Athrill Airlines Inc: Paula Williams

Paula Williams (Aviation Tycoon in the USA)

Ø PAULA WILLIAMS BIOGRAPHY :

My professional background of direct response marketing and copywriting for Fortune 100 companies was vastly different than most of the advertising and marketing we saw in aviation at that time. Where I came from, advertising and marketing were mostly of the “direct response” variety – managed with a considerable amount of discipline and organization; where each marketing step led to a next step in a rigorously-observed and obsessively-refined sales cycle. In aviation, however, it seemed that all that was important was to “get the name out there,” and to make it look good. Marketing professionals working for large aviation companies spend tens of thousands of dollars with no possibility of measuring the return on investment (ROI.) For someone from the obsessive-compulsive world of the finance industry, it looked as though the laws of finance, as well as the laws of gravity, did not apply to aviation.

But then, in 2008, something strange happened.

The aviation industry was hit by an epic financial recession, and again by a public perception problem when the Big Three automakers were lambasted in no less than a special meeting of the House Financial Services Committee in Washington DC.

Subsequent to that meeting, the phrases “corporate fat cats,” “executive privilege,” “criminal excess” and “private aviation” were somehow bundled together by an oversimplified, sound bite-crazed press and lampooned on the major networks and news outlets.

Weirdly, in spite of the overwhelming evidence that the economics and perception of the industry had changed, (and hence that it might be a good idea to start observing the laws of finance, as well as the laws of economic gravity!) the largest aviation companies kept running glossy “brand based” advertising.

They continued to advertise as recklessly as if nothing had happened. Aviation magazines kept charging the same high rates for advertising space, although their readership had diminished significantly. Trade shows charged the same high booth rates, although shows had proliferated and attendance had dropped.

Of course there were heroic efforts by NBAA and other organizations to tell private aviation’s side of the story, and aviation companies struggled valiantly against the economic impacts. Business owners in the aviation industry were forced to pay more for advertising opportunities; while realizing diminishing results.

We observed friends and partners in the aviation industry struggling with advertising, marketing and sales structures.

The practice of marketing without accountability had become untenable.

The efforts of marketing professionals in aviation companies seemed to gravitate to one extreme or another.

Some continued unrestrained excess in the pre-2008 style in limited, somewhat erratic “random acts of marketing;” hoping that an expensive social media “splash,” email “blast,” magazine ad or trade show appearance would prove to be the “magic bullet” that would bring in lots of customers and save the day.

Others abandoned sales and marketing altogether as “ineffective.” – They cut advertising and sales budgets as their revenues shrank; resulting in a downward spiraling loss of revenue.

The results from either extreme were disastrous.

John and I started our aviation marketing company, ABCI (short for Aviation Business Consultants International, LLC – you can see why we use the short form!) with the idea of bringing scientific, disciplined, direct-response style marketing to the aviation industry.

Our first clients, including Dallas Jet International, Special Services Corporation, and AeroStar Training Services, were surprised by the number of “inbound” leads they acquired. These leads found our clients through high-quality “information bait,” such as ebooks and articles that we had carefully set up in custom, campaign-based marketing systems. Their salespeople had a reliable inflow of leads acquired through advertising with measurable “calls to action.”

ABCI now includes a systematic approach that combines the most applicable practices and tools from several partners, including

GKIC (the Glazer-Kennedy Inner Circle – an innovative marketing group specializing in “Magnetic Marketing.)
Sandler Sales – the leader in low-key but effective business-to-business sales training and systems.
Infusionsoft – the best customer relationship management (CRM) system for small and medium-sized businesses.

We control and change the odds for aviation companies that implement our systems. There is no magic here – it logically follows that if you consistently acquire a reliable pipeline of prospects interested in your topic, educate them and treat them respectfully by providing them with an array of intelligent content delivered in ways they like and appreciate, you’ll have more opportunities to make sales.

This approach is proven in other industries, such as finance and education, but it’s still considered innovative in aviation. And we’re the only company that provides the whole array of services required. Depending on the client, this might include website development and implementation, search engine optimization, email marketing, books, articles, press releases, trade show appearances and more.

Through limited consulting engagements with selected aviation clients, and through our Marketing Master Class, we engage in our mission:

To make business aviation profitable again, one company at a time.

Put even more simply, we help people sell products and services in the aviation industry.

3) JIN SOOK CHANG – SUCCESSFUL FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR

Profile

Jin Sook Chang is a Korean American entrepreneur and co-founder of Forever 21. She moved to the United States with her husband, Do Won, in 1981. They found themselves in California without cash or credential, faced with the task of making a life for themselves. Over the next three years, the couple worked odd jobs to support themselves.

One day, her husband noted the hotshots driving the nicest cars were in the clothing industry. The couple was immensely determined and quickly got to work, soon renting out a small space to the sum of 900 square feet in Highland Park, Los Angeles. They entitled it Fashion 21, and it didn't take long for it to be a massive hit. In just the first year this single location brought in $700,000 in sales. Short runs kept customers coming back to see what was next--Chang's fashion sense was put to the test as she curated each and every order.

Once word began to spread outside of the Korean American community, the company name was changed to Forever 21. Chang's husband assumed the role of CEO while she opted to remain in charge of merchandising. To this day she hand selects each line of clothing for sale in retail locations. With a sharp eye and a savvy for negotiation, Chang has built a lasting relationship with their vendors.

Not skipping a beat, Forever 21 began to expand, opening new stores every six months. It has since dominated the fast-fashion space, with incredible turnover rates on the average store's merchandise. This model has scaled excellently, as well, and secured over $4.4bn in revenue as of 2015. The chain has 723 locations as of late 2015, and employs over 30,000.

Companies and Investments

Forever 21 (Co-founder, Chief Merchandising Officer)

Lessons Learned

One of the most valuable things I learned was how to network and collaborate with the people around me. From the beginning of our operation, open dialogue with manufacturers and vendors has been a huge factor towards our success. In the same light, having my daughter Esther on the design team with me gives me a secondary perspective from which to view our merchandise. My husband manages the more logistical side of our business, and as a result we've grown continuously. Each person on your team will have a specialty, a strength that can be utilized to its fullest extent. Identifying these roles and providing mentorship when needed will allow them to grow into the best version of themself, which they will then invest into their work.