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Relationships, expertise, and trust have long defined the aircraft brokerage world. As the business aviation sector continues to evolve, from changes in buyer demographics to new marketing tools, one thing remains constant: the indispensable role of the aircraft broker.
Two brokers from different generations, industry veteran Jay Mesinger of Mesinger Jet Sales and younger powerhouse Memo Montemayor of EMCJet, offered GlobalAir.com a look into how they each built a successful career and what newcomers must do to succeed.
Mesinger, a well-respected name in aircraft sales, entered the industry at 21 years old, almost by accident.
"I was a flight instructor in college, and when I got out of college, I went to work for a beer distributor," he recalled. "One Friday, he came to my little cubby and said, ‘You know about airplanes; I want to go buy one. Would you take me to the Piper dealer? I want to buy a Piper Navajo.' So, we did that on a Friday afternoon, but the business was going bankrupt, so rather than buy the airplane, we bought the dealership."
Mesinger then found himself running that dealership in Houston.
"Within a year, we grew that dealership into Piper's No. 1 dealership in the world," he said.
A few years later, his employer gave him a choice: return to the beer business or take the dealership. He picked the dealership.
"51 years later, I'm still dealing with aircraft."
Mesinger believes his firm's longevity comes from its disciplined model of no aircraft inventory, exclusive representation, ethical boundaries and a commitment to do right by the client.
"The client is asking for information; they're not always right, but they're looking for the right answer in the absence of their knowledge," he said.
His biggest takeaway after decades of transactions is understanding the client, being client-centric and having the financial strength to say no when the opportunity isn't right for the client.
Today, 85% of Mesinger's business is repeat or referral-based. He also credits creative marketing, sponsoring webinars to get his name in front of more people, and including his golden retrievers in advertisements for helping him connect with clients on a personal level.
"Several years ago, our advertising agency came to our office to think about next year's campaign, and I said, ‘Let's take a picture with our dogs, let's use our dogs in our ad.' And he said, ‘You don't sell dogs,' so I said, ‘Watch what happens.' Now, wherever we go, people come up to us and show us pictures of their dogs and tell us their dog story, or if they lose a dog or if they get a dog, they call us and tell us," he said. "The idea of bringing the dogs in works. it continues to help us grow our business, and it continues to break the ice in conversations that I might not otherwise get to have."
Montemayor entered the industry through a different path. He started working at an aviation cargo company in the parts department before moving on to maintenance and eventually working his way to assistant manager.
Eight years later, he got a call that changed his life.
"I get a call out of nowhere from somebody looking for a plane, and we're like, well, we don't sell airplanes, we're a cargo company," he said. "But I helped sell them a plane, and it was a lot of fun. The money that I made is what I had made in the year, so I'm like, this is what I need to do now."
Now 13 and a half years later, Montemayor has built a brand known for high-profile networking and bold marketing tactics, including sponsorships with F1's Fernando Alonso, PGA tour players and the Houston Astros.
"I was sponsoring Indy when Fernando reached out and was like, Is there any way we can work together? and look, it is expensive, but it's about him introducing me to future clients," he said. "It's a big risk, but I take risks and it's paid off. I've made at least three or four clients this year because of the Astros, so that's the whole goal."
Montemayor said his success came from resilience, persistence, and dedication.
"You hear a lot of no's, who are you, never heard of your company, but that just inspired me to keep growing and to make a name in the industry," he said. "I invest a lot of money into the company. I think I did things a little differently, sponsoring major athletes and networking. I've always been pretty good at networking and getting in front of people and telling about our story, our business."
He also credited his hands-on approach to gaining clients.
"A lot of it is referral. If you do a great job with one person, they'll refer you to someone else. And spending time with them, I mean, I visit people, go sit with them," he said. "A lot of people like to build clientele by sending emails, but I've always been the type of person who travels to the client," he said.
However, there are some things he wishes he had done differently, like forming stronger relationships with professionals in the industry when first starting.
"In this industry, things are hard if someone doesn't know you to tag along and learn, but if someone has the opportunity to open those doors to you and help you navigate how the industry works, that's a big plus."
The two brokers represent different chapters in the industry's evolution, showing how each generation brings its own strengths to the table.
Both said the gap between their generations isn't about work ethic, it's about tools and technology.
"I think some of the biggest differences between the younger generation and myself are the use of social media and technology today, "Mesinger said, noting the evolution of marketing. "I watched the manufacturers change their methodology for marketing pretty significantly during the pandemic, when we couldn't get together as a group as often and show our wares, and have static displays for aircraft. How do they evolve and market to the client? That to me is the biggest change."
When asked the same question, Montemayor agreed.
"We still stumble upon guys who have been doing this for years, and have great respect for them because they're the reason we're here," he said. "But I think the technology side of it, how they handle their marketing or promoting themselves, I think we do it a little differently. We're ahead of how things work today. Everything is going really, really fast, and before there was no internet, right? So, it was easier to sell a plane. Today is harder; you've got to keep up with technology."
And that's where an even younger generation will soon come into play. When advising those who want to follow in their footsteps, Mesinger and Montemayor both said working hard and sticking with it will lead to success.
"We work really hard, it's not that sexy, and we make good livings, but we don't make as much as many other people in many other industries," Mesinger said." So, you've got to want to work hard, but there is room, there are spaces for younger people to come in, men and women."
"If this is something you like, stay in your lane and keep doing what you want to do and keep proving to yourself that you can do it, and be persistent," said Montemayor.
And it's the perfect time to do that as both cite a strong and healthy market ahead.
"My son, who will be in the business longer than I am, I think he's got an opportunity to continue to grow in an industry that is poised to grow," Mesinger said.
Montemayor added, "Traveling today keeps getting harder and harder, so a lot of people want to fly private, so I think private aviation will keep growing."RELATED ARTICLES:The Dark Side of Jet Sharing: Inside the illegal flights plaguing private aviationYour kids no longer want your private jetPrivate jet WiFi may be fast, but that doesn't mean it's good