Hospitality Grad Lands Job in Private Aviation
Posted on October 7, 2021 by Thomas Becnel
Aaron White, a 2019 麻豆直播 graduate, believes in the power of relationships, conversations and connections that lead to career opportunities.
When the Hoover, Ala., native tells his story, everything comes together. Eventually. One of his business skills is leading people on the journey that ends with his job as a research analyst with AirplaneIQ, a private aviation company based in Sarasota, Fla.
After earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, White headed to Nashville, where he stayed with a friend, worked at a hot chicken restaurant and took a marketing internship to begin his career.
鈥淥ne day at the restaurant, I see this lady sitting at the bar, and she鈥檚 wearing a suit and carrying a laptop, looking out of place,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hear this almost audible voice that said, 鈥楪o talk to her.鈥欌��
The woman turned out to be a software creator who hated sales and marketing. He volunteered to help in his spare time. Later on, that meeting led to a position as a business development executive.
In the meantime, he took a job with a recruiting firm, where he spent his time cold-calling managers and executives.
鈥淭he recruiting world is tough,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e doing 90 or 100 calls a day. It鈥檚 very equalizing.鈥�
When the software company from the bar was sold, the new owner hired White to lead teams in business development. Then came the coronavirus pandemic, which slowed things down and reduced his hours. He was considering his options when a sales call with a client turned his boyhood dream of aviation into an achievable goal.
Training to become a pilot can be very expensive, but he learned that there are other jobs in the field. He used his cold-calling experience to contact anyone he could find in the aviation industry. He started applying for jobs.
鈥淚 had 26 interviews and I got 26 No鈥檚,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen this guy called me from Sarasota, and I flew down to meet with him the next day.鈥�
Now White works to help match buyers and sellers with aircraft that range from small planes to corporate jets. The company slogan is 鈥淲herever you want, whenever you want.鈥� He plans to work for AirplaneIQ in Nashville after training for several months in Sarasota.
The Gulf Coast city is famous for blue water and white beaches, but his time there has coincided with an outbreak of red tide.
鈥淚t鈥檚 killing me,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he water鈥檚 so pretty that it鈥檚 hard to stay away.鈥�
At 麻豆直播, White was active with the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He worked at the Student Rec Center for several years. One of his hospitality mentors was David Clark, president and CEO of Visit Mobile.
Before graduation, White did an internship at a Fairhope clinic for the Mitchell Cancer Institute. Renee Sanford, a nursing supervisor who later died of cancer, was another mentor. She encouraged patients and gave them hope for a better life.
鈥淪he taught me a lot about hospitality,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he explained that my real job was talking with patients and helping them think about anything other than dying. Music can speak to a lot of people, so one of the things I would do is ask about their favorite music or bands, look them up on Spotify while we were talking, and then hand them one of my earbuds.鈥�
White thinks about that experience sometimes when he鈥檚 talking with clients and searching for airplanes that meet their needs. He chose a Hospitality and Tourism major because it seemed less about business and more about relationships. When networking in Nashville, he tries to be efficient, friendly and helpful.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the essence of hospitality,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ervice to others.鈥�