60 Degrees and Sunny With a Chance of Disruption

This past Saturday, I was standing in line outside with 200 other people as we waited to get into the arena where my son’s gymnastics meet was being held.

The wind was brutal. It felt like it was blowing 90 mph (it was probably more like 15) and it was COLD. As we all stood there miserable and hunched over to brace ourselves against the relentless thrashing, one guy casually stepped out of line and walked towards the side of the building. The other 199 of us just stared at him…What was he doing? Why is he standing over there by himself looking like a weirdo? Then it dawned on us (some more quickly than others….I think my brain was frozen). He was using the building as a shield from the wind.

Duh.

Soon, one-by-one, the line started snaking his direction until we were all standing against the brick building where, it wasn’t exactly warm, but it was a HECK of a lot better than being out in the open.

When I think about RISE, it’s easy to draw a parallel between what we’re doing with this business and the guy that stepped out of line. We all, at one point or another, have fallen victim to “group think”. We subject ourselves to processes and situations that we accept as status quo…like standing in endless security lines, taking off our shoes and getting groped by strangers in public….just for the privilege of getting to our final destination.

RISE was founded on the premise that – just because we’ve been told it “has to be this way” – doesn’t mean it actually does. We’re not a bunch of rebel rousers …we just chose to step out of line.

The RISE membership-based air travel model eliminates all the hassles associated with commercial travel while upholding and exceeding expectations on all other aspects such as safety, efficiency, comfort and hospitality. We are creating a new category of travel that bridges the gap between the cluster that is commercial and the  once “unattainable” private side of this vast industry.

Through the dedication of the early adopters that jumped onboard before we even took our first flight, to the 20,000th member segment we flew at the end of 2016, this phenomenon is taking shape and showing no signs of slowing down.

All it took was stepping out of line.

Are you ready?  

Why RISE is Right for You

A lot has been written in the past year about RISE in major newspapers, magazines, social media and (of course) this blog. Although there’s no lack of information out there about what we’re doing and why, it can be difficult to quickly digest in order to determine whether or not this service is right for you.

To help cut through the clutter, I’ve broken out the top reasons why RISE is worth getting to know in 2017.

1. 1. Gain more control. If you’re traveling frequently for business, there are simply some things you have no control over. We exist to help you regain some of that control by eliminating all the “unknowns” associated with air travel…where to park, how long is security, what seats are available, is the flight on time, how long to deboard and get ground transportation, etc. At RISE, you arrive minutes before departure and park (for free) feet from the plane. There are no lines and we maintain an on-time percentage of +96%. Our 8-seat aircraft are comfortable and ensure you never have to jockey for armrest or shoulder space. By removing the things previously out of your control, you can manage your time more efficiently while eliminating much of the stress associated with air travel.
   2. Be there more. Too often the choices we are forced to make these days are between a big business meeting or important life event. Our new ad campaign “Be There” speaks to just that….the things we miss due to unavoidable hassles associated with travel. Although we can’t solve for every situation, we have received countless testimonials from members thanking us for helping them be there more….whether it’s a soccer game, ballet recital or just dinner with the family. We shave approximately 3 hours off a round trip. Allow yourself to do the math on that and estimate how much time you could potentially save. The value of time cannot be underestimated and it’s essentially what we are providing….more time to allow you the ability to be there more for the things that matter most.
   3. Manage travel expenses more efficiently. The unknowns of air travel aren’t limited to the airport. Depending on how fluid your schedule is, commercial air travel can come with a lot of unplanned expense…last minute fares, change fees, non-refundable tickets…with RISE you pay a flat monthly fee and fly as many times as you need. By booking as far out as 6 weeks in advance or as close in as 30 minutes before departure, there are no surprise fees or outrageous walk-up fares. It’s a planned expense that gives you more clarity into your travel budget. What’s more, our schedule is designed to eliminate the need for overnight hotel stays. Factor that in along with parking costs, change fees, overpriced water bottles and airport food, etc when determining whether this is right for you.
   4. Experience less travel recovery. I observed something interesting recently…passenger posture. When you go the airport, you see a lot of folks slumped over, shuffling between gates or hunched over phones in crowded gate areas. At RISE, this seems to be non existent. Our members look more rested, less stressed and walk in with a certain confidence that comes from doing something more efficiently. You arrive refreshed and step right into your car which means you preserve more energy for the remainder of the day or evening…whatever it may bring.
   5. Make meaningful connections. This might sound a little cheesy, but our members genuinely like each other. They are all professionals with busy careers and personal lives so, by default, they have a lot in common. It’s not usual for business deals to get done inflight between two members that discover a connection of some sort. We’ve even had a group of ladies go to a concert together after meeting on a RISE flight. When’s the last time you can remember making a meaningful connection on a commercial flight? My guess is that you can’t.
   6. Be part of the future of air travel. What we are creating is, by definition, disruptive.  For decades there’s been nothing to bridge the massive chasm between commercial and private flying. We are creating a new category of travel – much like Uber and Airbnb did – by carving out something in between private and commercial flying. You can help shape the future of this industry by helping us expand and reach more markets in Texas and beyond….and that’s pretty darn cool.

As you set goals for 2017 in an effort to enhance both your business and personal life, I hope you’ll think about the role RISE can have in helping you achieve those goals. We customize memberships to meet your unique travel needs and are always ready and willing to work with you to figure out how to help you do more and be more.

Best wishes from all of us at RISE for a happy and successful 2017!