More than 582 million entrepreneurs have revitalized, invested in, and nurtured businesses all across the globe. These start-up, re-startups, “mom-and-pops,” and pre-IPOs foster job creation, provide expert services, and creative solutions for a wide variety of customers. At the same time, they jointly enhance the business marketplace by delivering employment and economic benefits within their local communities and regions of operations.
So, as the USA celebrates National Entrepreneurs Day today, Nov. 16, Ft. Lauderdale-based Thrust Tech Accessories (TTA) is in the unique position to celebrate not only three decades of aviation heritage and MRO experience, but at the same time a refreshed, retooled, and reinvigorated entrepreneurial spirit.
A Good Foundation
It began four years ago when Stanley Kowlessar, TTA’s president and general manager set out to acquire what he recognized as “a good foundation” – a maintenance, repair, and overhaul entity in business at the time for nearly 30 years outside Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. That “entrepreneurial” dream became reality with the MRO’s sale to Kowlessar on Dec. 15, 2017.
Tapping into a quick-pivoting, yet measured entrepreneurial approach, Kowlessar, who himself held a senior management role at the MRO, set out to “totally reboot” this FAA/EASA-certified 145 Repair Station from the ground up. His top priority was clear – chart a new direction for TTA, designed to deliver enhanced customer and an outstanding workplace for his employees.
Among Kowlessar’s first entrepreneurial steps, he instituted a new employee team approach, added innovative technology to improve work processes, and significantly boosted workforce “engagement.” Most notably, TTA did not experience any layoffs during the darkest days of the pandemic – instead they invested time and money in retraining existing staff, while making targeted enhancements to the company’s internal talent pool by introducing new management, aviation specialists, and key technician positions where needed.
Satisfaction is Job 1
The new and improved TTA took off, as Kowlessar also worked to assure customers were not only satisfied, but that the new TTA business model “exceeded” their expectations. He partnered with aviation-related suppliers on a new, more collaborative business mindset. Also, during the pandemic, quick-yet-thoughtful decision making allowed the company to effectively adapt to rapidly changing marketplace conditions and take better advantage of business opportunities.
One prime example, at a time when other firms were reducing capacity during the 2020 economic crisis, TTA bucked prevailing industry trends by actually increasing its parts inventory by 30 percent – a business tactic designed to allow the MRO to respond more quickly to client needs and keep the company’s pipeline of business flowing. The Kowlessar team added new equipment and upgraded other services. TTA also increased its portfolio of customer offerings to 1,500 aviation maintenance repairs and services including multiple new DER solutions.
A Helping Hand
Seeing how some long-time aviation customers were struggling financially, Kowlessar’s and his expanded team stepped up to assist by implementing creative new financial services and options. This bold yet strategically important step is assuring that those customers will remain with TTA not only for the present but into the future too.
Also putting on his “entrepreneur’s hat,” Kowlessar is increasing TTA’s global reach with an enhanced company website and social media presence, and by boosting public relations, beefing up marketing, and broadening the management role of Stanley Kowlessar, Jr. to oversee many of these key initiatives that are serving to develop new marketplace synergies.
Proof is in the Numbers
All tolled, TTA’s billable sales increased 15 percent annually during the first two years of Kowlessar’s rebooted, more entrepreneurial approach. Even during 2020 and 2021, the MRO has experienced modest sales growth. Its customer base has increased to 300 aviation customers, consisting of regional, corporate, business jet, private aircraft, and helicopter operators. During these turbulent times, these customers require high-quality repair and modification of their aircraft, and some even more so than in the past.
Happy Re-Birth Day!
Today, as the company prepares to celebrate it’s fourth year anniversary on Dec. 15, with Kowlessar at the helm, TTA is not only widely recognized in the industry as a thriving family-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned business – but a company that also has successfully coupled a 30-year heritage of aviation expertise with “fresh thinking,” innovation, and creative, entrepreneurial vision. And that’s a potent business dynamic.
“In recognition of National Entrepreneur’s Day, Thrust Tech champions all the new and established businesses, and the big dreamers out there blazing their own one-of-a-kind path to business success,” says Kowlessar, adding, “Will it be easy, no. Will it be worth it, yes!”
