Aviation for Women

MAY-JUN 2017

Aviation for Women is the flagship member publication of Women in Aviation International. Articles feature women who have made aviation history, professional development ideas, and current-topic articles.

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22 Aviation forWomen M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 7 industry. My day may include meetings, phone calls, teleconferences, presenta- tions, meeting with my teams, and may include travel. There's a lot of variety. When the going gets tough… I surround myself with positive people. When you are in charge, the onus is on you to ensure that everything works out. Having team members who are quali- fied, capable, and a pleasure to work with can make all the difference. Having resource people outside of the company—good friends and/or advisors or mentors—is valuable in maintaining an objective focus. My best advice for aspiring entrepre- neurs… Find people you can work with and add energy to what you do. That includes finding mentors. And make sure you don't burn out. Eat healthy, get fresh air, and exercise! Sometimes you have to step back and re-evaluate along the way to ensure that you are still ad- dressing the right need in the market. I've run into a lot of pilots over the years who have wanted to start charter com- panies, but just don't realize how much work the marketing and sales can be, and how necessary it is in making your business successful. On women as entrepreneurs… Women typically tend to pay more attention to two things: customer ser- vice and detail. This can mean that women are often more in tune with client needs and addressing them well. It can also mean that fewer things "fall through the cracks." But it's im- portant to be aware of what your skills are, and use them to the fullest. The first step to your own business… Find a few good advisors and discuss the idea with them. Gather advice, and test out the market before you pour ev- erything into it. Maybe the idea needs to be fine-tuned. Maybe it should be launched right away. Seriously decide on a strategy for how you are going to get from product or service launch to making money. Often entrepreneurs don't realize how long it can take before you are able generate positive income. Alyssa Connell WAI 77419 Chief Executive Officer and Owner The Connell Companies Connell Communications is a public relations, social media, and marketing consulting firm specializing in aviation. The company also provides event man- agement, crisis communications, and business development and strategic plan- ning. Its recently launched clothing line RWY36 provides custom aviation work- wear, accessories, and outerwear. The best part of my job is… being re- sponsible for growing our team. Increas- ingly, it seems there's less loyalty to anything these days—mainly because it's become an instantly gratified world. Therefore, to have the opportunity to establish human connections with em- ployees that not only capture your vi- sion but also make it their own, and take it even farther—that's the ultimate enjoyment as a CEO. My proudest entrepreneurial moment: Runway Three-Six is my fourth company—an aviator-owned clothing brand named after the runway where I took my first steps as a baby, off the ramp of our family airport in Indepen- dence, Iowa. My Grandpa and Grandma Connell were airport managers there for more than 45 years. And, most of the branding of our other companies is all centered on the concept of finding "true north"—and 360 degrees is the heading in aviation for due north. To establish a credible clothing line from scratch—and to build it out in less than a year is tremendous hard work. Our creative team enjoyed creating the designs, and we've built the product lines and marketing materials and sourced all the equipment. The greatest pride has come from watching my grandfather and my young son participate in a photo shoot together, wearing our own brand of avia- tion clothing on Runway 36, nearly 40 years later. It all came full-circle. My best advice… Being a leader and being a CEO is a very lonely job. As our companies grew and the demands and pressures of entrepreneurship became, and still become, more taxing, I found I need ever-changing wisdom in the form of a mentor group. Seek a mentor or a trusted peer network that you feel safe sharing some of your inner struggles with. Take the time to plan your goals, map your finances, and keep your team accountable to professional growth. And finally, don't discount your dream. Hold the line on your value so others will also take seriously your worth. Successful women are… those who perform in a compassionate yet direct manner. And, the women who have fig- ured out there is room enough for all of us, men or women, to win—those are the women who become unstoppable. Women have the innate ability to get to the point, especially in business. We've become master negotiators of our time, talent, and attention and therefore have often used that ability to become out- standing in business and entrepreneur- ship. Society has forced many of us to wear too many hats for too long—so we've learned to say what we mean, eliminate unnecessary downtime, and let silence do the heavy lifting. Some characteristics successful entre- preneurs need are… Be believable and authentic; know how to listen; have the energy and drive to make a difference; have perseverance; be a lifelong learn- er. As an entrepreneur, you are forever a student and always a teacher. Sheryl Barden WAI 39798 President and CEO Aviation Personnel International Aviation Personnel International is a busi- ness aviation recruiting firm. Its services include aviation recruiting, outplacement Find people you can work with and add energy to what you do. That includes finding mentors. And make sure you don't burn out. Eat healthy, get fresh air, and exercise! —Lillian Tamm Society has forced many of us to wear too many hats for too long—so we've learned to say what we mean, eliminate unneces- sary downtime, and let si- lence do the heavy lifting. —Alyssa Connell

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