Buying Time -- Flying Private 101 with Tommy Sowers

Buckle up for an inside look at the complex world of private jets. Host Brian Adams talks with FlyExclusive President Tommy Sowers about his unusual path to leading one of the nation’s top charter companies. They turbulence-proof your understanding of this fragmented industry, from dodging shady operators to knowing when to pull the trigger on buying your own plane. Along the way, Tommy shares what powers flyExclusive's journey from startup to industry rocketship. But it's not all clear skies—they also unpack hair-raising risks like safety gaps and crippling cash burn.The Honorable Tommy Sowers, Ph.D., serves as President of flyExclusive expanding on a career in entrepreneurship, academia, the military and public service. He is a graduate of Duke University and received his Masters and Ph.D. from the London School of Economics. A U.S. Army Green Beret combat veteran, Sowers previously served as an Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He co-founded and was Chief Executive Officer of Durham and San Francisco-based GoldenKey and was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. Tommy most recently served as the Southeast region lead for innovation for the U.S. Department of Defense and taught innovation and entrepreneurship at Duke University.[00:01 - 06:23] Growth and Fragmentation of the Private Aviation IndustryTommy's unconventional path to becoming President of flyExclusive after an exitThe founding and bold vision of flyExclusive to build a large operation in a small NC townFlyExclusive has grown from 1,838 to 2nd largest by flight hoursThe industry remains fragmented with high barriers to M&ACapital intensity contributes to fragmentation[06:24 - 17:59] Projecting the Future and Evaluating ProvidersBoom during pandemic but expects cyclical normalizationKey criteria: safety ratings, mission match, maintenance reliabilityAssess strategy/longevity, get on a plane to inspect qualityComplicated business prone to cash burn - warning signs[18:00 - 21:38] Plane Ownership ConsiderationsSafety issues are an obvious non-starterAround $10M+ net worth is the typical thresholdTime savings and flexibility main benefits of outright ownershipKey Quote:"Our founder likes to say, once you try private, it's hard to go back." - Tommy Sowers Connect with Tommy Sowers!Website: https://www.flyexclusive.com/ Email: [email protected] This episode is sponsored by Mack International, a specialized executive search and human capital consulting firm serving the family office/wealth management markets. Please visit their website here for more information.Download our FREE Strategizing for Inflation Guide here: https://www.excelsiorgp.com/download/Connect with me:https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-c-adams/ (LinkedIn)LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND LEAVE US A REVIEW on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or whatever platform you listen on. Thank you for tuning in and Stay Tuned for the Next Episode COMING SOON! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.