Insights From the C-Suite: Rene Banglesdorf, Founder and CEO, The Aviation Collective

As part of a new, members-only series, Women Leading Travel & Hospitality is asking industry executives about their professional journeys, mentorship, how they stay up-to-date on the latest industry technology and trends, how they take care of themselves, and so much more. This week, insight comes from Rene Banglesdorf, founder and CEO, The Aviation Collective.

Women Leading Travel & Hospitality: Can you share a specific instance where you successfully navigated a major change or challenge, highlighting the key lessons learned and how they shaped your leadership approach?
Rene Banglesdorf: One of the challenges I faced was having to fire a friend. We knew each other before she started working for me, and I think there were some unspoken expectations on both sides. It was painful. What I learned is that I need to be extremely clear with people who work for me — e.g., developing key performance indicators, setting boundaries, having a regular cadence for two-way feedback that addresses problems before they become a petri dish for drama and hurt feelings. This sets all of us up for success.

WLT&H: How have mentorship and sponsorship played a role in your professional development, and how do you actively engage in cultivating talent within your organization?
RB: Mentorship and sponsorship have been critical to my success as a leader (probably No. 2 behind failure, which always seems to be the best teacher). Sponsors have played a major role in inviting me to the table. My mentorship relationships have mostly been peer-to-peer, which is incredibly valuable. I’ve also embraced coaching as a professional development tool. In fact, I became a business coach because of the impact coaching had on my leadership.

WLT&H: How do you maintain a healthy work-life harmony, and what strategies do you employ to prioritize your well-being amidst high-level responsibilities? How do you ensure your team does the same?
RB: Routines work as a type of infrastructure for my day/week/month and keep me from getting lost or overwhelmed. If I can revert back to the next task in the routine, I usually can get myself on track — personally or professionally.

Reflection really helps me keep things in perspective. I use a form of after-action review at the end of every week and after any project. Keeping that gratitude practice keeps me from harping on what I could have done differently and missing the victories that were embedded.

Both of these practices give my team structure and encouragement, and I find it brings out the best in all of us.

WLT&H: How do you stay informed about industry trends and emerging technologies, and what role does continuous learning play in your ongoing personal and professional development?
RB: I go to a lot of in-person events. Some are industry events, some are not. I keep up-to-date on industry news and emerging trends at both. I pull from my journalism background and ask lots of questions. I believe if we aren’t growing, we’re atrophying, so I’m always trying to learn something new!