237: 50 Team Members & Growing: How this Former Fighter Pilot Built a Unique Business The Ecommerce Influence Podcast

One of the keys to successful growth is hiring a team that keeps the business running, whether the founder is there or not. Over the last 14 years, Cory Bower, founder of Aviator Gear, has built a multi-million dollar business with a team of 48 full-time employees.
When Cory was in the Air Force, he saw a need, launched a company, and to this day uses some of his military systems and structure to keep things running smoothly.
It’s always a pleasure to chat with Cory, and I hope you enjoy our conversation about growth, hiring, and critical tools for success.
Episode Highlights 5:55 Introducing Cory Bower and the birth of Aviator Gear. 8:12 The unique custom nature of Cory’s products. 10:20 Cory’s journey to becoming a fighter pilot. 13:53 Transitioning from fighter jets to ecommerce. 16:05 How Cory applies lessons learned in the military to his business. 18:42 The team structure Cory’s built that lets his business run even when he’s not around. 23:55 Engines for Aviator Gear’s growth over the last year and how they communicate about the custom nature of their products through different parts of the funnel. 26:43 The role Cory wishes he would have gotten off his own plate sooner, but why you have to have balance as you grow so the wheels don’t fall off. 29:18 Tools Aviator Gear uses to keep things running smoothly. 35:07 What it looks like to hire and manage a 50-person team. 39:29 Cory’s learning process and how he finds useful information to help his growth. 42:07 Do this simple thing right now to be more productive. Links And Resources Aviator Gear Klaviyo Dropbox OnSite by Shopworks Pipedrive Cory on Twitter - @TrapBower trap@aviatorgear.com @a_brawn on Twitter @andrewfoxwell on Twitter Profit Summit Brand Growth Experts Foxwell Digital Review or subscribe on iTunes