From Marquis Jet to ZICO Coconut Water, Jesse Itzler Delivers Lessons in Business, Life and Resilience

eXpcon 2024 kicked off in a big way on Monday with keynote speaker Jesse Itzler, who brought the energy — and the wisdom — to a captivated audience of eXp Realty agents. 

From co-founding Marquis Jet and ZICO Coconut Water to co-owning the Atlanta Hawks, Jesse took attendees through his incredible and unorthodox journey from music to mega-business deals in what amounted to a true masterclass in entrepreneurial resilience. 

“There are two sides to success, the financial side and the spiritual side — you can’t sacrifice the spiritual side for the financial side,” he explained. “Were you kind to customers and employees? What kind of culture did you build?”

Here are Jesse’s top tips for building financial success while at the same time feeding the spiritual side of life:

• The simple can be extraordinary. “My father taught me you need to work for everything. Between the ages of 18 and 22 I slept on 18 different couches of friends. I had several failed businesses. And then I had a revelation and started a private jet company. Everyone here is one meeting, one idea, one referral from changing your life.” 

The proof? Jesse explained how his idea to start a private jet company was born from simply seeing a need for it. With no aviation experience, he co-founded Marquis Jet, the largest private jet card company, and went on to do $5 billion in sales, then selling the company to Warren Buffet’s NetJets.

• Pour your soul into what you do or don’t bother to do — because your competition will. “We sold the solution, not the product, with coconut water,” he explained. There was a hole in the market and he saw it and filled it, co-founding ZICO Coconut Water and building it into a brand Coca-Cola couldn’t resist. “If no one taught you how to do your job, how would you do it? That’s where innovation and disruption come from.”
• Compliment, congratulate and console. “Business can be transactional, relationships can’t be. People will remember how you were there for them when they needed you.”

Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Jesse is a best-selling author, endurance athlete, and part owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. His eclectic background, from managing Run-DMC to living with monks and a Navy SEAL, was built from how he treated people.

• Create your own luck, and now matter how hard it is, always think about one thing you are grateful for. Whether navigating a difficult business deal or facing personal challenges, he encouraged the audience to remain focused on their ultimate goals while being open to alternative paths to achieve them. Instead of simply going through the motions of networking and making connections, take the time to compliment, congratulate and console those around you. These actions show genuine care and interest in others, which can leave a lasting impression.

“Don’t give up what you already have to get what you want,” he explained. “Because you can have both.”