In this episode John “Slick” Baum, a former US Air Force Thunderbird pilot and expert in business strategy and high-performance coaching, discusses his career journey, including high-stakes flight experiences like taking Lewis Hamilton on a flight as part of astronaut training. John shares the parallels between high-performance aviation and Formula One racing, leadership principles from his time with the elite Thunderbirds team, and insights into his current roles in executive coaching and motivational speaking. The episode delves into John's mantra of responsible reinvention and emphasizes the importance of mentorship and teamwork in achieving success.

 

Episode Highlights:

04:22 Training Lewis Hamilton for Space

16:19 Aviation Passion and Career Beginnings

24:52 Training with NATO Partners

26:04 Becoming a Fighter Weapons School Instructor

31:10 Leadership and Teamwork Principles

 

About John:

John "Slick" Baum is a fighter pilot, mentor, leader, performance coach, retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and entrepreneur. In 2009, Slick was by name requested to join the famed USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team. He was then selected as an Air Force Fellow, earning a Masters in Strategic Communications from George Mason University. As a co-founder of Draken International, the company’s efforts were recognized as #18 on the Inc. 5000 list in 2018. In 2024, Slick (in partnership with IWC Schaffhausen and the Polaris Program) provided 7x Formula 1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton, astronaut flight training as Lewis looks to go from the racetrack to space. 

 

Connect with John:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slickbaum/

Twitter/X: https://www.x.com/slickf16

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-baum-b3476328/

Website: https://slickbaum.com/

 

 

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