In this week’s episode of Talent Hub Talk, we catch up with Greg Jarrett, Founder of STACK.aero. STACK. aero is a business operations technology custom-built for Brokers and Charter Sales teams within the aviation industry, utilising the Salesforce platform.
Greg shares his journey from an early career outside of tech to becoming the Founder of an aviation-focused technology business. He reflects on the moment he spotted a gap in the market, the leap into entrepreneurship, and the unique challenges of building a business operations technology as a non-technical founder.
Greg discusses how he navigated early decisions about product development, why he chose Salesforce as the foundation for his solution, and the steps he took to go from zero coding skills to building his own product. He also opens up about how his relationship with Salesforce has evolved, the technical and non-technical hurdles faced along the way, and the realities of scaling a company in a niche market.
We explore Greg’s perspective on the AI revolution and how he’s preparing his business for the next wave of innovation.
Finally, he shares his vision for the future, including how building a product on Salesforce differs from developing for end-users or delivering consultancy work.
You can follow Greg here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregstackaero
You can find out more about Stack.aero here:
Takeaways from the episode:
- Greg’s journey into aviation began with baggage handling at Sydney airport.
- Understanding customer needs is crucial for success in any business.
- The real asset for a broker is their customer database and relationships.
- Transitioning from sales to business ownership requires overcoming technical challenges.
- Salesforce provided a solid foundation for building their CRM product.
- Effective communication between technical and non-technical teams is vital.
- Scaling an international business presents unique challenges and opportunities.
- Funding can accelerate growth, but it also comes with risks.
- AI is a rapidly evolving field that requires careful consideration in implementation.
- Customer feedback is essential for continuous product improvement.
Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction and background
(02:32) Journey into Aviation and Charter business
(05:12) Understanding Charter flights and their varieties
(08:08) The role of a Charter Broker
(10:53) Identifying the gap in the market
(13:39) Transitioning from sales to startup founder
(16:18) Choosing the right technology platform
(19:09) Learning to code and building the product
(21:50) The evolution of the product and coding journey
(24:19) Reflections on growth and technical skills
(27:07) The importance of communication in development
(28:59) User experience: the heart of product development
(32:00) Feedback loops: capturing customer insights
(33:35) Balancing customisation and scalability
(35:35) Building a strong partnership with Salesforce
(39:22) Challenges of a non-technical founder
(42:22) Going international: expanding beyond borders
(45:35) The value of funding: a double-edged sword
(48:37) Preparing for the AI Wave: cautious innovation
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We hope you enjoy the episode!