The Corporate Jet Investor Podcast

Shawn Holstein, President/CEO and co-founder of Holstein Aviation, joined host Al to discuss the company's 16-year journey. Founded in 2010 by Shawn, his father Jim, and colleague Brad Stancil after leaving Hawker Beechcraft, Holstein has grown into a top-10 global brokerage built on integrity, objectivity, and deep industry relationships. Shawn discussed a slight market softening in mid-2025 but remains optimistic, expecting a strong Q4 driven by tax incentives and opportunistic buyers. The ...

Mike Mikolay, founder of Mikolay Jets, has been selling aircraft for almost 30 years. He started as an intern at Beechcraft, helped launch Guardian Jet and then started his own advisory firm two-and-a-half years ago. Mike shares the highs and lows of going independent, why saying no to the wrong clients early on was critical, and how a long-time client's candid nudge gave him the push to finally do it. He also discusses the current seller's market, where near-new inventory remains scarce and ...

In our latest episode we are joined by Florent Venturini, co-founder and managing partner of Ellipse Aviation. Venturini explains how he and his partner Pierre-Emmanuel de Tailly’s combined experience at Dassault, Textron and Gulfstream led them to create a brokerage focused on long-term ownership care, not just one-off transactions. Launched in December 2025, Venturini details Ellipse’s three differentiators: deep technical expertise, and innovation – including a free AI-powered valuat...

Sponsored by Mesinger Jet Sales In this Town Hall, we will piggyback on the last edition and take the value discussion to the Legal, Management, and Insurance areas of the transaction. In our January edition, we focused on the brokerage side of the transaction, welcoming Mike Dwyer from Guardian Jet and Chad Anderson from Jetcraft. We also delved into the maintenance side of the transaction, welcoming Mike Minchow from Duncan Aviation. As we stressed in the last edition, the costs acros...

In this episode, we are joined by Jason Middleton, CEO and founder of Silver Air Private Jets. A former elite triathlete turned pilot, Middleton brings an "all-in" mentality to aviation. He shares how Silver Air survived the 2008 financial crisis through relentless focus, and why he prioritises specialisation over vertical integration. Middleton is a vocal critic of unregulated charter brokers, advocating for operator-level safety standards. He launched Flight Club to give clients transparenc...

Welcome to another CJI Town Hall. This edition, kindly sponsored by Textron Aviation, will be exploring how customers should go about choosing the right aircraft for their respective missions. We have a great line up of speakers including: Duncan van de Velde, Vice President Aircraft Sales, Textron Aviation Bob Gibbs, VP Special Missions Global Sales, Textron Aviation Dave Connor, CEO, RVL Group Kindly Sponsored by Textron Aviation

This week, we are joined by Jeff Reis, CEO at My Flight. Jeff Reis, a 35-year veteran of business aviation, discusses how AI and automation can be applied in practice to enhance operations and the customer experience, without replacing the human touch that is essential in the industry. He shares insights on optimising websites for AI-driven search, using AI to improve pricing and availability, and integrating technology seamlessly into business processes. The conversation covers: ...

Join us as Ève Laurier, Head of Marketing Communications at Bombardier, reveals how the company transformed its brand and communications strategy over the past 5 years. Discover the secrets behind re-engaging stakeholders, delivering consistent luxury experiences, and navigating the evolving private aviation industry. From sustainability initiatives to digital marketing innovation, this candid conversation offers valuable insights into leadership, company culture, and strategic ma...

In this episode we are joined by Philip Kingsley-Dobson, co-founder of UK-based electric aviation charging infrastructure specialist Aerovolt. Aerovolt has just launched a carbon credit programme designed to support operators in reducing reported flight emissions, it is calling Electric Book & Claim. Kingsley-Dobson discusses the programme, the reasoning behind its introduction, why business aviation has a role to play in the rollout of electric flight and much more besides.

In this episode, Jared Fox, the CEO of Desert Jet, discusses his journey into the business aviation industry and the evolution of his company. Jared shares how his lifelong passion for aviation led him to various roles, from working at an FBO to managing aircraft operations and fuel distribution. He emphasises the importance of networking, building relationships, and developing a strong personal brand from an early stage. Jared also highlights the industry's obligation to better promote and e...

CJI Town Hall | Picking your dream team: It's not about price, it's about value Speakers include: Jay Mesinger, CEO & President, Mesinger Jet Sales Chad Anderson, CEO, Jetcraft Mike Dwyer, Owner, Guardian Jet Mike Minchow, President, Duncan Aviation 2026 will bring to light a series of new series of Town Halls sponsored by Mesinger Jet sales and broadcast on the CJI Town Hall Network focusing on the fallacy of Price vs. Value/Cost. "Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten” ...

Speakers: Claudio D'Amico, Vice President of Strategic Market Engagement, Business Aviation, Viasat Michael Schrage, Research Fellow, MIT Sloan School of Management In-flight connectivity providers have traditionally competed on peak network speed, even though the moments that truly define value — such as joining a board meeting without the connection dropping or watching crucial sporting moments without buffering — remain invisible to this single metric. This town hall will explore n...

Join us this week with Mark Hardman, the founder of the business aviation company RightJet. Mark and Alasdair discuss the company's growth over the past 5 years, including expanding their showroom presence in the UAE and focusing on providing a full suite of services - from aircraft sales and charter to management. Mark shares his extensive background in the industry, having started in aviation 40 years ago at Stansted Airport. He talks about the evolution of business aviation, particularly i...