Enterprenuer
Alex is the CEO and founder of PlaneAhead, a company making a difference in the world.
His company is unique because of the way they will do it.
It’s about opening up doors that were closed and bringing light to people and places that have been too dark.
Please get involved in creating positive change with them!
Alex discovered his passion for traveling when he was studying abroad in Australia.
He knew that he was meant for the world as soon as he got off the plane.
Although he didn’t realize it at the time, the purpose of seeing it was to learn from it.
Alex began to travel to countries all over the globe and started to learn more about people he knew from years ago, simply by visiting the land of their ancestors.
Every time Alex visits a new part of the globe, his awareness, empathy, respect, and curiosity about people grow. Let him help you to see the world.
PlaneAhead’s mission aims to help you enjoy essential things in life: time with your loved ones.
Unlike third-party vendors, PlaneAhead monitors the real-time value and cost of flights for their members, not projected/assumption-based cost-market value of flights with little-to-no consideration into how COVID-related issues play a role in pricing flights.
PlaneAhead provides seamless service to members, allowing them to book travel easily.
You don’t have to waste time thinking about all the places you would like to go to.
You don’t have to wish you had more money to create memories with your family.
You don’t have to sacrifice your time or comfort just to make a quick buck.
What is the story of PlaneAhead?
I was actually on paternity leaves with my daughter when I received an email from Southwest about a sale.
I decided to change a flight that I had to go to my sister’s wedding and see if I could get $600.
I sent my family group chats the same message, and together we saved several thousand dollars.
It was so simple and no one, not even a company, does it like that. It was easy, so I did it!
How do you stay productive?
Chaos! But organized chaos. It’s never the same day, but that’s part of what makes it so fun!
By looking at my calls and understanding the outcomes I want to achieve, I set up my day for the next day.
This allows me to prepare for the best rings. Between calls, I am learning how to optimize our operations, strategize for both the short and long-term and prepare for venture capital funding.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Please do it. Although it sounds simple, many people overthink it.
In other areas of my life, I am one of these people. People who talk about it, but don’t do it, are those who are left behind when great things happen, are discovered, and are accomplished.
Many people are afraid of failing and stop them from doing it.
How do you begin? You can Google the answer if you don’t have the correct information.
This is the best place to start.
What’s your favorite trend?
The world will change in 10 years as the entrepreneurs who become more well-known and generate incredible talent over the next decade will transform it.
It is exciting to see companies being more inclusive than ever.
They are being more inclusive in hiring practices and the products and services they offer.
What habits make you productive?
Inbox “0!” This video shows how to get your inbox down to zero every day.
It is a fantastic skill that I highly recommend.
It helps you clear your mind and focus your attention on essential things.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
Be confident in your abilities, remain open-minded, and never stop learning.
In my career, there were times when I allowed others’ opinions to cloud my judgments about my skills and my ability to achieve my goals.
What is one thing we can all agree on?
It is better to take time off than grind all day.
Social media and society will tell you that there is a “no days off” culture and a struggle, but these things can drive you insane if you don’t take care of your body and mind.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
The night before, plan your day.
What’s your rich strategy?
It’s not so much a strategy but a mindset. That’s to listen and learn from your customers.
You will need to anticipate what your customers want because they may not always be clear on what they want.
However, it would help if you gathered feedback from the beginning to build a foundation that will allow you to sell a product or service people will pay for.
How do you overcome Failure?
Failure is part of being an entrepreneur. It is a part of the job to fail.
The only way to overcome it all is to be open about it. You can then take responsibility and learn from your failures.
Sometimes, the learning leads to a new product or feature. Other times, it is just a simple “Don’t do that again!”
Can you share a business idea?
This is a new concept to me. It’s up to more intelligent people to figure it out.
But an app that tracks my mental health would be great. It might look at dopamine or other factors.
But when you’re trying to get your business off the ground, you can lose sight of how you feel mentally and emotionally.
Although there are many fitness trackers, your mind is just as important as your body.
What’s your recent best buy?
I spent $30 on dinner with a CEO in the last month.
During that dinner, he introduced me to multiple CEOs and investors in my industry who could help me grow what I do.
The food was excellent!
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
Zapier is an absolute lifesaver. Many of the software and applications I use can be linked through APIs to automate these workflows.
It’s a time-saver! It allows me to send automated emails, receive updates about new customers, and give me my business status.
There is no limit to what you can do with it!
Which book would you recommend?
There are so many books! You have to read some books. Mindset, by Dr. Carol Dweck, will challenge you in a way that will help you improve yourself.
Venture Deals by Brad Feld should be a mandatory read.
There is so much you can learn about raising money, and this book helped me feel as prepared I could.
The Five Love Languages of Gary Chapman is my favorite. It is crucial to know how you relate to others from all walks of life.
If you read this book, you will better understand your surroundings.
What’s your favorite quote?
This is my new favorite quote. It’s from Ted Lasso, but it’s so relevant to the life and work of an entrepreneur.
“Two buttons that I don’t like to push are panic and snooze.”
TL;DR by Alex Malebranche
- Every day is different, but that’s the fun part!
- Just do it! Ideas can be brought to life.
- Companies are becoming more inclusive than ever before
- Failure as an entrepreneur can be part of the gig
