Aside from his family, there is nothing AJ Bruno loves more than flying and entrepreneurship.

So, when the opportunity presented itself to pair his two passions through “Value Props,” AJ was all in. Or, all up?

The new original series sends AJ and a guest from the entrepreneurial atmosphere up in his plane. AJ pilots his Beechcraft Baron 58 while interviewing his passengers on the hardships and wins of their journeys as investors, founders and leaders in tech.

Together, the two candidly discuss their own experiences in the biz, including what investors actually look for, what it’s like to raise funding as a founder, why you should sell benefits (not features), and when to recognize that it’s time to throw in the towel or pivot. All while buzzing around above.

Viewers can expect some surprising takeaways. For instance, did you know that founders have to set aside about $100,000 to shut down a company? Or, that as a pilot, you don’t actually have to have your hands on the yoke the whole time?

Come for the knowledge sharing. Stay for the laughs, and, most importantly, enjoy the flight!

But first, some backstory.

Why Value Props

AJ began flying when he was 16 years old. His dad, a former pilot, and his mom, a former flight attendant, piqued his aviation interest at a young age. Fun fact, his parents actually met while both working for U.S. Airways, a real-life romcom!

Although AJ took a hiatus from flying at age 20 to finish school and begin working, the founder re-committed at age 27. It was then that he promised to himself that he would launch his own business and pick up flying again.

AJ has since earned his commercial pilot license, and launched and successfully exited his first company TrendKite. Then in 2018, he co-founded his second venture QuotaPath, alongside TrendKite pal Cole Evetts and Philadelphia tech wizard Eric Heydenberk.

His idea for “Value Props” came upon learning about a unique customer engagement effort in early 2020. At an event, AJ heard author and marketing expert David Meerman Scott highlight a classic car insurance company that created an online video series about classic car engine restoration. The company, Hagerty, did this specifically to deepen its connection with its community.

That’s when AJ began brainstorming how to launch something that intersects his interests for startups and flying.

Prepare for takeoff

After a few months building out the idea, AJ outrigged his plane with several GoPro cameras and welcomed his first guest, Steve Barsh, Managing Partner at Dreamit Ventures aboard his twin engine, piston aircraft.

From there, a few more guests were invited up including Joe Levy, Dataminr’s Director of Strategic Accounts, and Danish Dhamani, Orai’s Co-Founder & CEO.

We will continue to schedule flights throughout the year and hope to release a new episode every month. Don’t forget to sign up for updates so you never miss an episode!

In the meantime, let’s get to know AJ and his flying experience.