Speaker 1: 0:00

So if I met you four months ago and told you that you would be selling your very first private jet, what would you have thought?

Speaker 2: 0:07

I would not have believed you, Tom. I mean, when I started out in this business, and even before that, I had no clue that selling jets was a thing you could do.

Speaker 1: 0:18

Hello everybody and welcome to the Jet Life Podcast. My name's Tom Lelio. I'm your ultimate jet guy. Today we're pulling back the curtain on aviation. Whether you're a buyer or an aspiring broker, we're here to help you buy and sell private jets without wasting time or losing money and with no experience necessary. And speaking of no experience, I'm here today joined by two amazing jet brokers. I've got a veteran, kevin Walsh, who's now on his second or third deal, and one of his team members, gabriel Dickerson, who's going to be joining us 19 years old, a baby 19-year-old. He just turned 19 a few months ago and he closed his very first deal a little while ago, and we're super excited to have them both here on the podcast. So, gentlemen, welcome.

Speaker 2: 1:10

How are you guys doing?

Speaker 1: 1:13

Well, I'm super excited to have you guys today, because people ask what does it take to be a private jet broker? Should I be a pilot? Should I be a mechanic? Do I need sales background? Do I need to know somebody? Or what courses do I need to take? And the two of you are just great examples of different backgrounds coming into this and being able to close deals with no experience necessary. So let me ask you first, kevin, just because you kind of started out here what was it about private aviation that kind of drew you into it and what made you finally decide like, ok, this is going to be the career move I want to make right now.

Speaker 3: 1:56

Yeah, thanks, to wake up and uh, do my thing and then, and then make my calls and uh, enjoy, uh, enjoy a day where where kind of I dictate it Right and um, and and, and that day looks different every day. Like I was working on Saturday, I was working on Sunday, uh, moment, but it's always evolving. You never know when you're going to be on call or have to send an email or do a text, so it's a 24-7 job, but it's dictated when you kind of want to do it and when your customers and clients need you, which I like a lot better than having to be somewhere for 40 hours or 45 hours a week. Right, uh, for 40 hours or 45 hours a week, and you need to clock in, you need to clock out and uh, it just you're, you're, you're, you're, you're held to, held to, held to their um, to, to what they want you to do and when they want you to do it.

Speaker 3: 2:53

And uh, there's a lot more freedom and and the potential and why me, gabe and tom, we're all sitting here the potential of, of a lot of money and uh and uh, there's some big deals out there. I have two I'm sitting on right now that are big deals that that, if they hit, it's going to be well over, uh, a hundred thousand dollars for two of them. So, uh, grateful for that, great for anything I get. I have a lot of kids, so I'll take anything I can get.

Speaker 1: 3:16

Well, uh, Gabe, let me ask you, if I met you four months ago and told you like, hey, listen, in four months you would actually be selling a real private jet. What would you have said? What would you have thought?

Speaker 2: 3:28

I probably would have thought you were crazy. I didn't even know this was an industry prior to getting into it. I was in the car market for a while, right out of high school, had a great GPA and decided to get in sales. So a little bit of a risk taker, and I mean I was enjoying it, I was doing good, and then I was working with a great group of people too. And my stepdad comes to me after a little bit, he's in, he's in the industry with you and he goes.

Speaker 2: 3:53

Gabe, I really think you should, you know, give this a go or at least you know, talk to Tom, put some thought into it. And my first thought is why would I sell private jets? I mean, I'm 19. Nobody's going to want to talk to me.

Speaker 2: 4:04

And I put a little bit of research in, watched a lot of your videos and, for anybody that's thinking about it, I mean if you go on Circle, everything's there. I mean it was like a whole crash course. It provided everything I needed and I started getting into it. And then I thought, you know, honestly, I mean if I'm selling cars now, I think I could probably swap to jets. It's a little bit of a jump, but I mean, as Kevin said, building on that a little bit, the ability to do it when I want to, you know, when I'm able to build my own hours. I mean that's incredible when you wake up at like seven in the morning, all the way until you know nine at night, or nine to five in the car market, like it really taxing, and just the ability to sleep in until maybe nine or eight or when I want, and then go work till I'm done. It's a big difference. So I mean I wanted to believe you just on your question there and I'm really happy I'm here.

Speaker 1: 4:57

Tell me what the training was like, and I definitely want to get into what was it like being a 19 year old trying to do this, but first what was the training like? You had a little bit of trying to do this, but first like what was the training like? You had a little bit of a sales background, you had a great GPA, but what was your initial impressions of the circle community? And then, when we pulled the curtain back and you actually saw the training that was offered, can you speak to that and just tell us what stood out?

Speaker 2: 5:21

Yeah, I mean, first off, you guys weren't like he's 19,. You know, treat him like a baby. I mean, first off, you guys weren't like he's 19, you know, treat him like a baby. I mean you treated me like I was part of the team and from the start, you know, I was in the role plays.

Speaker 2: 5:30

I think on my second meeting ever I was thrown up on the rope and I sounded horrible. I mean it was a completely different like thing from what I was used to selling cars. Um, it's almost like you're working a little bit more on one's end. I mean mean it was just, it was what I needed. I was treated like I was part of the team and it brought me into this whole new world with the training wheels that I needed to be able to be here now talking to you all about closing a deal within, I think it's like five months is kind of the base that you will get a deal, and we did it in under four. I mean the plane was only listed for about 30 days before I ended up finding a buyer.

Speaker 1: 6:07

So yeah, kevin, what about for you? So what's really unique here is that we have the revenue profit share, the revenue share plan, where once you're a broker with JetLife Aero, if you recruit somebody to be on your team because you want to train them and you don't have to do this, it's not like recruiting kind of a pyramid thing, it's not that. But for those people who enjoy coaching others and want to build a business within the JetLife ecosystem where you have the training, like Gabe is talking to, you're our pioneer right now, kevin, in the revenue share plan because you've already built your team with two people underneath you that you're helping mentor grow so that they can find success. You can find success. What has that been like under JetLife Arrow? Just kind of walk us through your thought process and why you decided to start building a team and how has that, how has that worked out so far?

Speaker 3: 7:16

Yeah, there's a good quote. There's a good quote says if you want to go fast, go alone, and if you want to go far, go together.

Speaker 3: 7:23

And and to go far, go together and uh, and and and to go far, right, um, I, I, I'm, I'm a very uh, I see things and I envision things and how big they can get, and uh, it's, it's, it's uh to to train people and to get them up and then to get to get. I mean, you get money off of it too. You mentioned revenue share planning. You get money off the back end of it from training. You're kind of like a manager, uh slash coach, uh slash uh player, because I still get to play too.

Speaker 3: 7:48

It's like the best both worlds at all, three worlds, like I'm a pete rose of uh the jet life, jet life world. So, uh, it's, it's enjoyable, um and uh, gabe. Gabe is just speaking to gabe. He's very easy. He's kind of uh more, um, uh does it himself and I teach him one time and he kind of he kind of understands and he and he takes direction well and it really helps that people can take direction well and understand what they're doing and uh catch on quickly and I just give Gabe and I take the, takes the reins and does it, you know, and that that's you uh makes. It makes it a lot easier for people, uh, people like me trying to coach and teach people. Let people like me trying to coach and teach people.

Speaker 1: 8:23

Let me ask you both this question, and I'll let Gabe answer first. But what would you say to the doubters that are like dude, you're 19 years old, you shouldn't be selling jets. You can't sell jets. And similar to you, kevin, what would you say to the doubters that are like you have no experience, you shouldn't be selling jets. Like you know, you're uh, uh, what was the word that we've heard? A neophyte. You know you don't have the experience. Um, gabe, what? What would you say to, to to the doubter in a nice way, right, I mean, obviously we can get a little fired up here, but, um, just kind of curious from your perspective. You know, how are you approaching that challenge?

Speaker 2: 9:09

I'll be honest about a lot of people that own the jets. I mean they, it doesn't bother them, like number one, I didn't even have to mention my age on my deal that I closed. But you know some owners that you know I'm planning on working with. I mean I mentioned my age to them and they go good for you. Like it reminds them of themselves and the neighborhood and they're all business owners. So in a way it helps out. I mean you know I'm a kid that's hung. I mean you know I'm a kid that's a hungry dog runs faster.

Speaker 2: 9:35

But I think I would point it at my dealership where I was working prior. I mean the first thing they said was you know, don't do it, it's all commission Don't do it. Who's really buying jets? And I mean I had those doubts carrying into it when I started. I thought you know, maybe they're right. Oh, I'm scared. And that's how it was for two months until I got a listing and I didn't realize how much the jet industry really does move. I mean there's a lot of people buying and selling and especially coming up on quarter four, you're coming up on the best time to do it. So I think I put it there towards where.

Speaker 2: 10:04

I was working prior and I understand where their heads were at.

Speaker 1: 10:12

But I mean, I believe in it and that's why I'm here. Yeah, no, and that's just it. And and I part of being a part of the team is is helping with that belief. You know, you see things around you Like you see Alex closing deals, you see me closing deals, you see Kevin closing deals. You see people coming up with you know experiences and you're like, oh, okay, there is stuff going on, like there's there's momentum.

Speaker 1: 10:30

I think a lot of times people try to do it on their own and they're just kind of like, well, no one's picking up my phone call, you know. But but but if, if no one's picking up your phone call, and you pick your head up and you look around, you're like, well, you know, you know Kevin's got a listing. Or you know Katie made 50 phone calls and, and, and, and you know 30 people answered her phone call. Like it causes you to kind of just think, well, maybe I can make a few adjustments and you don't give up as easily as you might. So, before we talk about the deal, how was it becoming a, becoming knowledgeable about a given market? I know you had sold cars before, but what was it what's? How can you compare and contrast learning about a car versus learning about a jet and the marketplace? And so when somebody said to you how much is my jet worth, that you could feel confident in speaking into it. What was that whole process like?

Speaker 2: 11:18

Well, first off, learning the car is.

Speaker 2: 11:20

I mean my manager could give me like a little sheet of paper and I had all these questions about the car. I would go out in person to hop in the car itself and just go over everything I could, and a lot of the times I, and a lot of the times I think I skipped over that process and just kind of went for it. I mean, but swap into the jets. I mean all of it is digital essentially, and fortunately we get all the resources, like through JetNet, so we're able to start getting on top of the markets, understand how they move. And then you know, we get what's called notions, so we're using our market reports, we're working with each other to build up all the info we can so we understand everything that's moving and we really do become professionals that we say we are, because we understand everything about a certain or given market that we're in.

Speaker 2: 12:00

And after probably a month or two, I mean I felt incredibly well versed in it. And you know, after three months coming to four, I mean I could tell you like boots on the wings of the Citation 2s and all these little details that come into it, when they started curving the wings. I mean I could tell you like boots on the wings of the Citation 2s and all these little details that come into it.

Speaker 2: 12:18

When they started curving the wings, I mean you start learning so much and it was a lot like when I was doing cars. I mean I worked for Ford and after a while I just started becoming second nature, and same thing with the Jets, and so I think the trainings helped out a lot too. I mean recently we started bringing our market reports to trainings and that helped me kind of get on top of everything.

Speaker 1: 12:37

So yeah, other markets, ancillary markets from the twos, like you know, the fives that a lot of people upgrade to, or things of that nature. So, okay, what was it like? What was your first phone call speaking to a high net worth individual? Do you remember anything about it? Or maybe something that's in the first few days?

Speaker 2: 12:55

Yeah, in cars they used to say you remember every first sale and this. You kind of remember your first call and I think it was a voicemail. I called and left a voicemail and I probably sat there for two minutes Like I can do this, I can do this, called and it's a whole anti-climatic voicemail. I left that. I did that probably 50 times a day for maybe close to a month until I forgot my first pickup and it happened to be with the buyer of this jet and you know I called him and he said, oh well, I actually buy and sell. And I was like, oh cool, like you know, let's get in contact, let's stay in contact. You know he might be good for future. Turns out he out he was. He was a great dude and he was really incredible to work with Super on top of his stuff. It was like that for a while, just making calls as many as I could.

Speaker 1: 13:44

What was it like when you got a hold of this owner? What was the story behind why they wanted to sell? Was it just one owner, or were there multiple parties that were going to have to be involved in this deal?

Speaker 2: 13:55

It was three technical owners. There's a lot of backstory to it, but essentially the one owner had had the plane and then, through a business failure, had basically gotten it to the other owner who owns it now mainly. And through these three owners, I mean working with them all to kind of get this ready to get sold. They, they were incredible to work with. They weren't in it for much, so they were able to, you know, be a little bit more like. You know you're the broker, go ahead and take control of this and handle it for us, which is, you know, every broker's dream. You want to be able to be on top of a deal and the owners just work with you and trust you, and it was just a very healthy relationship. You, you know, going into the sale, moving it forward to the buyer and getting things done pretty quick. So it worked out.

Speaker 1: 14:38

So getting it listed. You know we had to get professional photos taken. Obviously, the brokerage handled all the photos. You got it listed on controller. What was it like talking to buyers when people would call you about the jet and then how did you finally end up with the buyer that ended up eventually buying the aircraft?

Speaker 2: 15:02

So a lot of the contacts I had were people at more building market research in my realm of feeling, I mean. I think they were just kind of calling to figure things out. And there was one that was close but his buyer was a little bit off from where I wanted him to. So, like the way I kind of built it with him was, I tried to de-qualify him and after a little bit it got to the point where I was like I don't know about this guy. So I started calling around a little bit more and I called this guy named Jay and he happened to buy and sell jets with the guy I had called prior and they they ended up saying well, why don't you just send us the the stuff on at the SESCOM and all the other tracking you have and try to give us a little bit of a record? We got through that and things just kind of started building together and it worked out for him.

Speaker 1: 15:48

Tasha. Well, so you handle it in the buyers, we get it under contract, but that's just the beginning. So this pre-buy, these negotiations, was a slew of learning opportunities. Tell us about that, because I think one of the first one was getting the numbers right, getting the records right. If I remember correctly, that was one of the first one was is getting the right, getting the numbers right, getting the records right. If I remember correctly, that was one of the first things we had to learn that the information that we had was like we had to.

Speaker 1: 16:21

We had to adjust that. Once we like sent the actual logs to the buyer.

Speaker 2: 16:25

Yeah, there was a lot of stuff. I mean, the way I look at it, every hiccup that could have happened happened. So I was able to learn a lot off my first deal and I'm hoping the second one that's coming up pretty soon is a lot easier. Know the jets um was was incorrect, it had some stuff that was logged incorrectly, it had some dates that weren't correct, and we started noticing this closer to the buyer um and they were going through it. We we said, well, look, I think there's some you know imperfections over here, and they noticed it too. So we had to go back almost like 20 years, if not 10, to find out where the correct statements were. And it was a whole. You know, find the goose, but yeah some of these?

Speaker 1: 17:12

yeah, because a lot of these jets have maintenance tracking programs sescom tracks, all sierra tracks, whatever and that those, those, those maintenance records, are only as good as the people putting the data that's put into those systems. So if there's a breakdown where a mechanic puts in something wrong or forgets to put something in a certain way, you can have a problem. And so you know, we noticed that there was a little bit of a discrepancy when we actually looked at the logs, because you know we learned like it's really important to get scans of major logbook events, the latest, you know big inspections like a phase one through four and phase five, um, the engine last time it was overhauled and the components from that, then the last time it was hot section and the components for that. So once we got those main milestones and we compared that to the maintenance tracking, there were a few things that were amiss, but we got it worked out, not a problem, we figured it out. And so that led us to a different asking number.

Speaker 1: 18:05

What was it like going to the owner and being like hey, I know you're playing. I said it was probably worth X, but now it's worth Y because of this new data that we have. What was that conversation like?

Speaker 2: 18:18

Fortunately for these buyers I mean again, they were not in it for much. I mean they ended up getting the plane fair and square, but for like a low amount. So they were making money regardless from the X to Y jump and it worked out for them. But I mean I was a little worried about it because I mean in the car market, like, you sit down face to face with people clients and you try to basically change the number and you have to move it around, and that happens a lot, and in the plane industry I didn't think that would happen too much but it ended up being the case. That's sales and again, I mean it was a little stressful trying to do that, but he took it incredibly well. Again, it was a healthy, healthy relationship. Um could not have asked for a better client really.

Speaker 1: 19:02

And in that regard, was that when I started to get involved Cause I think at some point during this deal, uh, I had the opportunity to step in and kind of help out a little bit. How was that helpful for you? And maybe, like you said, maybe it was similar to car sales, but like I think it's important that you know if you're starting out in a new journey and you're trying to go through a deal, you're not just buying a course and then you got to figure it out on your own. But but, being with Jet Life, like I, I step in deals on a regular basis to help get things across the line. And so what was that experience like for you?

Speaker 2: 19:36

I mean in the car market. Again, I'm going to keep drawing evens. For a lot of the viewers out there that might not be in a similar industry it is different, but in the car market we get our deals TO'd a lot. We'll have a manager come sit down. I think that authority figure helps out in a lot of the situations. But that was the same thing here. So I mean you probably have 100 texts from me. I mean I was always trying to get you know, get help, but you were incredibly helpful. I mean this deal was like essentially close to dead when, uh, leans popped up.

Speaker 2: 20:06

This was a little bit after oh, that's right that was the it was 20 years, so we finally get the right yeah, we finally get the right the, the log, the minute track is off.

Speaker 1: 20:15

Yeah, then we get the number. We got to go back and forth because now it's like worth half of what we thought it was worth get it under contract, that everything's looking good and then leans yeah, yeah, tell us about the leans.

Speaker 2: 20:28

Every hiccup, every hiccup that could have happened happened. It turns out there were liens that were 20 years old on this thing and they were on the engines, and it turns out the buyer was going to part it out for a certain amount and it would work out for them in that aspect. So we had to go back to the buyers and then be like, well, look, I know there's liens and I know you have the fear factor now, but but you got to remember.

Speaker 1: 20:52

It's still worth a value and you know they've been in the business for a while.

Speaker 2: 20:54

You might bring the price down a little bit more exactly and I had to go back to the owners and do the x to y thing. But again, I mean they weren't in it for much and you know the value still added up and you know we were talking a big sum of money realistically. So yeah everything worked out no, that's so.

Speaker 1: 21:09

It got through the liens. That's awesome. And then, on top of all the leans, I think one of the final problems was just scheduling a time to come out there. Is that right, or am I missing any other problems that?

Speaker 2: 21:21

in the log books. I think the log books were missing a couple of years and so there's a gap, yeah, there was a gap, so like it was missing, I think close to 10, if not 15 years, and so that was a whole another thing. But when missing, I think close to 10, if not 15 years, and so that was a whole another thing. But when, when you're parting out the aircraft, it's, it's not, you know, the end of the world. So it still ended up working out.

Speaker 1: 21:39

But oh my gosh, oh my gosh, but we got it. We got it done and now here you are sitting, you know, four months into your into 19 years old, and you sold the jet that. That to me like you're a broker now, man. You, you have successfully brokered a deal. And so what's, what's, what's on the horizon at this point, like, what's, what are you looking forward to next? Do you want to sell, keep in this market? You want to advance into another, a bigger market, or what you know? What's on the horizon for you?

Speaker 2: 22:11

it's growth. I mean I'm looking at the Citation 3 market but playing in there and I want to get into as many citations as I can. I mean Citation 2 is going to be that foundation because I mean it moves so much. It is a popular market. I've really enjoyed it and the owners are real cool in there, good guys. So I mean I don't see myself moving from there. I they're real cool in there, good guys. So I mean I don't see myself moving from there. I want to keep growing from here. And I mean we've got a couple deals loaded. I mean one we're working off-market right now. I mean everything's starting to line up on it, so it's looking good. And if we don't do off-market we're going to list it. So I mean it's only growth, it only gets better.

Speaker 1: 22:47

What's one or two of your biggest key takeaways from this deal, and just your time so far as you're working with JetLife Arrow?

Speaker 2: 22:55

Good question. I think consistency kind of rings the first bell If I wasn't making like 100 calls last month every day Crazy amounts. Yeah, I think what was it like 1,900 or something like that.

Speaker 1: 23:08

Yeah, like 1,700, 1, 18, 19, 100 calls in 30 days. It was ridiculous.

Speaker 2: 23:13

I, I, yeah, I moved in with my girlfriend and I needed money and I said I believe in this business, Otherwise I'd leave. So I started pounding as many calls as I could and just stayed with it. And that consistency and belief, I think those two things really brought me to where I am and they're now providing me with the ability to harvest this deal and, if not, you know two more coming up that we've already got working in late stages. So things are looking good right there. But consistency and belief, I think you got to believe in it. You got to be consistent with what you're doing.

Speaker 1: 23:42

Thank you so much for watching. If you haven't already, go to circle dot jet life arrowcom and check out our online community for aspiring brokers and current brokers. Here you'll find discussions, all thing aviations based things that you're going to want to know as an aircraft broker. You can also check out our free training as well as more resources that are available to help you to become a better jet broker. That's CircleJetLifearrowcom to begin your journey within the broker community, absolutely free, all right, gabe. So just kind of wrapping it up here, what would you say to someone who's thinking about coming into the aviation industry not just the jet life, but just in general? What is your first four or five months in the aviation industry taught you? That are kind of key takeaways that you would want to impart on somebody who's like thinking about dipping their toe into aviation.

Speaker 2: 24:39

Start out with the circle. Just listen to the videos that Tom has out there. I mean it'll tell you everything you need to know, I mean the basics you're going to learn. Get into that and then, you know, make the next step to talk to Tom himself and just see if it works out for you. I mean he's going to be real down to earth, he's going to make sure it works for you, as I said, and then get into these meetings with everybody. I mean that was the biggest thing for me, talking to people that have already done it for a while. I fortunately had my stepdad in close contact. I was able to talk to and help. You know, get work, work through this, but take that first step and believe it, because it works If a 19 year old can do it.

Speaker 1: 25:14

why can't you? That's awesome. I really appreciate that. Well, thank you so much for joining us today and I look forward to many more deals for you and for the company, and congratulations on your success.

Speaker 2: 25:24

Thanks, Tom.