Meet Jordan Scales | Corporate Account Manager & Aviation Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordan Scales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success is the sincerity I input into every aspect of my work.

When I do something, it’s with passion which I believe is very visible. Positive energy is infectious. When you inject positivity into the workplace, you’ll notice the efficiencies – people work harder because they enjoy what they’re doing and who they’re working with. Anyone who’s ever heard me speak publicly knows that there’s a handful of subjects that I am extremely passionate about. Once you get me started talking about these topics, it’s pretty hard to get me to stop. Passion is what really drives my will to succeed.

My sincerity shows through how I engage with my clients as well. Taking a vested interest in their lives and trying to develop solutions to put them in a better position than I met them. Customers can easily tell when they’re being treated as an individual and not just another notch towards your quota.

I’m also sincere in all my working relationships. If I’ve committed myself to a team, then I’m not content until everyone is achieving their goals. And if I have the bandwidth to assist, then I’m always going to extend myself for the betterment of the team. I think this is why people find it so easy to collaborate with me. I once had a manager ask me during a job interview, “How do I define success?” I told him that it’s more than individual accolades for me. Collective success is more important to me than personal achievements. Views from the mountaintop are much more enjoyable when you’re able to share it with others.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been in the business aviation industry for six years now. In what doesn’t seem like a very long period of time at all, I’ve either directly sold or facilitated the sale of just about every product at an airport – jets, helicopters, ground support equipment (these are all the random vehicles you see skirting about the tarmac while you’re waiting to board your plane), and now aircraft fuel and trip support services. It’s my diverse background in aviation products and sales & marketing disciplines that makes me different that most individuals in my position. Understanding how different levels of decision makers think and how various solutions support one another has provided me the tools necessary to be successful in my current role.

There’s one single achievement that I’m probably the most proud of myself for accomplishing. After working at an aircraft brokerage for just over a year as a Market Analyst, I was promoted to Sales Director. I was finally in position to achieve the career goal I’ve wanted since I getting started in the industry – sell a private jet. Little did I know that just a week after my promotion (March 1st, 2020), our entire world would come to a pause as Covid-19 became front & center here in the US. At that moment, my entire industry grinded to a halt. People couldn’t fly anywhere, so there was no need to buy a plane and if they already owned a plane, they likely weren’t looking to sell their “Covid-free time machine”. However, through diligence and tenacity, I was able to sell my first plane in six months. This feat usually takes rookies much longer to complete, I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to complete it in the timeframe which I did.

When I first started my professional career, I had my five-year plan all mapped out. I discovered quick that life rarely ever plays out as you intended. But if you take a moment to appreciate life’s detours, you’ll find real lessons. I learned that it doesn’t matter how grandiose your plans are, what matters is how you recover when things don’t go according to plan. (Mike Tyson has a famous quote that parallels this idea.)

If I left the world today, I’d want it to know that I tried to live my life the best I could. I never chose to forego my values for the sake of success. I always tried to bring the best out of everyone, always tried to open doors for others that we locked for me. And hopefully I’ve touched enough hearts along to the way to compel them to act in the same manner.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A week long itinerary might be a bit much, but I can plan a decent weekend.

I’ve lived in West Midtown for the past few years, so that area is typically my go-to.

Starting off with brunch at West Egg. It’s one of the few places in the city that’s actually worth the wait. Hop on a scooter and head down to Monday Night Brewing. I’m a big fan of sour beers, so Monday Night is one of my favorite breweries in Atlanta. You’re probably hungry again so head over the The Optimist for their Oyster Happy Hour (gotta order the Spanish octopus too). If seafood isn’t your thing, Bocado’s lunch menu is great – their Ahi tuna sandwich is ridiculous. Find another scooter and head down to Piedmont Park to walk around and people watch; maybe swing through Park Tavern or Orpheus for drink. It’s likely time for dinner now. West Midtown has a ton of options so you can choose how fancy you’re trying to get. On the lower-end, I’m always going to recommend Slim & Husky’s. They recently topped Antico’s for me as the best pizza on this side of town. Taqueria del Sol is always great as well and won’t break the bank. If you’re feeling more sit-down, Marcel’s is top notch. Forza Storico is great Italian as well.

Now that you’re loaded up on carbs, you can hit the streets again. Little Trouble is my favorite bar in the area. Just a short walk down the street is The Painted Duck which is also a Top 5 Atlanta bar for me. Depending on what vibe you want for the rest of the night, you can hit up Republic or Compound. If you’re looking for chiller vibes, Northside Tavern is never a bad option.

They’re building up this area like crazy though. I’m interested to see what new places pop up.

P.S: I miss the old Edgewood (RIP Mother).

What books have been influential to you?
There’s a little book call “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino that has become essential to the person that I am today. It’s funny because my mom gave the book as a Christmas gift one year, but it was almost two years after when I finally took the time to read it. I highly recommend the book to anyone looking for a bit of inspiration in their life. It helps if you’re in some sort of Sales position, but it really speaks to more than just Sales. The principles taught in the book: setting good habits, persevering, and eliminating self-doubt, extend themselves far beyond just sales. I’ve purchased the book for work colleagues and find myself thumbing through a chapter whenever I need some extra motivation that day.

Website: https://www.jetex.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatkidskizz

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanscales/