Jesse Itzler and Marquis Jet: “I Didn’t Know Anything”
When Jesse Itzler founded Marquis Jet in 2001, the world’s first private jet membership company… he knew nothing about aviation. He wasn’t a pilot. He didn’t own a jet. He had no connections in the industry. At that time, the world still operated under the traditional ownership model: those who owned a plane flew, those who didn’t bought a ticket.
INSPIRING STORIES
10/21/20252 min read
Jesse Itzler and Marquis Jet: “I Didn’t Know Anything”
When Jesse Itzler founded Marquis Jet in 2001, the world’s first private jet membership company… he knew nothing about aviation.
He wasn’t a pilot. He didn’t own a jet. He had no connections in the industry. At that time, the world still operated under the traditional ownership model: those who owned a plane flew, those who didn’t bought a ticket.
Yet Jesse had one clear idea:
People wanted to fly on private jets, but no one wanted to spend millions buying one.
So why not let people purchase time in a jet instead of owning the whole aircraft?
He envisioned a future where access, not ownership, was what mattered — a vision that would soon revolutionise private aviation.
A Revolution Born from Observation
At the time, Jesse was a musician, marketer, and relentless idea machine.
He asked himself:
“Why should people have to spend millions to fly privately?”
From this simple but revolutionary question, Marquis Jet was born: the world’s first private jet membership programme.
Members could enjoy the private jet experience without buying a plane — simply by purchasing flight hours.
This model was a precursor to today’s subscription economy.
Just as Netflix transformed entertainment with a subscription model, Marquis Jet transformed aviation.
The Key to Success: Understanding People
Jesse Itzler’s success was more than a business model — it was a psychological insight.
He realised that people weren’t buying jets; they were buying status, freedom, convenience, and control.
Marquis Jet quickly partnered with NetJets and, in 2010, the company was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway, led by Warren Buffett.
The sale price was never officially disclosed, but industry sources estimate it at $400–500 million.
At the time, Marquis Jet had over 4,000 members and generated more than $700 million in annual revenue.
Jesse Itzler’s “Unfair Advantage”
What was Jesse’s unfair advantage?
Not technology. Not vast capital.
It was his ability to read people and anticipate trends.
He saw desires that customers hadn’t yet articulated.
Marquis Jet was not merely a technological innovation — it was a strategic innovation in human behaviour.
Lessons from Jesse Itzler
Think simple, execute deeply.
Big ideas are rarely complex; they are human-centric.Ownership → Access.
The future belongs to the access economy, not ownership.Energy = Brand.
Jesse’s personal energy became the DNA of the brand.Mental resilience is strategy.
The mindset of an ultra-marathon runner applies to long-term business strategy.
Jesse Itzler didn’t just start a jet company.
He defined a lifestyle: the symbol of freedom, speed, and transcending limits.
Today, that philosophy remains relevant: successful brands sell more than products — they sell emotion, identity, and energy.