Randall Cottrell - CEO of Bluejireh

By Staff

Tell us about your company.

I have an interesting company. It’s called Bluejireh, it was founded in 2005, and we are in the aviation industry. Specifically, we work in foreign military sales, aviation parts, aviation engineering, military event logistics, and aviation maintenance and flight training. 2 fun facts about us…we are buying an aviation college and are licensed commercial builders. I love what I do, and so does our team!

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

I was inspired by several people and coincidences to become an entrepreneur. My parents were entrepreneurs, my uncle was an entrepreneur. However, my greatest inspiration was hearing an interview on the radio that went like this….”host: sir, what is the definition of an entrepreneur to you?” “Guest: someone who has a unique distaste for being manipulated or controlled.” I nearly shouted when I heard that response. It defined me. That’s my inspiration.

What does success look like for you?

I’ve thought about success a lot, and it comes down to this.

Success means that I have been a father that my kids admire, love, trust, and respect.
Success means that my wife feels safe, supported, loved, and heard.
Success means that I have true friends.
Success means that I have wealth that carries over into 3 generations beyond me.
Success means that I’ve followed my dreams.
Success means that I have time to focus on #1, #2, #3, #4, and#5

What does legacy mean to you?

Legacy is a huge word to me. Legacy means that somehow, every fiber of my being, every dollar made, every success, every failure, every bit of education, every bit of growth, and every bit of love I have to give is poured into my children and the world around me. Legacy is about Deuteronomy 4:9, ⁹Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy son’s sons

How do you find balance in being successful and a family man?

I’ve struggled with this massively. I wasn’t raised to have balance in the wholistic sense, I was raised to have faith, be honest, love family, and work hard. I never knew what balance meant for my mental health, my family relationships, my friendships. i have come a long way, but I am still struggling with this because I focus so much on business. On the bright side, Taroue Brooks aka “the white rabbit” has been pushing me to focus on relationships, not transactions.

Where does your faith reside in your journey?

Faith is the basis of how I live, how I make decisions, and how I see the future. I’ve lived faithless…It was a nightmare.

Where would like to see your career in the next five years?

We work heavily in the foreign military space and as of late, we have been tasked with training foreign militaries on flight operations and aircraft maintenance. This tasking led us to pursue purchasing a college! Now that the finish line on the college acquisition is near, it has me thinking about incorporating high level sports training and aviation training combined to help athletes create a plan b if sports don’t work out. Think of it as a feeder to industry, D-1 colleges, or to pro level sports.

Either way, I think it will boost enrollment.

I’ve enjoyed the acquisition process immensely albeit it has been very draining. I actually want to acquire more companies and more land!

When I think about where I want to take the business, quite honestly, I’d like to expound on what we already do and grow it to over $1billion in revenue.

When I think about what I want to do personally, I’d like to move into building destination spaces for families. I.E., upscale retreats, swanky but affordable tiny house or container villages, all inclusive mini-resorts, and in general, places that give people peace, respite, includes childcare, and an opportunity to help them heal and/or have fun.