November 15, 2024 • 24 mins
Let's talk about what you can expect your first year as a Jet Broker! 🤯
In this episode of The Jet Life Podcast, host Tom Lelyo celebrates a major milestone with Alexander Strohmeier, one of the original brokers at Jet Life Aero, who recently completed his first year of selling Private Jets. Together, they discuss Alex’s path to success, and the real challenges and rewards of breaking into the private jet industry.
Episode Highlights:
📲 An Honest Look: Alex candidly shares both the positives and negatives of getting started as a Jet Broker with no prior experience.
✈️ Starting Out: How Alex discovered Tom through YouTube, sent a cold email, and joined Jet Life Aero’s training program in Sarasota.
🏆 Closing Deals on the Go: Tom shares how he closed a deal for Alex at the Charleston airport, dodging Hurricanes in the process.
💼 Encouragement for Aspiring Brokers: Alex's advice for those looking to enter the private jet industry—follow the process, put in the work, and try to increase your knowledge about your career field a little bit everyday.
🌐 Remote Flexibility: Insights into working remotely as a cloud-based brokerage.
Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-strohmeier/
🤝 Join our FREE Private Online Community for aspiring Jet Brokers: https://circle.jetlifeaero.com
✈️ For more BizAv news delivered directly to you via text: https://cristobal.ai/
Being a Private Jet Broker is a life changing opportunity for those seeking a career in an industry that has low competition and extremely high commissions.
Let's book a call so you can discover how to get your FIRST SALE and start a new career in Aviation - https://www.theultimatejetguide.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Oh my gosh.
Congratulations, Alex.
It's been over a year andyou're finally in the Six
Figures Club.
Hello everybody and welcome tothe Jet Life Podcast.
My name is Tom Lelio.
We're pulling back the curtainon aviation.
Whether you're a buyer oraspiring broker, we're helping
(00:22):
you buy and sell private jetswith no experience necessary.
Today we are pulling back thecurtain on one of the OGs.
The original JetLife Aerobroker, Alex Strohmeyer, is
joining us today.
Please excuse the recordingsetup we got going on.
We are escaping Hurricane Milton.
Hopefully, by the time you'reseeing this, there's not too
(00:45):
much damage.
We're praying for all those inthe path.
We've actually escaped fromFlorida to South Carolina and
we'll be hanging out herethroughout the storm and the
aftermath.
This is one of the interestingthings about being a cloud-based
brokerage is that we are ableto work from anywhere.
Just yesterday, I was at theCharleston airport closing a
deal for Alex which kind ofinspired this video, so we'll
(01:08):
get all into that.
So if you enjoy this kind ofstuff, or whether you're a buyer
or aspiring broker, don'tforget to hit the like button,
hit the subscribe button,because you got more content
coming your way.
So here we go, bringing them onAlex.
Welcome, Dude, I'm so excitedfor you, man.
I'm just a little over a yearand here we are, the promised
land.
This is what I'm telling peopleListen, if you do the work, if
(01:32):
you follow the process, trustthe process, we want to get you
into the six-figure world, andyou have done it.
Congratulations, man, Thank you, Thank you.
So do you want to go back tothe beginning and kind of talk
us through this past year, or doyou want to start with the
closing of this Mustang that gotyou over into this achievement?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Sure, I'm happy to talk about kind of the beginning
, how we got to where I'm at now.
Yeah, let's do it.
Yeah, so let's see, I startedin June of 2023.
Honestly, I was the firstbroker here at JetLife Arrow.
How I got here I actually foundTom on YouTube and I sent you a
(02:14):
cold email and we had,thankfully, you responded, which
was great, and we had a fewphone calls and then I decided
to come down to Sarasota and dothe training.
I actually it was supposed tobe a three-day training but I
stayed for two weeks because Ireally wanted to just be boots
on the ground and get anunderstanding of what the day in
the life of a jet broker is.
So really, that's how I started.
(02:37):
That was back June of 2023.
Got my first listing in.
What I want to say wasSeptember of 2023.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
That was a long sales cycle.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
We ended up selling that in January I think we
talked about that in a previousvideo and then I got another
Mustang listing which I soldwithin the first week of getting
the listing back in March.
And then this one 5-10 November.
Zulu, also a Mustang, alsoaccepted an offer within the
first week I believe it was twodays after we had listed it for
(03:08):
sale.
We accepted an offer on thataircraft.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Found your original, no way.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Summer of the Clutch YouTube channel, very passionate
, combined aviation with abusiness background.
This is awesome, man.
Wow.
And we got right into it fromthere.
So that's, that's funny.
Well, I mean, you know what?
Here's the thing A lot ofpeople will reach out to me,
(03:35):
whether it's a DM or a commentor an email like that and what
was great about you is that westarted talking and then you
were ready to take action.
And not only were you ready totake action, but, like you said,
you went the extra mile.
You stayed for an extra week ortwo in Sarasota just to kind of
be in that environment, to geta good start.
(03:57):
And I hear a lot of talk, dude.
I hear a lot of talk like, oh,I need this, or I'm a go-getter,
I'm a hustler, I'm already asuccessful this or that, you're
our first broker to hit the sixfigures, and that's not an
accident.
You go the extra mile.
(04:18):
You are constantly coachable.
You went to Vegas, you know,for the, for the conferences.
You, you seek out opportunitiesin the Miami area to connect
with people, and you're justreally coachable.
So, um, let me ask you, whatabout this journey over the past
year?
Was what you expected, and whatabout this past year was
(04:41):
unexpected.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Yeah, that's a good question.
Um expected, I would say, well,that's tough.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I I guess you know, or maybe you did expect, but it
was easier or harder than youexpected.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, well, one thing I did expect and you made this
clear from the beginning is thisis a different type of sales
process.
It's much longer.
We're commission only.
So you need to, of course, bewise with your money, have a
budget in mind and you reallyhave to go after it.
One thing that you were dead onabout is you have to make a ton
(05:20):
of calls.
That's for sure, um, you haveto make a ton of calls, uh,
that's for sure, um, at least 50calls a day, ideally 70 to a
hundred.
In, really, cause you're thecalls you're making right now is
money that you're going to paythree, four or five months away,
um, from now.
So the more work you put in now, the better off you'll be in
the future.
So that, I think, was kind ofwhat I expected, because that's
(05:43):
what you really drilled into meUnexpected.
Every single deal is different.
It's really unique.
Really, what can go wrong willgo wrong.
So when you think a deal isgetting to the finish line and
something random will happen,like Hurricane Milton, so yeah,
(06:06):
I would just say you know, everydeal is unique and anything
could happen.
That's the unexpected partabout it.
I think you're muted, tom, bythe way.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
So the part that was expected you had to make a lot
of calls, maybe that orsomething else.
What was easier than youexpected and what was harder
than you expected.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Easier, maybe for me, I guess, because I kind of
already have a background in, ora passion and a knowledge of,
aviation.
Just learning the markets andlearning about airplanes was
easier because I love airplanes,so I'm happy to study and put
in the work to learn aboutmarkets and learn about specific
airframes and about themaintenance.
(06:47):
I think that was easier.
Harder, I mean, I don't know,it can be well.
Actually I'll say this so thisis my first sales job or
experience.
You know, taking this job wasmy first sales experience, so
actually making the calls andfinding creative ways to provide
(07:09):
value for clients.
I think that's the hard partthat I've found and kind of
pushing past some of thosebarriers you get.
I mean, it's my first salesexperience, so the training that
we do has been very beneficialto me.
But it's always every singleday, every call is different.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
It's my first sales experience, so the training that
we do has been very beneficialto me, but it's always every
single day, every call isdifferent, so I guess it's the
hard part.
So you came into this with nobackground.
Why were you thinking aviationsales?
And did you look at anythingelse?
Charter brokering?
Did you look into real estate?
Did you look into?
Yeah, what did you look into?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I definitely looked into real estate.
Did you look into?
Yeah, what did you look into?
I definitely looked into realestate.
I didn't.
I didn't look into chartersales.
I actually had a finance degreein college.
So my original plan I alwaysknew I wanted to combine
business with aviation.
I just didn't quite know whatthat would look like.
So I had been applying tofinancial analyst jobs at you
know airlines like JetBlue,boeing, lockheed Martin just
(08:07):
aviation companies, financialanalyst positions.
But then I discovered you knowaircraft sales and that I was
between that and real estate.
I actually had a job offer forcommercial real estate.
But I think it's important whenyou're in sales that you do
something you're passionateabout, because if you're not
passionate about it, you can'tbe successful.
So that's kind of what led meto go into private aviation
(08:33):
sales.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
What did your friends and family say when you were
talking about becoming a jetbroker a year ago, and what are
they saying now?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
what are they saying now?
Oh, they were they.
They were definitely verysupportive, but they wanted me
to understand the risk of takinga commission only job, uh, and
the chance that you won't makesome money for a while.
That's definitely a huge, hugerisk.
That's probably the, you know,the biggest risk of going into,
um, you know, being a privatejet broker or any commission
(09:05):
only job.
So that was something they Iwouldn't say they were worried
about, but they wanted to makesure I understood what that
meant and that meant I needed towork hard.
But now I think you know, Ithink they're excited and happy
for me and I have, you know, Ijust recently got my private
pilot, my private pilot licenseas well, so I've really embraced
(09:27):
aviation.
I want to continue to learn.
Hopefully I get my instrumentrating, multi-engine rating and
then, on the sales side,continue to be a resource for my
clients and build newrelationships.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
How have you found the aviation industry?
I know you're younger.
You had, you know, a little bitof experience in the finance
world before this.
But what can you say about theindustry as a whole, the good,
the bad, the ugly?
What have you found over thepast year?
Like if you were explainingthis to someone that's like what
(09:59):
is the industry like?
What are the people like?
What would you tell them?
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah Well, the aviation industry.
I think this is a good and abad thing.
What's great is it's a smallindustry, so everyone knows each
other, but also can be a badthing because it's very
reputation based.
So you know, it's importantthat you know you're putting
your best step, you're puttingyour best self out there, being
a resource for others.
(10:25):
I think it's important that, asbrokers and just in general,
everyone in the aviationindustry should be one.
You know family and everyoneshould be helping each other out
, whether that's sharing marketresearch, sharing ideas.
I think that has been the bestthing about aviation and, again,
(10:45):
could be a bad thing.
What else do I love about it?
I would say almost everyoneI've met is also passionate
about aviation.
So while we are doing sales, weall love airplanes.
So we don't need to talk aboutour jobs all day.
We can just talk aboutairplanes all day.
And yeah, that's one thing Ilove about aviation.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
How have you found the fact that we are
remote-based brokerage, acloud-based brokerage, so you
don't come into the office, wedon't have.
You know, it's not like Wolf ofWall Street where we're
throwing people against adartboard or having crazy, you
know, plane rides and going toVegas for weddings or anything
like that.
What has that been like for you?
(11:26):
What are the pros and cons ofthe cloud based aspect of the
brokerage?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, I think the pros are.
We have people all over.
So I'm in Miami, you're inSarasota and again you happen to
be in Charleston and ouraircraft was closing there this
most recent one, 5-10 NovemberZulu so you were able to show up
for closing.
I wasn't going to go to closingbecause of the incoming
(11:52):
hurricane and the logistics toget back to Miami.
A bunch of airports wereclosing so it wasn't looking too
good.
So that's definitely a benefit,again, having brokers all over
the place.
We have brokers in Pennsylvania, colorado, texas, California,
so we can all help each otherout with our deals and go show
(12:13):
aircraft for each other ifneeded.
I would say also, I guess youknow a con of it could be.
You know it's really.
You really need to set goalsand motivate yourself, because
when you are working from homeor working in a, you know a, you
know a WeWork or something byyourself, only you know you can
(12:36):
motivate us from afar, but atthe end of the day, it's on us
to make the calls and to work.
So if you, you know, don't havegoals set and you're not
constantly trying to pursue themor you know better yourself,
then this could be, you know, atough industry for you and a
tough job for you.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
How's the training?
Like you had, so it was alittle bit different for you.
You came in for two days.
We went through the workbook.
The workbook would eventuallybecome the online course, um,
but you still have access tocircle.
You still see the, the, the,the, the courses that I put up
there.
Can you speak to this trainingthat you've received?
Um, both what's on circle andthe recent sales training that
(13:19):
we've been doing?
How, how would you describethat to someone who's thinking
about you know well, how do Iget support?
Or maybe they've been in otheruh, industries, other jobs where
training wasn't a big thing.
Like, especially with this it'sa new jet program.
Like who knows how to go.
Like there's like no place toto learn.
So like, can you speak into thetraining environment you found
(13:40):
here, yeah, and how it'sactually helped you?
You know close deals and getinto the six figure club?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Yeah, no, I.
It's definitely been a greatresource for me.
I wouldn't be where I am todaywithout it.
Again, it goes all the way backto coming down to Sarasota in
person and staying there for twoweeks.
I learned a lot in those twoweeks and after leaving there I
knew for sure that this wassomething I wanted to do.
And then consistently havingmultiple trainings per week kind
(14:07):
of keeps us sharp, gets usthinking about new ways to be
creative on the phone and how wecan provide value to our
clients.
So I definitely think the youknow the training has been a
huge resource, especially towhen I think back and I was
looking prior to a JetLife ArrowI knew I kind of wanted to be a
private jet broker.
I just didn't know too muchabout it.
(14:28):
I didn't really know where toget started either.
I think there were a few thingsI found online, a few courses,
but they didn't seem thatcredible or I don't know it.
Just they weren't verytransparent up front.
So I think you know the greatthing about the Circle community
is you know we have that courseon there and it's not like a
(14:52):
course you take and you're goingto be an expert and you can
sell an airplane in the world.
That's not the a course youtake and you're going to be an
expert and you can sell anairplane in the world.
That's not the purpose of it.
It's really an introduction towhat being a private jet broker
is like and how you can takethat basic knowledge and you go
from there and you continue tolearn.
So I think it's a greatoverview of everything that's
(15:13):
involved in the transaction andjust what it's like to be a
private jet broker.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
So, speaking of the training, what are a few skills
or a few specific tasks, if youwill, that you're like, oh my
gosh, like I had no idea, like Ineeded this skill or I needed
this task and I'm so glad that Iwas trained on how to do it.
Maybe objections, maybe it'sclosing, maybe it's just escrow
contracts.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, um, outside of court again.
I was new to sales, soeverything about, um sure, the
sales process was important tome.
Uh, of course, you knowpracticing.
We continue, you knowcontinuously practice handling
objections in our trading calls.
So that's great, uh, and I amalways benefiting from that.
I would say.
I mean just, I would say thefinite deal, details of the
(16:00):
transaction, such as theaircraft purchase agreements.
You know how we do our marketresearch.
That's very important.
Being able to uh conduct marketresearch.
Uh, it's very important thatyou're an absolute expert on the
model of the aircraft you'reselling or acquiring for a
client.
So that, learning how to domarket research, you know
(16:20):
creating spec sheets.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
How is JetBroker Alex today different from JetBroker
Alex a year ago?
Speaker 2 (16:29):
I would say number one, experience.
I don't know it all, I'm alwayscontinuing to learn, but I have
a, you know, a good idea ofwhat a transaction would look
like and what's required for asuccessful transaction.
I kind of have a routine now.
I, you know how I operate on aday-to-day basis and how I do my
(16:50):
market research.
You know I design my specsheets a specific way, present
information, you know.
I would say I would just saymainly it's experience.
And then, of course, like youknow, hidden objections.
You know there's alwayssomething new you could hear,
(17:11):
but for the most part it's acouple of same objections and
kind of knowing how to getthrough them or just discuss
them.
And, more importantly, thelonger in the industry, the more
people you meet, and that helpswith your transactions as well.
So you may, you know, learn ofa new maintenance shop that
could help with a specific issue, or someone wants to, you know,
get an interior refurb orrepaint their aircraft.
(17:33):
You, you know, have a personyou can refer to them.
And then, knowing more peoplein the industry, that definitely
helps with off-market deals aswell, because a lot of times
clients will be looking for anaircraft and they don't like any
of the options that are on themarket.
So it's important to have a fewoff markets or, you know, have
established relationships withother brokers.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Maybe you guys can put a deal together as well.
So you've made it to the sixfigure club, the double comma
club.
We'll have to figure out somelike really cool uh, uh
designation for what would be apiece of advice that you would
give to someone who's juststarting that journey.
Yeah, Um, and, and can youspeak to how long it took you?
Um, like, why did it take thatlong?
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
What expectations should be.
I don't know.
I'm not saying it was a badthing.
First of all, let me just beclear.
Like you're doing great and Idon't want to disparage Because
you did your first year I meanyou did a good salary not quite
$100,000 in the first year, butI mean you were more than
halfway there.
So your first year, like youdid, you did well enough for
like a normal full-time job.
So can you maybe speak tosomebody who's just getting
(18:40):
started?
What was your first year likeand like what advice you would
give to them?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yeah, I think it goes hand in hand what I was going
to say, but it's reallyimportant to stay motivated and
push yourself to make calls, tobecome informed about the market
and to be a resource.
I think every single day youshould be trying to do something
, that try to learn something,whether it's about maintenance
or anything in the industryreally Staying informed, keeping
(19:05):
up with current world events,keeping up with the news and
aviation as well I think that'sreally important Really, you
know we can give you all thetools you need to be successful,
but at the end of the day, it'son you.
You've got to put in that workyourself.
You can't put in 20% of thework and expect 80% of the
result.
So you definitely have to setgoals, keep pursuing them, stay
(19:29):
motivated and just keep pushingon.
I think that's definitely thebest advice I'd give.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
So what did you struggle with your first year?
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Again and that's why I was going to say it goes hand
in hand.
I'm, you know, I'm very proudof where I'm at right now, but I
know I can do so much more andI can do better, and that, you
know, falls on me.
You know, either making morecalls I really I think it's just
really making more calls and Ithink I do okay with my market
(19:57):
research and learning new things, just learning how to make
pilots, you're doing really wellwith the market.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
You're probably one of our most dialed in brokers.
As far as your mark, you knowyour market Like I can ask like,
oh, what about you know one,two, three, four, five hotel
Charlie?
Like, oh, yeah, that one in, uhin in Boise, idaho, that has
the red stripe on it, that lastweek you know?
I mean, you know your marketreally really well.
(20:21):
Um, why do you think it's hardto pick up the phone and, by the
way, this is something that Istruggle with too.
You look at my call numbers andit's easy for me to be like,
well, I'm training people, butlike the reality is I need to, I
need to be on the phones too.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So why didn't?
Speaker 1 (20:34):
you pick up the phone .
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Honestly, I think it's.
It's kind of a muscle andthat's why I think, um, it's
like a muscle in your brain.
It's you just got to keep it's.
It's sometimes it's hard to goto the gym, you know, and you
know you got to go to the gymand you get a routine.
And then if you, uh, once yougo to the gym for two weeks
straight, then you're good andyou, you keep going, but then if
you take a week off, it's hardto get back in the gym.
I think it's similar to that.
So, um, if you're making a tonof calls, you're in a rhythm and
(20:59):
you keep going.
Um, that's great about you knowstaying motivated.
I think that's what it is,because you know it's not, you
(21:21):
know, uncommon to have stretchesof you know no luck or success.
Um, on the phones and you couldbe calling through market, it
could be a month or two andyou're not getting any traction,
but I think that's normal insales.
So it's really just aboutstaying motivated and keep
pushing through it, because Ithink, um, of course, a lot I
(21:44):
you know in sales, I think it'sa lot of you know experience and
well, what's the phrase?
Luck is definitely involved insales, but you create your own
luck, so you have to putyourself in a position to be
lucky.
So if you're not making callsthen it's going to be harder to
get lucky, because you mightcall someone and they are
(22:05):
absolutely ready to sell theirairplane or ready to, you know
make a change.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
So, yeah, it's like luck is when consistency and
hard work pay off, or whentiming and consistency meets.
That's luck kind of thing.
I'd agree with that.
Well, Alex, I appreciate somuch about everything you've
done over this past year.
Your last deal, the 2008Citation Mustang just about
(22:29):
almost a $2 million plane.
All the planes that you've soldso far have been over between
$1 and $2 million.
One was over $2 million right,yes, it was.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
It was the Mustang back in March.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah, so you've sold almost $6 million worth of
aircraft.
That's awesome.
You've handled over $6 millionin in total transactions.
A 24 year old right.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Yeah, 25, 25.
I was going to correct you, but.
I recently turned 25.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
That's right.
So, um, great man.
Well, thank you so much foreverything.
I'll give you the last word.
Um, I guess that the prompt Iwould give you is you know, what
does it mean for you, movingforward into the future, to live
your jet life to the fullest?
What does that look like in thenext year, in the next five
(23:22):
years?
How you know?
How would you describe that?
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Wow, definitely continuing to learn and pursue
my goals and hopefully achievethem.
Can you share?
one or two of those goals withus.
Yeah Well, I have one goal upthere.
I don't know if you can see iton there Was even close to
(23:44):
hitting it, but I wanted toclose 10 deals this year.
I'm probably going to get fiveor six, but that's and that's on
me.
You know I can work harder, Ican always work harder.
So that's one thing Idefinitely want to do for next
year.
Maybe I'll up that number topush even harder for it, but
(24:04):
that's definitely one goal Iwant to achieve.
So really, I just want tocontinue to provide value, to be
a resource, build relationships, become more informed about the
market, learn more aboutaircraft and just be the best
that I can be.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
That's awesome, man.
I appreciate your time.
Hope we have a great rest ofthe day.
Thanks, tom, stay safe.
I appreciate it.
Oh my gosh.
Congratulations, Alex.
It's been over a year andyou're finally in the Six
Figures Club.
Hello everybody and welcome tothe Jet Life Podcast.
My name is Tom Lelio.
We're pulling back the curtainon aviation.
Whether you're a buyer oraspiring broker, we're helping
(00:22):
you buy and sell private jetswith no experience necessary.
Today we are pulling back thecurtain on one of the OGs.
The original JetLife Aerobroker, Alex Strohmeyer, is
joining us today.
Please excuse the recordingsetup we got going on.
We are escaping Hurricane Milton.
Hopefully, by the time you'reseeing this, there's not too
(00:45):
much damage.
We're praying for all those inthe path.
We've actually escaped fromFlorida to South Carolina and
we'll be hanging out herethroughout the storm and the
aftermath.
This is one of the interestingthings about being a cloud-based
brokerage is that we are ableto work from anywhere.
Just yesterday, I was at theCharleston airport closing a
deal for Alex which kind ofinspired this video, so we'll
(01:08):
get all into that.
So if you enjoy this kind ofstuff, or whether you're a buyer
or aspiring broker, don'tforget to hit the like button,
hit the subscribe button,because you got more content
coming your way.
So here we go, bringing them onAlex.
Welcome, Dude, I'm so excitedfor you, man.
I'm just a little over a yearand here we are, the promised
land.
This is what I'm telling peopleListen, if you do the work, if
(01:32):
you follow the process, trustthe process, we want to get you
into the six-figure world, andyou have done it.
Congratulations, man, Thank you, Thank you.
So do you want to go back tothe beginning and kind of talk
us through this past year, or doyou want to start with the
closing of this Mustang that gotyou over into this achievement?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Sure, I'm happy to talk about kind of the beginning
, how we got to where I'm at now.
Yeah, let's do it.
Yeah, so let's see, I startedin June of 2023.
Honestly, I was the firstbroker here at JetLife Arrow.
How I got here I actually foundTom on YouTube and I sent you a
(02:14):
cold email and we had,thankfully, you responded, which
was great, and we had a fewphone calls and then I decided
to come down to Sarasota and dothe training.
I actually it was supposed tobe a three-day training but I
stayed for two weeks because Ireally wanted to just be boots
on the ground and get anunderstanding of what the day in
the life of a jet broker is.
So really, that's how I started.
(02:37):
That was back June of 2023.
Got my first listing in.
What I want to say wasSeptember of 2023.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
That was a long sales cycle.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
We ended up selling that in January I think we
talked about that in a previousvideo and then I got another
Mustang listing which I soldwithin the first week of getting
the listing back in March.
And then this one 5-10 November.
Zulu, also a Mustang, alsoaccepted an offer within the
first week I believe it was twodays after we had listed it for
(03:08):
sale.
We accepted an offer on thataircraft.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Found your original, no way.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Summer of the Clutch YouTube channel, very passionate
, combined aviation with abusiness background.
This is awesome, man.
Wow.
And we got right into it fromthere.
So that's, that's funny.
Well, I mean, you know what?
Here's the thing A lot ofpeople will reach out to me,
(03:35):
whether it's a DM or a commentor an email like that and what
was great about you is that westarted talking and then you
were ready to take action.
And not only were you ready totake action, but, like you said,
you went the extra mile.
You stayed for an extra week ortwo in Sarasota just to kind of
be in that environment, to geta good start.
(03:57):
And I hear a lot of talk, dude.
I hear a lot of talk like, oh,I need this, or I'm a go-getter,
I'm a hustler, I'm already asuccessful this or that, you're
our first broker to hit the sixfigures, and that's not an
accident.
You go the extra mile.
(04:18):
You are constantly coachable.
You went to Vegas, you know,for the, for the conferences.
You, you seek out opportunitiesin the Miami area to connect
with people, and you're justreally coachable.
So, um, let me ask you, whatabout this journey over the past
year?
Was what you expected, and whatabout this past year was
(04:41):
unexpected.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Yeah, that's a good question.
Um expected, I would say, well,that's tough.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
I I guess you know, or maybe you did expect, but it
was easier or harder than youexpected.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, well, one thing I did expect and you made this
clear from the beginning is thisis a different type of sales
process.
It's much longer.
We're commission only.
So you need to, of course, bewise with your money, have a
budget in mind and you reallyhave to go after it.
One thing that you were dead onabout is you have to make a ton
(05:20):
of calls.
That's for sure, um, you haveto make a ton of calls, uh,
that's for sure, um, at least 50calls a day, ideally 70 to a
hundred.
In, really, cause you're thecalls you're making right now is
money that you're going to paythree, four or five months away,
um, from now.
So the more work you put in now, the better off you'll be in
the future.
So that, I think, was kind ofwhat I expected, because that's
(05:43):
what you really drilled into meUnexpected.
Every single deal is different.
It's really unique.
Really, what can go wrong willgo wrong.
So when you think a deal isgetting to the finish line and
something random will happen,like Hurricane Milton, so yeah,
(06:06):
I would just say you know, everydeal is unique and anything
could happen.
That's the unexpected partabout it.
I think you're muted, tom, bythe way.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
So the part that was expected you had to make a lot
of calls, maybe that orsomething else.
What was easier than youexpected and what was harder
than you expected.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Easier, maybe for me, I guess, because I kind of
already have a background in, ora passion and a knowledge of,
aviation.
Just learning the markets andlearning about airplanes was
easier because I love airplanes,so I'm happy to study and put
in the work to learn aboutmarkets and learn about specific
airframes and about themaintenance.
(06:47):
I think that was easier.
Harder, I mean, I don't know,it can be well.
Actually I'll say this so thisis my first sales job or
experience.
You know, taking this job wasmy first sales experience, so
actually making the calls andfinding creative ways to provide
(07:09):
value for clients.
I think that's the hard partthat I've found and kind of
pushing past some of thosebarriers you get.
I mean, it's my first salesexperience, so the training that
we do has been very beneficialto me.
But it's always every singleday, every call is different.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
It's my first sales experience, so the training that
we do has been very beneficialto me, but it's always every
single day, every call isdifferent, so I guess it's the
hard part.
So you came into this with nobackground.
Why were you thinking aviationsales?
And did you look at anythingelse?
Charter brokering?
Did you look into real estate?
Did you look into?
Yeah, what did you look into?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I definitely looked into real estate.
Did you look into?
Yeah, what did you look into?
I definitely looked into realestate.
I didn't.
I didn't look into chartersales.
I actually had a finance degreein college.
So my original plan I alwaysknew I wanted to combine
business with aviation.
I just didn't quite know whatthat would look like.
So I had been applying tofinancial analyst jobs at you
know airlines like JetBlue,boeing, lockheed Martin just
(08:07):
aviation companies, financialanalyst positions.
But then I discovered you knowaircraft sales and that I was
between that and real estate.
I actually had a job offer forcommercial real estate.
But I think it's important whenyou're in sales that you do
something you're passionateabout, because if you're not
passionate about it, you can'tbe successful.
So that's kind of what led meto go into private aviation
(08:33):
sales.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
What did your friends and family say when you were
talking about becoming a jetbroker a year ago, and what are
they saying now?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
what are they saying now?
Oh, they were they.
They were definitely verysupportive, but they wanted me
to understand the risk of takinga commission only job, uh, and
the chance that you won't makesome money for a while.
That's definitely a huge, hugerisk.
That's probably the, you know,the biggest risk of going into,
um, you know, being a privatejet broker or any commission
(09:05):
only job.
So that was something they Iwouldn't say they were worried
about, but they wanted to makesure I understood what that
meant and that meant I needed towork hard.
But now I think you know, Ithink they're excited and happy
for me and I have, you know, Ijust recently got my private
pilot, my private pilot licenseas well, so I've really embraced
(09:27):
aviation.
I want to continue to learn.
Hopefully I get my instrumentrating, multi-engine rating and
then, on the sales side,continue to be a resource for my
clients and build newrelationships.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
How have you found the aviation industry?
I know you're younger.
You had, you know, a little bitof experience in the finance
world before this.
But what can you say about theindustry as a whole, the good,
the bad, the ugly?
What have you found over thepast year?
Like if you were explainingthis to someone that's like what
(09:59):
is the industry like?
What are the people like?
What would you tell them?
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah Well, the aviation industry.
I think this is a good and abad thing.
What's great is it's a smallindustry, so everyone knows each
other, but also can be a badthing because it's very
reputation based.
So you know, it's importantthat you know you're putting
your best step, you're puttingyour best self out there, being
a resource for others.
(10:25):
I think it's important that, asbrokers and just in general,
everyone in the aviationindustry should be one.
You know family and everyoneshould be helping each other out
, whether that's sharing marketresearch, sharing ideas.
I think that has been the bestthing about aviation and, again,
(10:45):
could be a bad thing.
What else do I love about it?
I would say almost everyoneI've met is also passionate
about aviation.
So while we are doing sales, weall love airplanes.
So we don't need to talk aboutour jobs all day.
We can just talk aboutairplanes all day.
And yeah, that's one thing Ilove about aviation.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
How have you found the fact that we are
remote-based brokerage, acloud-based brokerage, so you
don't come into the office, wedon't have.
You know, it's not like Wolf ofWall Street where we're
throwing people against adartboard or having crazy, you
know, plane rides and going toVegas for weddings or anything
like that.
What has that been like for you?
(11:26):
What are the pros and cons ofthe cloud based aspect of the
brokerage?
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, I think the pros are.
We have people all over.
So I'm in Miami, you're inSarasota and again you happen to
be in Charleston and ouraircraft was closing there this
most recent one, 5-10 NovemberZulu so you were able to show up
for closing.
I wasn't going to go to closingbecause of the incoming
(11:52):
hurricane and the logistics toget back to Miami.
A bunch of airports wereclosing so it wasn't looking too
good.
So that's definitely a benefit,again, having brokers all over
the place.
We have brokers in Pennsylvania, colorado, texas, California,
so we can all help each otherout with our deals and go show
(12:13):
aircraft for each other ifneeded.
I would say also, I guess youknow a con of it could be.
You know it's really.
You really need to set goalsand motivate yourself, because
when you are working from homeor working in a, you know a, you
know a WeWork or something byyourself, only you know you can
(12:36):
motivate us from afar, but atthe end of the day, it's on us
to make the calls and to work.
So if you, you know, don't havegoals set and you're not
constantly trying to pursue themor you know better yourself,
then this could be, you know, atough industry for you and a
tough job for you.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
How's the training?
Like you had, so it was alittle bit different for you.
You came in for two days.
We went through the workbook.
The workbook would eventuallybecome the online course, um,
but you still have access tocircle.
You still see the, the, the,the, the courses that I put up
there.
Can you speak to this trainingthat you've received?
Um, both what's on circle andthe recent sales training that
(13:19):
we've been doing?
How, how would you describethat to someone who's thinking
about you know well, how do Iget support?
Or maybe they've been in otheruh, industries, other jobs where
training wasn't a big thing.
Like, especially with this it'sa new jet program.
Like who knows how to go.
Like there's like no place toto learn.
So like, can you speak into thetraining environment you found
(13:40):
here, yeah, and how it'sactually helped you?
You know close deals and getinto the six figure club?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Yeah, no, I.
It's definitely been a greatresource for me.
I wouldn't be where I am todaywithout it.
Again, it goes all the way backto coming down to Sarasota in
person and staying there for twoweeks.
I learned a lot in those twoweeks and after leaving there I
knew for sure that this wassomething I wanted to do.
And then consistently havingmultiple trainings per week kind
(14:07):
of keeps us sharp, gets usthinking about new ways to be
creative on the phone and how wecan provide value to our
clients.
So I definitely think the youknow the training has been a
huge resource, especially towhen I think back and I was
looking prior to a JetLife ArrowI knew I kind of wanted to be a
private jet broker.
I just didn't know too muchabout it.
(14:28):
I didn't really know where toget started either.
I think there were a few thingsI found online, a few courses,
but they didn't seem thatcredible or I don't know it.
Just they weren't verytransparent up front.
So I think you know the greatthing about the Circle community
is you know we have that courseon there and it's not like a
(14:52):
course you take and you're goingto be an expert and you can
sell an airplane in the world.
That's not the a course youtake and you're going to be an
expert and you can sell anairplane in the world.
That's not the purpose of it.
It's really an introduction towhat being a private jet broker
is like and how you can takethat basic knowledge and you go
from there and you continue tolearn.
So I think it's a greatoverview of everything that's
(15:13):
involved in the transaction andjust what it's like to be a
private jet broker.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
So, speaking of the training, what are a few skills
or a few specific tasks, if youwill, that you're like, oh my
gosh, like I had no idea, like Ineeded this skill or I needed
this task and I'm so glad that Iwas trained on how to do it.
Maybe objections, maybe it'sclosing, maybe it's just escrow
contracts.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, um, outside of court again.
I was new to sales, soeverything about, um sure, the
sales process was important tome.
Uh, of course, you knowpracticing.
We continue, you knowcontinuously practice handling
objections in our trading calls.
So that's great, uh, and I amalways benefiting from that.
I would say.
I mean just, I would say thefinite deal, details of the
(16:00):
transaction, such as theaircraft purchase agreements.
You know how we do our marketresearch.
That's very important.
Being able to uh conduct marketresearch.
Uh, it's very important thatyou're an absolute expert on the
model of the aircraft you'reselling or acquiring for a
client.
So that, learning how to domarket research, you know
(16:20):
creating spec sheets.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
How is JetBroker Alex today different from JetBroker
Alex a year ago?
Speaker 2 (16:29):
I would say number one, experience.
I don't know it all, I'm alwayscontinuing to learn, but I have
a, you know, a good idea ofwhat a transaction would look
like and what's required for asuccessful transaction.
I kind of have a routine now.
I, you know how I operate on aday-to-day basis and how I do my
(16:50):
market research.
You know I design my specsheets a specific way, present
information, you know.
I would say I would just saymainly it's experience.
And then, of course, like youknow, hidden objections.
You know there's alwayssomething new you could hear,
(17:11):
but for the most part it's acouple of same objections and
kind of knowing how to getthrough them or just discuss
them.
And, more importantly, thelonger in the industry, the more
people you meet, and that helpswith your transactions as well.
So you may, you know, learn ofa new maintenance shop that
could help with a specific issue, or someone wants to, you know,
get an interior refurb orrepaint their aircraft.
(17:33):
You, you know, have a personyou can refer to them.
And then, knowing more peoplein the industry, that definitely
helps with off-market deals aswell, because a lot of times
clients will be looking for anaircraft and they don't like any
of the options that are on themarket.
So it's important to have a fewoff markets or, you know, have
established relationships withother brokers.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Maybe you guys can put a deal together as well.
So you've made it to the sixfigure club, the double comma
club.
We'll have to figure out somelike really cool uh, uh
designation for what would be apiece of advice that you would
give to someone who's juststarting that journey.
Yeah, Um, and, and can youspeak to how long it took you?
Um, like, why did it take thatlong?
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
What expectations should be.
I don't know.
I'm not saying it was a badthing.
First of all, let me just beclear.
Like you're doing great and Idon't want to disparage Because
you did your first year I meanyou did a good salary not quite
$100,000 in the first year, butI mean you were more than
halfway there.
So your first year, like youdid, you did well enough for
like a normal full-time job.
So can you maybe speak tosomebody who's just getting
(18:40):
started?
What was your first year likeand like what advice you would
give to them?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yeah, I think it goes hand in hand what I was going
to say, but it's reallyimportant to stay motivated and
push yourself to make calls, tobecome informed about the market
and to be a resource.
I think every single day youshould be trying to do something
, that try to learn something,whether it's about maintenance
or anything in the industryreally Staying informed, keeping
(19:05):
up with current world events,keeping up with the news and
aviation as well I think that'sreally important Really, you
know we can give you all thetools you need to be successful,
but at the end of the day, it'son you.
You've got to put in that workyourself.
You can't put in 20% of thework and expect 80% of the
result.
So you definitely have to setgoals, keep pursuing them, stay
(19:29):
motivated and just keep pushingon.
I think that's definitely thebest advice I'd give.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
So what did you struggle with your first year?
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Again and that's why I was going to say it goes hand
in hand.
I'm, you know, I'm very proudof where I'm at right now, but I
know I can do so much more andI can do better, and that, you
know, falls on me.
You know, either making morecalls I really I think it's just
really making more calls and Ithink I do okay with my market
(19:57):
research and learning new things, just learning how to make
pilots, you're doing really wellwith the market.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
You're probably one of our most dialed in brokers.
As far as your mark, you knowyour market Like I can ask like,
oh, what about you know one,two, three, four, five hotel
Charlie?
Like, oh, yeah, that one in, uhin in Boise, idaho, that has
the red stripe on it, that lastweek you know?
I mean, you know your marketreally really well.
(20:21):
Um, why do you think it's hardto pick up the phone and, by the
way, this is something that Istruggle with too.
You look at my call numbers andit's easy for me to be like,
well, I'm training people, butlike the reality is I need to, I
need to be on the phones too.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So why didn't?
Speaker 1 (20:34):
you pick up the phone .
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Honestly, I think it's.
It's kind of a muscle andthat's why I think, um, it's
like a muscle in your brain.
It's you just got to keep it's.
It's sometimes it's hard to goto the gym, you know, and you
know you got to go to the gymand you get a routine.
And then if you, uh, once yougo to the gym for two weeks
straight, then you're good andyou, you keep going, but then if
you take a week off, it's hardto get back in the gym.
I think it's similar to that.
So, um, if you're making a tonof calls, you're in a rhythm and
(20:59):
you keep going.
Um, that's great about you knowstaying motivated.
I think that's what it is,because you know it's not, you
(21:21):
know, uncommon to have stretchesof you know no luck or success.
Um, on the phones and you couldbe calling through market, it
could be a month or two andyou're not getting any traction,
but I think that's normal insales.
So it's really just aboutstaying motivated and keep
pushing through it, because Ithink, um, of course, a lot I
(21:44):
you know in sales, I think it'sa lot of you know experience and
well, what's the phrase?
Luck is definitely involved insales, but you create your own
luck, so you have to putyourself in a position to be
lucky.
So if you're not making callsthen it's going to be harder to
get lucky, because you mightcall someone and they are
(22:05):
absolutely ready to sell theirairplane or ready to, you know
make a change.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
So, yeah, it's like luck is when consistency and
hard work pay off, or whentiming and consistency meets.
That's luck kind of thing.
I'd agree with that.
Well, Alex, I appreciate somuch about everything you've
done over this past year.
Your last deal, the 2008Citation Mustang just about
(22:29):
almost a $2 million plane.
All the planes that you've soldso far have been over between
$1 and $2 million.
One was over $2 million right,yes, it was.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
It was the Mustang back in March.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah, so you've sold almost $6 million worth of
aircraft.
That's awesome.
You've handled over $6 millionin in total transactions.
A 24 year old right.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Yeah, 25, 25.
I was going to correct you, but.
I recently turned 25.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
That's right.
So, um, great man.
Well, thank you so much foreverything.
I'll give you the last word.
Um, I guess that the prompt Iwould give you is you know, what
does it mean for you, movingforward into the future, to live
your jet life to the fullest?
What does that look like in thenext year, in the next five
(23:22):
years?
How you know?
How would you describe that?
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Wow, definitely continuing to learn and pursue
my goals and hopefully achievethem.
Can you share?
one or two of those goals withus.
Yeah Well, I have one goal upthere.
I don't know if you can see iton there Was even close to
(23:44):
hitting it, but I wanted toclose 10 deals this year.
I'm probably going to get fiveor six, but that's and that's on
me.
You know I can work harder, Ican always work harder.
So that's one thing Idefinitely want to do for next
year.
Maybe I'll up that number topush even harder for it, but
(24:04):
that's definitely one goal Iwant to achieve.
So really, I just want tocontinue to provide value, to be
a resource, build relationships, become more informed about the
market, learn more aboutaircraft and just be the best
that I can be.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
That's awesome, man.
I appreciate your time.
Hope we have a great rest ofthe day.
Thanks, tom, stay safe.
I appreciate it.
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