO Group, John led Aspen Avionics as CEO for 15 years and has grown the company into one of the leading avionics manufacturers in general aviation. Immediately before joining Aspen, John was president and COO of The NORDAM Group. John received the Aviation Industry Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 from the Living Legends of Aviation and was inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation in 2013. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Mr. Uczekaj holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Oregon State University and an MBA from City University, Seattle, Washington. John is an instrument-rated private pilot. Head to https://theairogroup.com/ for more information. 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 OEMs, 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.

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 experience working at the White House and how his team handles the demands of such a high-pressure business. Our clients come to us for an experience, not just a plane and a crew. -Gregg Brunson-Pitts Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - Managing chaos What did Gregg learn from handling travel for presidents and political campaigns? - The importance of operational security With everything happening in the world, what security issues do charter businesses and clients need to be thinking about? - The future of charter businesses Can we expect more consolidations of charter companies? Guest Bio Gregg Brunson-Pitts is the founder and CEO of Advanced Aviation Team. He has been managing safe and cost-effective charter aircraft solutions for candidates, campaigns, national leaders, heads of state, and government agencies for 15 years. Gregg’s experience with chartering aircraft spans every state in the US, more than 40 countries, and 6 continents. Whether it is a small aircraft for a few passengers or a large airliner for a few hundred, Gregg upholds his reputation for attention to detail, passion for his work, and superior dedication to his clients. For more information, visit https://advancedaviationteam.com/. You can also send an email to [email protected] or [email protected]. 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 OEMs, 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.

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 superstars out of the reach of many businesses. Stop focusing on money, start focusing on creating a destination. -Rob Houghton Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode - How to get employers immersed in your business Offering money isn’t good enough to get and keep the best people. What do we need to provide? - Don’t create a game of musical chairs Why do many organizations end up with a revolving door of employees? - Think beyond the job spec Some of the most talented people don’t necessarily fit into the description of the job on offer. Why do we have to look past that for the right people? 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 OEMs, 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.

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.

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 [email protected]. 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.

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: [email protected] 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 [email protected] 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.

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.

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 [email protected]. 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.

If you ask most people what it takes to succeed, they’ll come up with an elaborate, overly complicated, multi-step formula, but that’s wholly unnecessary and even detrimental. All it really takes is executing a few simple concepts very well. Think about Seven Nation Army - it’s basically 7 notes and a steady drum beat, but it works because it’s performed impeccably. Our careers are exactly the same. A few essentials are enough to move the needle, and the more we perfect them, the better off we’ll be. In this episode, we talk about the 3 simple levers to a Million Dollar Career. The simple things in life, executed really well, will take people a long way. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode Why text and email are for amateurs Do we create unnecessary complexity by not doing the simple act of picking up the phone and calling someone? The problem with having too many steps in your plan What does Tom Brady teach us about the power of executing a few key things really well? How to uncomplicate anything How can we use the 5 Ws formula to make it easier to plan anything? 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.

In many organizations, the gap between the generations is a point of conflict and friction but it doesn’t have to be. Sure, millennials/Gen-Z see work differently to their older coworkers and superiors, but there’s a lot of value in the perspectives each generation have, and that can make for a more resilient organization. How do we facilitate better communication and collaboration between the generations? In this episode, executive and transition coach and change strategist, Julie Noonan talks about how leaders can eliminate generational friction and create harmony in the workforce. Get rid of as many stereotypes as possible because as soon as you put someone in a box, you’ve limited their ability to shine, and that’s for anyone across the board regardless of generation. -Julie Noonan Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode How the conversation around work changed Did covid actually accelerate generational harmony in the workplace? Why younger employees aren’t interested in the corner office or titles How has the younger generation redefined what the pinnacle of success looks like? The power of two-way mentorship There are tremendous opportunities for both generations to learn from each other, how can companies facilitate it? Guest Bio Julie is an executive and transition coach, change strategist and speaker helping mid- to late-career executive leaders successfully ride the waves of change. Julie has years of executive-level experience in consulting in both the private and public sectors, as well as years of experience as a corporate employee. She has spent her career coaching leaders at all levels in many industries and through many challenges – both professional and personal. For more information, head to https://www.jnoonanconsulting.com/ and connect with her 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.

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has ignited much debate, discussion and in some cases, ire over how he’s gone about things. There’s no denying that he is the biggest creator of shareholder value in the history of man, and that he has the ability to make any company he touches great, but so many employees aren’t buying into his mission. Could this breakdown be nothing more than a communication issue? If the message had come out a bit differently, would the takeover have gone more smoothly? In this episode of Million Dollar Careers, we talk about why leaders have to be able to express what’s in it for the employee in order to get their buy-in. Communicating the purpose of the business with employees isn’t an event, it’s a continuing process. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode The hard truth about building a great company Turning around a company is no easy feat - why do people in this situation need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable? Why ‘keeping your job’ isn’t enough to get employee buy-in How do companies get their employees to support the changes they are implementing to make the business more valuable? How to make sure the company’s purpose is felt by everyone It’s one thing to talk about the company’s purpose at the annual Christmas party, but how do we weave it into every aspect of the business? 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.

Turning around an ailing company is a challenge most people would run away from, but some executives are actually built for patching up the Titanic. The individuals who can thrive in this situation know how to embrace the chaos, roll up their sleeves and make the hard decisions that set the organization on the right course. What traits does a turnaround CEO need to have? In this episode, I’m joined by my producer, Matt Johnson to discuss the challenges and opportunities of being tasked with saving a sinking ship. A turnaround specialist has to have a management style that gets people to rise to the occasion. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode What we can learn from Elon Musk taking over Twitter Turnaround CEOs are meant to step in, blow things up and build back better, but they don’t win popularity contests. How do they deal with the detractors? Why some turnarounds fail What are the 4 ingredients of a successful turnaround? The best examples of turnaround specialists How do you know that you have the temperament and skills to turn a struggling company around? 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.

If you run a small business, M&As may not be something you pay attention to because they are happening at the big picture level, but they affect the entire landscape of the industry. Whether a company gets snapped up or spun off, these movements create a ripple effect throughout the marketplace. Even if you’re a smaller operator, the strategic, technical and competitive impacts of company consolidations will be felt by everyone, and the more we keep abreast with it, the better off we’re going to be as leaders. What purpose does M&A serve to the entire industry? If we’re entertaining merging or being acquired, how do we get things in order? In this episode, aerospace and defense M&A banker Bill Alderman returns to discuss the impact M&A has on the entire industry. If you’re aware of what’s going on with M&A and the value of your company within its supply chain and customers, you can be a more competitive leader of your business. -Bill Alderman Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode What M&A means for the industry On a large-scale operational level does M&A really matter? The political implications of M&A At what size does an organization get so big it starts to get looked at more closely by the political sphere? The truth about many major operators Why are so many major OEMs struggling? 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: [email protected] 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.

When people think of what motivates a person to quit their job, money is the first thing that comes to mind, but very often it’s not even at the top of the list. The reasons people leave an organization go far deeper than monetary gain, there’s usually a lot more they aren’t getting from their company. In fact, we can attribute a career move to 6 reasons. Identifying these reasons as leaders helps us improve our culture so we can keep the best people on our teams. In this edition of Million Dollar Careers, we talk about retention and what makes people leave. If you’re exchanging a known for an unknown, there better be a good reason, and it can’t just be money. -Rob Houghton Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode Why money isn’t the key driver for a change Moving jobs is a highly stressful process, what makes someone willing to go through all that? How to keep employee boredom at bay How do you keep the A players who need to constantly be challenged engaged? Why leaders have to create security for their people Is high staff turnover due to companies actually quitting on their people? 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.

For how much time we spend on our phones, it’s astonishing how afraid people are of picking up the phone and just having a conversation. Progress is made and things come together in conversations that can’t be had via text and email. Trying to force all communication through text and emails has led to passive aggressive texts, angry emails and other totally avoidable confrontations. Why are we so afraid of getting on the phone? What are the only acceptable uses of email and text? In this episode, I’m joined by my producer Matt Johnson for this edition of Million Dollar Careers. We’re talking about why we need to get over the reluctance to pick the phone. No angry customer was ever made happy via email. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode Why delaying bad news is such a fruitless exercise Are we avoiding tough conversations by communicating via text or delaying and aggravating the inevitable? How to dissolve a tense situation and avoid a nasty confrontation What causes our fear of the phone in the first place? The ONLY times text and email are appropriate If you’re on the receiving end of passive aggressive text or email, how do we deal with it? 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 OEMs, 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.

In nature, the rule of balance reigns supreme - things will always return to an equilibrium, no matter what. In finance, reverting to the mean is a certainty, a swinging pendulum will always return to center. The employment market is no different - right now everything is irrational, and it’s driving everything from jet pricing to salaries, but eventually the music will stop. The challenge is keeping your business stable while things rebalance and still being able to play the game at a really high level on handicap mode. How do you retain the best people when you can’t afford the crazy salaries being driven by this market? In this episode, we talk about the challenges in today’s job market and how to deal with them. This labor shortage isn’t temporary - it’s structural, it’s demographic and it isn’t going away. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode The truth every company must grapple with Are your expectations realistic for the long-term or are you just making decisions on the sugar high of an irrational market? Why the pressures on the job market persist Will the employment market ever return to the normal we knew before, or will it readjust to a whole new normal? How to eliminate barriers to success on your team If it’s hard to find talent, how do you make your existing talent more productive? 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 OEMs, 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.

Resilience and determination are highly sought after traits, and sometimes that’s what it takes to stay in a challenging job or career. But when the environment becomes too difficult or toxic, we just have to cut our losses and quit. But how do we know if we've reached the end of the line with our jobs? What can we do to prepare before throwing in the towel? In this episode of the Million Dollar Career Series, Robert Houghton and I discuss knowing when to fold 'em. If you’re thinking about folding, understand what it is that you’re looking for. -Craig Picken Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode How to identify a toxic job situation What can you do to prepare for when you have to quit? Why you have to know why you’re quitting How can we avoid contagious quitting? How having an outside advisor can help you Why do we need the insight of someone else to know if we’re making the right move? 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.