The Aerospace Executive Podcast

In the highly competitive and specialized world of business jet interiors, standing out with something truly unique is no small feat. The challenge of innovation is compounded by the complex certification processes involved, making it difficult for most companies in this space to create disruptive designs. Interestingly, some of the most significant innovations often come from outside the aviation interior industry. A prime example is RCO Engineering, a company originally focused on automotive interiors.

This small auto interior company was selected to build custom seats for Gulfstream, making the bold leap from mass production to a highly customized, bespoke business model for the aviation industry.

But what drove Gulfstream to choose RCO Engineering for such a critical task? How did they successfully navigate the shift from cars to jets? And what are the key differences between the automotive and business aviation industries?

In this episode of the Aerospace Executive Podcast, I sit down with Jeff Simek, General Manager of RCO Engineering & RCO Aerospace. We dive into the fascinating story of how aerospace came knocking, their business model, and why being a smaller, nimble company positions them for success in the aerospace sector.

Key Takeaways From This Episode 

• Aerospace Innovation: Learn how RCO Engineering’s unique approach to building jet interiors caught the attention of Gulfstream Aerospace and set them apart in a competitive field.
  

The Power of a Small Business in Aerospace: Discover how keeping operations small and focused has helped RCO Aerospace achieve agility and innovation, leading to significant impact in the aviation industry.

Guest Bio

Jeff Simek is the General Manager of RCO Engineering & RCO Aerospace. He provides passionate leadership, team building, and strategic planning for cost, quality and delivery performance in the Aerospace and Automotive industries. With over 23 years of experience, his first 14 years were spent in the automotive industry where he held the positions of Program Manager, Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Manager, Greenfield Site Launch Manager and Plant Manager for large Tier 1 suppliers. Following these positions, he was hired as Business Unit Manager for RCO Engineering’s automotive plastics division. After two years with RCO Engineering, he was promoted to General Manager of Operations for RCO Aerospace, a new start-up, offering passenger seating and interior products for large cabin purpose built jets. Jeff is now in charge of both Aerospace and Automotive operations at RCO with a strategy for the 4th industrial revolution. He also serves as a board member for AIAM where he works to ensure Michigan’s Aerospace industry is aligned to local and global opportunities. To find out more, head to https://www.rcoeng.com/aerospace and connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.

About Your Host

Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association. 

For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/. To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit https://craigpicken.com/. 

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you! 

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 so many companies suffer
  

• OEMs have a dog in the compensation fight
  

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]. 

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 the world of business branding, there are 2 kinds of organizations. The ones that talk about what they do, and the ones that focus on what makes them unique. 

You can guess which one grows faster and has more loyal customers.

Branding is non-negotiable - it’s the only way to stand out in a crowded marketplace. 

In this industry, many companies don’t do enough to brand themselves differently, or the brands they do have are stuck in the past. As a result, there are hundreds of companies people can’t really tell apart. 

That’s why it’s critical to take diligent steps to be memorable and recognizable. 

How do you know it’s time to rebrand? What are the pillars of a good brand? How can legacy brands harness all their digital power? 

In this episode, I’m joined by CEO and Founder of Moxie Global Consulting, Melissa Thomas. We talk about my recent rebrand, and inventive ways to make your brand come across differently. 

There’s a big difference between branding that tells you what a company does and branding that tells you why they do it or how they solve a problem. -Melissa Thomas

Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

-Put both your feet in the digital world 

The world may have moved to the digital space but a lot of companies still haven’t caught up. Why is a website so necessary? 

-The biggest branding oversights in aviation 

The aviation industry is prone to mergers and product changes. We also have a lot of legacy companies that haven’t fully embraced today’s branding standards. How do you make sure your brand reflects the current state of your business? 

-The right time to rebrand

In a rapidly evolving world, a brand can get stale really fast. How do you know it’s time for a refresh or a total overhaul? 

Guest Bio

Melissa Lucas Thomas is the CEO and Founder of Moxie Global Consulting, LLC. She is a visionary business leader with expertise in the private aviation, luxury hospitality, and retail industries. Over the past two decades, she has worked as an innovator and turnaround expert with emphasis on developing inspiring leaders, managing service culture transformations, creating new revenue streams, and delivering operational excellence. Melissa’s innovative process and technology ideas have been a significant driver behind industry best financial results. To learn more, visit https://moxieglobalconsulting.com/. 

About Your Host

Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association. 

For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/. To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit https://craigpicken.com/.  

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you! 

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. 

For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://goo.gl/3piJkw. To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit http://northstaresg.com/. 

Check out this episode on our Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and don't forget to download the Apple Podcasts app and leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

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?

For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://goo.gl/3piJkw. To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit http://northstaresg.com/.

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.

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.

Check out this episode on our Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to download the Apple Podcasts app and leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

If all you’re known for is what you do, you’ve basically rendered yourself uncompetitive. -Ken Schmidt

For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://goo.gl/3piJkw. To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit http://northstaresg.com/. 

In a competitive marketplace, nothing kills you faster than trying to brand yourself on your product or service. That’s a lesson Harley-Davidson learned the hard way. 

At one point, the company was being outpaced by Yamaha, Kawasaki and BMW…until they decided to position themselves differently. They went from a product-focused business to a thriving lifestyle brand, and that turned into one of the biggest turnaround stories in American history. 

If you focus on what you sell, you’ll render yourself uncompetitive. If you focus on what people believe and say about you, you’ll create a unique brand no one can copy. 

That’s how a historic company became an iconic brand. 

How can we apply Harley-Davidson’s strategy to our own personal and corporate brands? How do we focus on memorability instead of marketability? 

In this episode, I’m joined by speaker, consultant, former director of communications for Harley-Davidson and author of “Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance”, Ken Schmidt. We talk about the secret to strong branding, whatever industry you’re in. 

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

• The lesson Harley Davidson learned the hard way
  

• A game of memorability
  

• Stand out by delighting your customers
  

Guest Bio

Ken Schmidt is a premium-fueled speaker, podcast host, author and consultant serving the world's highest- revving businesses (and those stuck in neutral). As the former director of communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, he played an active role in one of the most celebrated turnarounds in corporate history – and got paid to ride motorcycles. He is widely known and respected as one of the business world’s most outspoken, provocative, and entertaining thought leaders on competition, brand management, positioning, reputation management, human behavior, and loyalty, and has delivered more than one thousand keynote speeches to business and education groups around the globe. Ken’s book “Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance” teaches how to improve business and personal competitiveness and is shared from his, as always, extraordinarily unexpected point of view. To learn more, head to https://kenspeaks.com/ and buy the book here. 

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. 

Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to download the Apple Podcasts app and leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

Trust is really the water that all relationships swim in. When the trust is high, the water is clear and it’s a wonderful experience. When trust isn’t there, the water’s dark and there’s misery and drudgery. -George Dom

For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://goo.gl/3piJkw. To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit http://northstaresg.com/. 

In the high-flying, high stakes world of The Blue Angels - trust is as vital as the air we breathe. In such an extreme workplace, trust can’t be selective or conditional. People have to fully and enthusiastically put their lives in the hands of their leaders and each other, and that requires high, unwavering trust at all times. 

You might not be leading in such an extreme, life or death workplace, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them. If we can apply lessons from these environments to our own civilian workplaces, we can push the capabilities of our teams. 

From communication to competence, how can military leadership lessons make us better? How do you build a culture of high trust? In this episode, I’m joined by former Commanding Officer of the Blue Angels and author of “High Trust Leadership”, George Dom. We talk about how to lead like a Blue Angels commanding officer. 

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

• Get education from extreme workplaces
  

• The 5 questions everyone asks of their leaders
  

• Transmit your message consistently
  

Guest Bio

George is an aviation executive, pilot, speaker and former Commanding Officer of the Blue Angels. Today he is the COO of ACI Jet and the author of the upcoming book, “High Trust Leadership: How to Build a High-Performance Team”.  Through inspiring keynotes, engaging workshops, and expert coaching, George shares critical lessons on leadership, team-building, and high performance based on his 26-year Navy career that included aerial combat missions, flight leader of the Blue Angels, and Topgun instructor. Participants learn the skills that transform managers into leaders and groups into cohesive teams -- High-Trust Leadership and Focused Engagement. To learn more go to https://georgedom.com/ and connect with George on LinkedIn. 

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. 

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to download the Apple Podcasts app and leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you! 

Everyone wants to have A-players in their teams, but when it comes to recruiting those rockstars, many of us don’t even know where to start. 

Does recruitment look any different when we’re looking to onboard the best of the best? How do top-tier achievers want to be approached, and what could entice them to work with our organizations, over everyone else?

On the flipside, how can recruits present themselves as the kind of talent companies are willing to go the extra mile to bring into their worlds? 

In this episode, executive recruiter and President of MR Fairfax, Robert Houghton and I discuss how to spot (or become!) top talent. 

"The ideal recruit is looking towards a goal, not running away from something." -Craig Picken

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

• 5 things that separate A-players from everyone else
  

• The non-negotiables A-players are looking for
  

• How to tell if a rockstar recruit is really interested
  

Guest Bio-

Robert Houghton is an executive recruiter and the President of MR Fairfax, the #1 recruiter in the Mid-Atlantic region specializing in insurance and financial services. A well-established former 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. 

To find out more, go to

https://mrfairfax.com/

You can also email him with [email protected] 

In order to build a successful, scalable business that sets us free, we have to first build a really great team.

Our teams and the way they operate dictate the success of our organizations, and most of us know that. However, when it comes to building those teams, most of us just don’t know what we don’t know.

So, how can we build the kinds of teams that allow us to create the businesses of our dreams?

In this episode, author, speaker and serial entrepreneur, Carl Gould reveals the 7 stages of growing a great business, and the 2 stages guaranteed to help you assemble an unstoppable team.

"The people who got here are not necessarily the people who’ll get you there, and that’s okay." -Craig Picken

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

-One thing we tend to forget when building teams

Could promoting our best players actually do more harm than good to our organizations?

-The key to attracting top talent

Are we missing out on a crucial factor when trying to recruit the best players in the game?

-Why turnover isn’t always a bad thing

No one likes the thought of losing employees, but could high turnover actually be the best thing for our businesses? 

Guest Bio-

Carl Gould is a best-selling author, sought after speaker and the serial entrepreneur behind three multi-million-dollar businesses The founder of 7 Stages Advisors, over the past two decades, Carl has worked with more than 7000 Business Coaches and mentored the launch of over 5000 businesses. Thanks to his expertise, Carl has been featured by a number of top-tier publications including, among others, Wall Street Journal and Forbes. Carl’s forthcoming book, The Obnoxious Offer will hit shelves in Fall 2022. 

To find out more, go to:

https://carlgould.com/ 

https://carl360.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.

Disruptions, crises, and unexpected challenges are inevitable in business. While we may not be able to prevent a crisis, we can control whether it escalates into a full-blown disaster.

The difference between a "disruption" and a "disaster" is more than just semantics. A disruption is a minor hiccup, but without strategic anticipation and planning, it can become catastrophic. The problem with many organizations is that they invest in impressive disaster management plans but fail to implement them effectively.

By making a few key mindset shifts, we can reverse a disaster and even turn it into a strategic advantage.

Why should we view disasters differently? How can we use them to improve our operations?

In this episode, I’m joined by Patrick Hardy, a speaker, trainer, author, and disaster reversal expert. We discuss how to plan for disasters and run a resilient business, regardless of economic conditions.

An earthquake is just the ground shaking. A hurricane is just a severe windstorm. A tsunami is ultimately a big wave of water. It doesn’t become a disaster unless you let it become one. -Patrick Hardy 

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

-Ready, react, respond, recover and reverse

Disruptions are inevitable. Is part of changing the culture of disaster management convincing people to anticipate it? 

-Reactivity vs. resilience

How do we run organizations that can bounce back and improve after a crisis instead of organizations that crumble easily?

-The danger of a single point of failure

A disaster isn’t actually about what’s happening or the size of the disruption. It’s a matter of dependency. What makes organizations more disaster prone?