The Corporate Jet Investor Podcast

John Odegaard, founder of 5x5 Trading and Chairman of IADA, has spent 30+ years closing deals in private aviation, from NetJets to Wheels Up to building his own firm from scratch. He talks career pivots, the leap of faith it took to launch a new business in the middle of a global shutdown, what it really takes to move aircraft at scale, and the highs of competition and celebration in dealmaking, right down to the horn that goes off every time his team closes a deal. Plus: why he still says the brokerage world can feel like the Wild West.

When Trump posted on Truth Social that Bombardier should be banned from the US, we did what any sensible person would do. Called a lawyer.
Paul Jebely, partner at Sterlington, was characteristically calm. A Truth Social post isn't a law. There's no order, no tariff, nothing. And banning Bombardier? The Global 8000 wing is built in Texas. The engines are GE and Honeywell. 3,500 Americans build these planes. You'd essentially be banning American business aviation from buying the aircraft it already ordered.
His prediction: Bombardier quietly announces more US assembly in Wichita, the White House declares victory, and the whole thing disappears.
As Paul put it: keep calm and carry on.

Marian Jancarik, Managing Director of aircraft brokerage Jetron, joins Alasdair on this week's episode of the CJI Podcast. Marian traces his path from selling small commuter turboprops in Slovakia, through roles at Seagle Air and ABS Jets, into aircraft sales for Embraer in Saudi Arabia during the 2008–09 downturn, to founding Jetron five years ago. 
The discussion covers how far client education has come — from explaining basic ownership costs to today's highly informed buyers — and Jetron's "525" growth plan built around staying a focused, boutique European brokerage rather than chasing global scale. Jankaric contrasts his team-first model with larger brokerages where salespeople compete internally, talks through Jetron's transatlantic deal flow despite its regional reputation, and reflects on generational shifts among both buyers and his own team, including his teenage son's growing interest in the business. 
He closes with practical advice for first-time buyers (charter extensively before purchasing) and reflects on the emotional, high-pressure realities of brokering and aircraft management.

Dan Drohan, founder and CEO, Solairus, takes us through his acquisition of Clay Lacy's aircraft management and charter businesses.
He talks through the road to 500+ managed aircraft, extending Solaris's client aviation manager model across the combined fleet and defending against rival operators circling Clay Lacy clients.
Drohan also reflects on how the deal came together through his relationship with Clay Lacy's Brian Kirkdoffer, and why — despite the numbers — this was never about chasing scale for its own sake.

Apologies for the sound quality on the CJI side. Our mic has died.

Kaye Gitibin spotted something nobody else cared about. Private jet passengers were landing at FBOs across America and being handed dirty, smoke-stained cars dragged over from commercial airports. So he started GoRentals — one location, seven cars, zero ad budget.
Thirty years later he runs the only Forbes five-star car rental company in the world, at over 300 FBOs nationwide. His secret? He never called it a car rental company. It's hospitality. The car just comes with it.