David Gitman of Monarch Air Group: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Began Leading My Company

An Interview With Jerome Knyszewsk

Your people are your company. Never compromise on the value of your personnel. Be very selective in hiring and even more selective in firing.

As part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Began Leading My Company” I had the pleasure of interviewing David Gitman.

David started with Monarch Air Group back in 2016. Under David Gitman’s leadership Monarch has grown steadily and has assisted with critical relief efforts across the globe. The company provided evacuation and airlifted supplies after several natural disasters, conducted aerial firefighting services in Asia and brought many families home when the COVID-19 pandemic closed international borders. The company services private families, celebrities, Fortune 500 corporations and government entities. `It has recently developed an industry leading quoting tool available on their website https://monarchairgroup.com/price-out-your-flight

What was the “Aha Moment” that led to the idea for your current company? Can you share that story with us?

There was an opportunity to make a change in an asset-based operation company and to turn it into a leading customer oriented business. But change doesn’t just happen overnight, it’s a combination of many small steps.

We started with a small team of private aviation professionals back in 2016, back then I knew every single flight launched and could name every single customer, pilot, airport facility.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

Private aviation is an exciting industry , but it’s very demanding. It requires constant learning and perseverance.

The drive to continue often comes simply with the necessity to succeed. There is a quote on the wall in my office saying “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans. That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred”.

So, how are things going today? How did your grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?

At this point we are able to combine in-depth industry knowledge, superior customer service and innovative technology. We consistently invest in our people and our infrastructure.

While being a small business, we are competing and often beating industry giants. we are setting higher goals and improving ourKPIs, but we always continue to learn and improve.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

We are committed to what we do. Our goal is not to sell flights, but to create long lasting relationships as trusted aviation advisors. We are large enough to make things happen and yet small and agile enough to adjust to specific customers’ needs.

For example, Monarch Air Group along with SPCA International organized a rescue mission in the pandemic, when international travel was severely restricted. We took part in operation Baghdad Pups helping to transport pets of US veterans from Erbil, and reunite them with their veteran owners at in the US. This complex mission required specialized permits, outfitting a private jet into a cargo aircraft by removing all the seats, all while caring for the animals’ comfort and well-being.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?

I once quoted a flight to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (Provo) instead of Provo, Utah

Often leaders are asked to share the best advice they received. But let’s reverse the question. Can you share a story about advice you’ve received that you now wish you never followed?

I am working on taking more advices from people, as right now I rarely do, so this does not apply to me.

While there are specific professionals whom I regularly consult with, such as attorneys, CPA’s, aviation safety professionals, I try to stay away from most “experts” whose “expertise” is a bait vague.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Never be satisfied. When you set up a goal and reach it, you have to set another one or improve what you already do. Second, attention to details — especially in our industry. When you worry about the entire experience, not just the cabin size, or catering, or pilot’s uniform, you are able to provide your customer with an unmatched service.

Third one is controversial. I’m very confrontational. On one hand, it can be tough, but on the other hand people know what my position is. So people know exactly what to expect — I am always looking for perfection in everything and sometimes it’s difficult for me to accept something which doesn’t meet my high standards.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

It’s simple. Good night sleep, regular workout, and whatever you do to relax, do it often. As a leader, you are under tremendous stress 24/7 and it doesn’t go away. The most important thing is to love and enjoy what you do. If you don’t it will influence your health.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen CEOs & founders make when they start a business? What can be done to avoid those errors?

Starting a business in an industry that they don’t understand, in depth. High level expertise and deep knowledge in the industry you are working in are crucial. When doing business hard skills are as important as soft skills.

In your experience, which aspect of running a company tends to be most underestimated? Can you explain or give an example?

I believe that the most important thing is to be able to naturally lead a group of people towards a common goal that you have set. This is the very essence of leadership, along with taking responsibility.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Began Leading My Company”? Please share a story or an example for each.

1. Use data driven decisions. Sometimes we think that one single event or problem influences our business the most. This is human psychology — to focus on what seems big. Considering that the things that come into the leader’s attention are usually the loudest ones, you can be trapped by this pattern. But the truth is that data is the king nowadays, and it helps you to see the bigger picture. Small company or big corporation, you have to learn how to collect and properly analyze your data and make decisions relying on that.

2. Your people are your company. Never compromise on the value of your personnel. Be very selective in hiring and even more selective in firing.

3. There is no other chance to make a first impression. Make sure that your customer speaks with the right person. In our industry of private aviation I often see companies who buy multi million jets, but lose business because their newest addition to the team is the one who picks up the phone.

4. People will make mistakes. Accept it. But people must learn from their mistakes. If they don’t learn from a mistake, it’s not acceptable and cannot be tolerated.

5. Enjoy finding things that don’t work. When you find something that doesn’t work, it’s good, because it means that when you fix it, you are going to improve your overall results. If everything is working fine, there is nothing you can do to improve. But when you find a problem, it means that you actually can do something. I’m very glad that our social media presence isn’t good yet. It means that we have the whole new direction we can develop which can lead to improvement of our overall results.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Children are our future. We are encouraging the kids of our community in their will to create and explore their talents by organizing events and workshops together with local art professionals.. We are very happy to have a chance to support children in their journey to what we hope will be a safe, successful and productive adulthood.

How can our readers further follow you online?

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/monarchairgroup/?hl=en

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-gitman/

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this!