ACP448 Career Update FlyGirl Detailing Obtains Commercial Pilot Certificate

Welcome to Aviation Careers Podcast. My name is Carl Valdarian. We have a special episode

here. It's a career update with Claire Mar. She is a person that actually started that

detailing business, fly girl detailing. Back in episode 406 you can hear about her story

and how she got involved from a very young age in business and is really knocking it

out of the park. Now over a year later, from when we actually spoke with her first, she's

really accomplished an incredible milestone and that's getting her commercial single

engine license. Claire, welcome to the show and congratulations. Thank you. It's good

to be back. Also, hey, I'm so appreciative of you coming on and doing this because a

lot of people always ask, have been asking really, you know, what happened with Claire

and where is she in her career? We're going to talk a little bit about that, but also

talk about, you know, some things that might affect some of our listeners and some advice

from you because, you know, you are doing it. And by the way, for those that came here

to get those free scholarships guys, you can go to aviationcouragepodcast.com slash

free, use the coupon code, pay it forward, check out our sponsorships on that, our sponsors

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channel actually goes towards giving away free scholarships guys and it really does make

a difference in people's lives. Well, first before we get started, Claire, for some of

those people that don't know you, maybe a brief summary as to what you do now and where

you came, maybe a little bit of a summary of our last episode. Yeah, absolutely. So,

now I'm in Florida now. I primarily wanted to go to Airport. I have an Aircraft Detail

in somebody called Flygo, Aircraft Detailing. And we serve mostly south, but really all

Florida doing detailing services and I try to employ students in flight school to kind

of help them make connections and the other people in aviation as well as earn some money

to work with what they're doing. You've done a great job at earning money because you've

been able to pay for all these different ratings yourself, right? No one else has helped

you. Yep. No, I have funded. That's 14 years old. My aviation's running and have

yes, just finally finished my commercial single engine. Finally, I took a while and I

eventually got it done. So, you took a little while, but give us a little more color on that

because I think people, you know, they think if they don't get it done right away, they're

going to give up and I hear that so often. It's like, I can't do this, but you're someone

who's had a lot of trials along the way and it's taking you many years. So, kind of give

us a timeline through your journey of actually getting to this commercial license and some

of the trials you've been through. Yeah, absolutely. I started. My first flight was a

Daniel's flight when I was 14 and I signed up for flight lessons two weeks later. I was hooked.

At 16, I soloed, but then I also went to a Smithville-Bron in Italy. I moved out early from my

parents at actually 17 years old and started working and, you know, paying rent,

car insurance, all that good stuff. So, that flowed down the process. Also, kind of had some

winter challenges. So, I ended up in Florida for a better weather from Northern California.

I ended Florida at night two years old. I got my private and then at 20 years old, I started my

instrument, but I mean, my husband got pregnant. So, I ended up completing my instrument at 21 or

20, excuse me, four months pregnant. So, that slowed me down a little bit there and then I just

completed my commercial now at 21 with a five-month-old baby. Wow, let's back up there, though. You said

you were pregnant when you got your instrument rating, right? Yes, I was. Wow, I mean, for the

ladies that are listening right now, there must have been a lot, and I don't want to cut you off,

but that just amazes me. Tell me a little bit about that challenge, I mean, as far as being pregnant

while you're doing your checkride. Oh, it's certainly interesting. So, in Florida summers,

which is what it was, it's a little warm. And so, when you're pregnant, you overheat really easily.

I was pretty nauseous, but if I took not nausea medication, I lost my medical. I had to take a

break and not wasn't able to have KIC logging. So, it's an adventure for sure. I would say definitely

consultant A and me about any medications you're taking or any symptoms you're having, but

it's kind of magical to be flying and feel like, for me, it was my son. It's like, up hanging out

with me. And then, 17.4, he's already been to two air shows. So, it's kind of beautiful to

continue your process and continue your journey as growing as a person and as a mother and being

able to incorporate your children in with that. So, this was a real challenge. And now, you have a

young one and you got your commercial rating. So, tell us a little bit about the challenges along

the way to get your commercial and having a young child at home. Yeah, absolutely. So, a lot

about five management and honestly, it required a lot of help. My grandma actually was able to fly

down and watch my son for 10 days. But I had to condense like 20, 25 hours and all my ground and

all my trading centers of time building into a 10 days spam with the 10 days being my checkride,

which is not how I've done any of my other trading and really challenged my, it pushed me to my

limits for sure, especially when, when I'm home, I wanted to spend time with my son. But I needed

to study and I've took my right and that time as well. So, just the 10 days just absolutely going

crazy. That was the craziest part, I would say. But just time management was huge. So, I guess you

would probably, if someone needed advice, you'd say, hey, listen, if anything you have child,

family at home, you really have to understand how to manage your time.

Yes, that is your time and schedule ahead of time. Know what each day is going to look like before

you start it so that you're not bloundering. So, not only did you do this, you wound up running

a business and having a child and getting your ratings. So, not only is you having a family,

what's the challenge of running a business and then trying to get your ratings at the same time?

I would say those actions work together fantastically. Because I work in aviation, I meet a lot of

people, I stay at it. I'm always learning more about airplanes and meeting new people and making

new connections. And so, because I run my own business, I can build my own schedule.

So, I would say actually, I've had a conventional job and I actually believe that running my business

supports my flight training goals better because I can move things around as I need to do

and make sure that everything falls into place and I have time and I'm in the industry already.

So, you think being in this industry has helped you and moving forward in your career, I'm assuming?

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. I've met fantastic people. I've seen some really cool airplanes.

And it inspires me to keep going.

Is there like an example you could give of something that maybe happened in your business that

helped you with your training or something in your training that helped you with your business

during this whole process? Oh, absolutely. I have a client and Pinda Grouda, who has a 234.

And when I first started my company, I did this aircraft and I was learning and I actually made a few

mistakes. It was right at the beginning. I made a few mistakes but he was gracious enough to let

me come back and correct them. And when I did, I ended up going back after I finished step

the time. He actually took me formation flying into the 34s on a beautiful Florida day and that

just inspired me so much. And when you're in flight training, you don't do a lot of fun flying,

a lot of purposeful flying to just do something that reminds me of the childlike joy that aviation

can bring you and it helps me keep perspective.

You know, I think that's really important during training is to do something joyful, have fun

with it. I know I like to do that with my students at least once a month. We'll go do something

just one thing that's that's a lot of fun and not too many people get to do the formation flying.

I can't give that to them, but that is that is pretty awesome. Before we ask you for some advice

before we close, I just want you on for a quick update. What's what's next for you in both your

flying career and then also in your business career? For my flying career, I am working on my

instructor ratings. I believe that's a good way to slowly advance my time so that one day I

can have an aviation job as a pilot. So that's next for that for my detailed company. I am now

in full time. I'm building it up, working on more contracts, trying to keep steady work coming,

I have a few people employed under me now and so I'm working. So I'm just trying to grow more,

get bigger contracts, work on some bigger aircraft. And just to be where that takes me, I just

open to whatever the future holds. And if people want to find out more about that business,

by the way, it's FlyGirlAircraftDetailing.com. FlyGirlAircraftDetailing.com. We'll have some links

in the show now. But before we go, I really want to know what advice you have to somebody who's

just getting started out thinking of starting a business or just thinking of starting an aviation

in general. I would say you just have to remember why you're doing it. Take a step back. I think

it's really, really easy when you're starting something hard and you start to impact your challenges

to fall back or quit. If you move even one percent forward, like I said, I've taken a long time

to get my ratings up for them. I'm three years into this business and sometimes I can see like

it's not growing as fast as I wish it would have. One percent better is better than not doing it all.

If you don't even start, you've already failed. So you might as well try. One percent every day.

I like that. I'm going to, you know, I tell people to take one step every day to move forward

in their career and their life. And that could just be one one percent each day.

Guys, Claire, this has been so awesome having you on and you are an inspiration for me and for

those that are watching or listening. I'd love to have you back on and have another update

when the next thing comes up as far as your next, I guess it would be your CFI and your next

goal is cross. I think that's absolutely terrific. But I really, I think that a lot of people can

look at what you've done and resonate and in some way they can relate to all the different

challenges you had. So I think that's been wonderful that you're able to just share that story with

people and take the time just like you're doing right now instead of out there, you know, detailing

aircraft or getting more ratings. And that's, we really appreciate you for that. So thanks again

for coming on. Yeah, I feel like it's much for having me. And if you're somebody looking to figure out

what you want to do and what your why is in your career, we do that aviation curves podcast.com

slash coaching. We both have a group mentorship that's really inexpensive. So if you really want to

get into this in a very inexpensive way, it's only $20 a month and you actually can get one month

free by going out there and checking out the coupon. But one thing I want you to do is take away

from Claire's message is that you should do something to move forward in your career and in your

life. And just do that one percent. Take that one step today to move forward in your career

and in your life. And I know you'll get there sooner than you think. Safe flying out there. Take care now.