Dustin Cordier

Bizav shows and events like NBAA Leadership Conference, Corporate Jet Investor and NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition are critical opportunities to strengthen relationships, build credibility and close deals. 

But with high costs and packed schedules, there’s no room for wasted time or resources. Without a focused strategy, companies risk leaving with nothing but a stack of business cards. Success hinges on three key areas: preparation, execution and follow-up.

Pre-Event: Plan with Precision

Winning at an event starts weeks—if not months—before showtime. Every dollar spent should be tied back to a specific business goal. 

Are you there to close deals, strengthen existing relationships, find referral partners, or recruit talent? Set clear, measurable objectives so every action is intentional. Write them down and visualize how to make it happen.

Consider these pre-event planning practices:

Target Key Attendees: Research who’s attending—decision-makers, influencers, and potential partners.

Book Meetings in Advance: Don’t wait until you’re at the event to make connections. Reach out early via LinkedIn, email, or a warm introduction from a mutual contact. Aim to lock in meetings with at least three high-value prospects per day.

Plan Private Engagements: Face-to-face time is invaluable. Host a private breakfast, VIP cocktail event, or exclusive demo at a nearby FBO. At the NBAA Leadership Conference, consider scheduling an intimate dinner with key executives as it may be more valuable than a dozen random booth conversations.

Pre-Event Social Media Engagement: Announce your attendance on LinkedIn, tag event hashtags like #CJIMiami, #NBAALeaders or #NBAA2025BACE or #NBAASDC, and comment on posts from target prospects to increase visibility before the show even starts.

On-Site: Be Intentional, Not Just Present

Simply being at the event isn’t enough—every interaction must be strategic. Consider how you “show up” at the show:‍

Position Yourself as a Connector: Instead of just pitching your services, focus on introductions. Connecting two industry contacts can build goodwill and strengthen your credibility.‍

Engage the Right People: At NBAA BACE, don’t just work the exhibit hall—identify VIP networking events or after-hours gatherings where high-value decision-makers are more accessible.

Use Customer Stories to Sell: Instead of rattling off aircraft specs, share real success stories of how your services solved a problem for a flight department, charter operator, or aircraft owner.

Leverage Social Media in Real-time: Post key takeaways from speaker sessions, tag new connections in LinkedIn posts, and use event hashtags to increase visibility beyond the show floor.

Leadership’s Role: Setting Expectations & Evaluating Performance

For leadership teams, sending employees to industry events is an investment that should yield measurable results. Set clear expectations regarding how team members should engage with prospects, conduct themselves at networking events, and track their interactions. 

As a leader, ensure that your team members aren’t just attending events but are actively contributing to the company’s growth.

After the event, schedule a “hotwash”—a structured debrief—to review the sales pipeline, analyze what worked and what didn’t, and refine strategies for future events. 

Did pre-scheduled meetings lead to meaningful follow-ups? Were key decision-makers engaged effectively? Were there missed opportunities? 

A focused post-event analysis helps teams continuously improve and extract more value from every conference.

Post-Event: Convert Conversations into Business

The event isn’t over when you pack up—it’s just the beginning. Here are recommendations to convert those conversations into business opportunities.

Follow Up Within 48 Hours: Send personalized emails referencing specific conversations or better yet PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL. Example: “Great meeting you at BACE—you mentioned the need for more flexible charter availability. Let’s schedule a call to learn more about your priorities and what options exist.” Most sales people don’t do this step so- it will set you apart.

Keep the Conversation Going: Provide value beyond the event. Send a case study, a white paper, or an introduction to a relevant contact.

Track and Nurture Leads in a CRM: Don’t let valuable connections go cold. Assign next steps and set reminders to follow up at the right time.

Reconnect at the Next Industry Event: Business aviation is relationship-driven, and staying visible across multiple events strengthens trust, likability and credibility.

The Bottom Line to Maximizing Event ROI: The Bottom Line

Aviation events like NBAA BACE, Leadership Conference, and Schedulers & DispatchersS&D aren’t just networking opportunities. T—they’re high-stakes sales and relationship accelerators. 

A successful event isn’t about how many people you meet, but how many turn into lasting business opportunities. With strategic planning, intentional engagement, and diligent follow-up, these events become revenue-generating investments, not just expenses.

Tragically, on January 29^th, the business aviation community lost two of our own. Casey Crafton of Guardian Jet and Vikesh Patel of GE Aerospace were among those killed in the American Airlines Flight 5342 crash. Our prayers and support go out to their colleagues and families. 

During my service in the U.S. Air Force, I was a formally trained aircraft accident and incident investigator. Fortunately, I never had to respond to a fatality. In the aftermath, it’s the worst call one can ever make.

The issue forces us, as aviation business leaders, to ask ourselves, how well prepared are we to respond to a crisis?

The Role of Leadership Communication

Effective leadership communication is crucial during a crisis. Especially when uncertainty and high stakes demand clarity, trust and decisive action. 

Charles Duhigg, the author of the book Supercommunicators, recently presented a keynote at the NBAA Leadership Conference. During his address, he shared that great communicators excel at three things: translating complex information, building trust and bridging different perspectives. 

These communication principles are essential in crises (e.g., data breaches, COVID and aviation disasters) where unclear facts and severe consequences require leaders to communicate with precision and empathy.

Translating Complexity into Clarity

One of the key principles in Supercommunicators is the ability to simplify complex information. Let’s not kid ourselves; people will assume the worst, and social media will amplify their fears and confusion. 

The great “toilet paper shortage” of 2020 is an example. 

Effective leaders can’t afford to surrender to wild imaginings. We must help our teams navigate uncertainty by quickly identifying and assessing the risk and clearly communicating the plan to our teams.

The good news is that we don’t have to do this by ourselves. Our leadership teams will be a tremendous asset if we’ve invested in hiring the right people. With respect to our brave military members, businesses commonly set up “war rooms” when faced with a sudden loss. The purpose of the war room is to gather and sort through relevant information so you can prepare and respond to the threat.

The war room also brings clarity to the situation for the entire team. People respond to leadership and take comfort in knowing that the leadership team is fully invested in mitigating the risk. Sometimes, seeing the team's dedication to addressing a critical issue calms emotions and brings people back to clearer thinking.

Building Trust Through Transparency

Trust is essential during a crisis, and we as leaders must acknowledge the uncertainty while committing to transparency.

Nothing will ruin a team faster than lack of transparency during a crisis. The Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 illustrate the dangers of poor communication. 

Boeing initially downplayed software issues, eroding trust in both the company and regulatory agencies. When facts emerged, the lack of transparency worsened public perception. This led to prolonged safety concerns and financial damages.

People respect someone telling them how it is, even when the facts make it difficult to do so. If you have an effective war room, you will achieve as much clarity as possible with the information you have. If you’ve hired the right people, you'll be amazed at how they rise to the challenge when they feel that you’ve been honest and transparent with them.

Bridging Perspectives and Fostering Unity

Crisis communication requires addressing different audiences—technical experts, policymakers and the general public—each with unique concerns. Duhigg’s principle of bridging perspectives requires leadership and decisive action. 

After extensive consultation with advisors, a leader eventually will have to make the call on how to move forward. 

At the recent CJI London conference, I spoke with Mike Dwyer, managing partner and co-founder of Guardian Jet, about losing Casey Crafton. Mike’s leadership team has had many sleepless nights trying to do the right thing for Casey’s family and the entire team. However, Mike and his partners had the courage to make the call and implement a solid communication plan, and the healing process is already in motion.

Ultimately, leadership communication during crises must prioritize clarity, transparency, inclusivity and good judgment. By applying the principles laid out in Supercommunicators, leaders can reduce fear, build trust and guide people through uncertainty.

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A pilot’s perspective offers a profound lesson for leaders: the sun is always shining, even when obscured by clouds. This truth is not rooted in wishful thinking or positive self-talk but in experience. When faced with the greyest skies, a pilot knows that ascending to a higher altitude reveals blue skies and radiant sunshine. 

Similarly, an aviation leader’s role is to cultivate certainty within their organization by grounding it in three fundamental steps to success: desire, willingness to act and iteration.

Step 1: Desire – Specific and Measurable Goals

Desire is the cornerstone of any achievement, but it must be specific and measurable. Vague aspirations lead to vague results. 

Whether the goal is increasing revenue, improving team performance, or launching a new product, clarity and precision are essential. Without an aligned vision, there can be no buy-in from the team. The team will lack inspiration and meaningful action.

Step 2: Commitment to Act

Desire without action is empty ambition. Just look at failed New Year’s resolutions. Many people resolve to make changes—improving health, finances, or relationships—but fail to take the necessary steps. 

Action bridges the gap between intention and reality. However, action alone can lead to frustration if it lacks purpose. Busyness does not equal effectiveness. Action must align with the specific, measurable goals defined by desire. 

Step 3: Iteration – Learning, Adapting, Improving

Even the best plans need adjustment. Iteration ensures growth by fostering an ongoing process of learning and improvement. An aviation leader’s role is to understand that setbacks and turbulence are part of the journey but can be navigated through effective iteration. This requires healthy debate, which is only possible in an environment of trust. 

Trust stems from vulnerability—a willingness to admit mistakes, ask for help, and collaborate openly. When teams engage in honest reflection and constructive dialogue, iteration becomes the engine that ensures success. 

Just as a pilot trusts in the laws of physics and nature, a leader must trust in the principles of success. Positivity can place a team in the right mind set, but following the principles of success is what creates certainty. 

Aviation leaders inspire their teams beyond doubt into humble confidence by fostering an environment of trust and focusing on desire, action, and iteration. A trust that the process works and the knowledge that, just like altitude is the only barrier to sunshine, time is the only barrier to success.

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Aviation entrepreneurs and high achievers are naturally talented at setting and achieving goals. But we also tend to neglect our self-care. We push forward. And as Aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal put it, “Sacrifices must be made.” 

But what if you could prioritize both performance and our well-being?

This five-step annual review, inspired by Tiago Forte, helps you reflect on 2024 and charge into 2025 with purpose and energy. Following the article is a checklist to use to really get your juices flowing.

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1. Start with Gratitude

It all starts with gratitude. Want less stress and anxiety in your life? How about better sleep and heart health? Research shows practicing gratitude could be the way. 

By actively practicing the art of gratitude, you can transform your outlook and improve your well-being. It also reduces stress, enhances sleep and supports heart health.

Reflect on 2024 by listing everything you're grateful for—people, achievements, and experiences. Use your phone’s calendar and photos to jog your memory.

Aim for at least 100 items. High achievers often focus on shortcomings, overlooking accomplishments. This practice helps you see the true fullness of your year and fosters a sense of appreciation.

2. Conduct a “Hotwash” on 2024

Borrowing the concept from the Air Force, a “hotwash” is the immediate "after-action" discussion following an exercise, training session or major event. 

In the case of an annual review, this is your chance to review your wins, challenges and lessons while they’re fresh. A personal “hotwash” isn’t intense, but it’s impactful.

Identify three wins and the biggest lessons learned. Ask yourself: What worked? What didn’t? How can you improve? Then use these insights to sharpen your focus.

3. Visualize 2025

Dream big. Picture the year ahead like planning a dream vacation. Don’t get bogged down in details; focus on the experience.

What will make 2025 extraordinary? Imagine the sights, feelings and energy of your ideal year. Let curiosity guide your vision.

4. Set Your Intention

Henry Ford said it best: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t—you’re right.” Set specific, actionable goals for next year.

Less is more. Narrow your focus to three priorities. When everything feels important, nothing gets done.

5. Take Action

Feeling inspired? Don’t stop now. Plans often fail when action isn’t taken. Overcome procrastination by scheduling the smallest next step.

Block time on your calendar. Progress happens one small, deliberate action at a time.

Bonus: Make It a Family Affair

Include your family in this process. My family and I have completed an annual review for nearly a decade. We gather, share our insights and have fun with music, snacks and laughter.

Last year, my kids even invited their friends! The shared experience fosters connection and sets a positive tone for the new year.

As you wrap up 2024, reflect with gratitude, set intentions and act boldly. Here’s to a successful and fulfilling 2025.

Annual Review

1. Gratitude List:

• What are the people, places, things and successes you’re grateful for in your life this year?

2. Hotwash 2024: 

• List your three top wins for the year.
• What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned this year?
• What risks did you take?
• What was your most loving act of service?
• What unfinished business do you have from this year?
• What are you most happy about completing?
• Who were the three people that had the greatest impact on your life this year?
• What was your biggest surprise?
• What compliment would you have liked to receive?
• What else do you need to do or say to feel complete with this year?
• What one word or phrase best sums up and describes your experience this year?
• What stories from last year are you letting go of?

3. Visualize 2025:

• What would make 2025 your best year ever?
• What new habits can you cultivate to achieve your goals?
• What bad habits can you remove to help you reach your goals?
• What are your immediate next steps to achieve these goals?
• What would you like to be your biggest win?
• What advice would you give yourself?
• What are you planning to do to improve your financial results?
• What are you most excited to learn?
• What do you think will be your biggest risk?
• Who or what, besides yourself, are you most committed to loving and serving?
• What about your work are you most committed to changing and improving?
• What undeveloped talent are you willing to explore?
• What brings you the most joy, and how will you do or have more of that?
• What one word or phrase would you like to have as your theme?

4. Set Your Intention:

• Add new goals and projects
  
  

5. Get Started: 

• Use a task tracker and your calendar to carve out the time for the next steps.

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How can aviation business owners navigate shifting economic conditions and thrive in the face of uncertainty? Adapting to change requires agility, foresight and a solid understanding of market dynamics.

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Take the presidential election, for example. Every four years, the aviation industry experiences some delays in major purchase decisions. Companies and individuals hold off as they brace for potential policy shifts and economic uncertainty. This "election stall" effect arises from concerns about new leadership and the impact of their policies, which could alter tax structures, interest rates and other economic factors.

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As a result, such fluctuations affect disposable income and influence perceptions, shaping both business aviation demand and travel habits. Compounding the uncertainty, leadership actions don’t always align with their public promises, leading to misaligned expectations. These dynamics put pressure on the aviation industry, which is particularly sensitive to economic cycles.

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To thrive amid constant change, aviation business owners must stay nimble. And they must be ready to adapt to shifting economic realities and evolving customer demands. However, amidst all these adjustments, having a guiding principle becomes essential to maintain focus and direction.

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When it comes to building a lasting strategy, Jeff Bezos offers a compelling perspective that highlights the importance of focusing on stability:

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"I very frequently get the question: 'What's going to change in the next 10 years?' And that is a very interesting question; it's a very common one. I almost never get the question: 'What's not going to change in the next 10 years?' And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two—because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time..."

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This shift in perspective—from predicting change to identifying what remains constant—provides a powerful framework for long-term planning. By grounding their strategies in enduring fundamentals, aviation businesses can create models that withstand external fluctuations and deliver consistent value.

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In aviation, certain customer expectations, such as safety, reliability and efficient service, serve as strategic anchors. And these anchors remain constant regardless of political or economic shifts. By focusing on these core priorities, aviation firms can confidently invest in systems and practices that deliver long-term value.

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This clarity helps entrepreneurs navigate uncertainty while staying grounded in customer-centric priorities. In a world of constant change, focusing on what endures allows aviation business owners not only to survive but to thrive.

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As many prominent aircraft brokerage leaders near retirement, the firms they represent face a serious challenge. They’ve yet to fully develop their next generation of young sales leaders.

No doubt every aircraft brokerage firm has young, eager professionals on staff—people who love aviation and are enthusiastic to learn. But newbies in high-pressure sales environments can quickly become overwhelmed. And I don’t blame them. There’s a steep learning curve to this complex business, one that requires deep industry knowledge and strong negotiation skills. Not to mention building an extensive network of high-net-worth clients.

Without structured mentorship and proper training, a developing junior sales director will stagnate. Such a lack of commitment from the top brass can lead to high turnover, inconsistent results, and potential reputational damage to the brand.

Key Success Factors for Aircraft Brokerage Firms

We often hear that aviation is a unique industry, and it’s true. Although sales volume may be low, the stakes are incredibly high. There’s a premium placed on relationships and trust. In order to succeed, brokers must consistently prove that they are credible, likable, and trustworthy. And they absolutely must leave their legacy with well-trained junior staffers to fill the void.

But the question remains, how can brokerage leaders bridge the gap as pressure mounts prior to their retirement? Their survival hinges on how effectively they can transition leadership and replace themselves with a new generation of strong, competent and strategically-minded leaders who can hit the ground running. Without a qualified pipeline of younger talent, firms whose leaders are retiring may not only lose experiential knowledge. They’ll also lose clients to competitors—especially ones with more robust leadership development and sales training programs.

The bottom line is that brokerage firms without successful transition plans will struggle. They might not be able to keep up with evolving market conditions. They may miss out on shifts in buying styles and technological advancements. Building a strong team of junior sales directors isn’t just about succession. It’s essential for sustained growth and competitiveness.

About the Author‍

Dustin Cordier is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and EOS Implementer®. Through his firm, StepZero Coaching, he helps aviation entrepreneurs create freedom, growth and legacy, while coaching aspiring sales leaders using his aircraft brokerage expertise. Connect with Dustin at stepzerocoaching.com or on LinkedIn.