From Food Stamps To Fintech: The Remarkable Journey of Miguel Gallardo

About this episode

Miguel Gallardo shares his journey from humble beginnings in aviation to leading a fintech revolution.

Discover how Miguel Gallardo's passion for aviation, resilience, and innovative mindset have propelled his career from humble beginnings on the ramp to leading a fintech revolution in business aviation. As Director of Business Development at V1 Business Aviation Fintech, Miguel gives us an in-depth look at their innovative solutions for aviation finance along with the future of UAVs and technological advancements in business aviation. This episode also explores his powerful personal story, industry insights, and the transformative power of perseverance that are documented in his memoir, Flight of Resilience, Turbulence, and Triumphs. To find out more about V1, visit them at www.v1fintech.com Chapters 00:00 - Welcome and episode overview02:12 - Miguel’s childhood fascination with planes and Jersey City airports03:46 - How a Craigslist ad led to Miguel’s first aviation role at Air Station Aviation04:40 - Climbing the industry ladder through networking and hands-on experience05:58 - Working with startups and understanding the aviation ecosystem08:19 - Managing challenges during COVID and starting MAG Aviation Group09:46 - Personal resilience and lessons from overcoming…

People in this episode

Guest: Miguel Gallardo

Topics covered

• aviation
• fintech
• resilience
• personal story
• technology
• business development

Keywords

• aviation
• fintech
• resilience
• UAVs
• business development
• COVID
• memoir

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: V1 Business Aviation Fintech, MAG Aviation Group, Satcom Direct

Books & works: Flight of Resilience, Turbulence, and Triumphs

Places: Jersey City

More episodes of The Cross-Check

• The Emotional Reality of Aviation Accident Response · April 30, 2026 · 26 min
• Empowering Women in Aviation: Insights from Eliane Cotran · March 24, 2026 · 36 min
• Building a Frictionless Business Aviation Experience · March 4, 2026 · 47 min
• Yikes! The Mistakes That Make Us Better Pilots · January 23, 2026 · 37 min
• Halsey Schider: From Passion to Profession · December 17, 2025 · 51 min
• Innovating Pilot Education From Drones To Planes · November 24, 2025 · 37 min