Surf Air is out to shake up the private air-travel industry. With a membership model that is brand new to the industry, Surf Air is providing a simplified travel experience for their customers. As Vice President of Member Acquisition, Justin Hart builds a unique marriage between digital campaigns and Surf Air’s sales teams. In this latest “Small Business Spotlight” interview, he shares the importance of understanding all aspects of the business and aligning initiatives across the company.

1. What made you decide to start/make the jump to your company today?

After years of innovating in various industries and startups I was ready for a new challenge. I also wanted to work with a tangible product — something that you could touch and engage with. I thought at first it might be a widget or a gadget — I never thought it would be an airplane!

2. How do you balance the multiple hats that you are required to wear?

I'm a big proponent that anyone who works on the assembly line of marketing and sales should know the ins and outs of every role along the way. The more knowledge you possess about how the info gets to you, the more valuable you can be in providing feedback. As Vice President of Member Acquisition for Surf Air, I make sure that the marketing and lead acquisition channels are in line with what we need to accomplish on the sales team. The key is to have a single focus for every player, but an inherent knowledge of what's going where and when.

3. What are the top three company priorities that you focus on?

Safety, Service, and Sales. We know that Safety is our number one priority. You're trusting this brand to get you from point A to point B, safely — and, frankly, faster than your competitor, who's stuck in a line at a commercial airport. We value the unique and member-oriented service we provide. As with any great subscription product, your members are your most important asset. The key KPI we look at is happiness: how satisfied are our members with this exclusive model of limitless flights and effortless travel? Lastly, Surf Air doesn't have the luxury of being listed in Kayak or Expedia — we don't sell individual flights. We have to make our own buzz and marketing. Sometimes that's relatively easy — news travels fast when you hear the phrase: "All-You-Can-Fly."

4. How do you prioritize initiatives? Walk us through how you determine where you invest time, people, and dollars.

I'm focused on what's measurable and what will bring us the largest amount of members for the lowest cost. We look at past performance, and when we see something that works we go full-throttle in that effort. We've determined the number of members we get from various channels and use that as a gauge for prioritization.

5. Walk us through the characteristics that you look for when hiring top talent.

Culture is the primary element. If your personality doesn't quite mesh with the existing talent, then it's not going to work out in the long run. The number one question I ask potential applicants (for sales and marketing): "If I call your last three bosses, what will they tell me?"  If the guy wants to continue with the interview, that's a great sign. Lastly, I require all of my employees to know how to use Excel and do a pivot table. Data is useless unless you can fold it in on itself.

6. What are the keys to your company’s successful growth?

Unparalleled service — we need to not only do better than the commercial airlines; we need to demonstrate that the difference is so stark you would never go back. Another key would be identifying the next areas beyond California to prime the model.  

7. What is the one piece of advice that you want to share with executives of other small businesses?

Culture and openness. Hire people that have tough skin and humble hearts. Reticence and lack of communication is a byword around here. We're open about our impressions, our opinions; we engage, we debate, and in the end we all go out for food and drinks and toast the success that comes through powerful interactions.

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