Fighter Pilot Ideals in Business Settings: The Origin of Afterburner

The story of Afterburner begins in rural Kentucky, on the family farm where Murph grew up. After college, Murph worked in sales, swiftly working his way up to a leadership position. That’s when he met an Air Force general, and felt a higher calling to serve his country. He joined the Air Force and, after completing a rigorous and highly competitive training program, made it behind the controls of a fighter jet in an elite squadron.

In the Air Force, Murph experienced firsthand how military training programs inspire teams with a set of ideals that empower them to execute at an elite level: accountability, teamwork, dedication, and focus. Fighter pilots routinely fly at the speed of sound, in tight formations, with just inches between jets – and that’s not possible unless each pilot is bought into the mission, takes pride in their contributions, and sees their own individual success and the team’s success as one and the same.

That’s when Murph had an epiphany that changed the course of his life: The same ideals that make it possible for fighter pilots to fly in tight formations and succeed in their missions have applications in myriad settings – not just the military. What if business leaders built their teams around accountability, teamwork, dedication, and focus as well?

Inspired by this idea, Murph founded Afterburner on one core principle:

Today, Afterburner trains teams across the business world in the fighter pilot ideals, empowering them to execute at the same level that elite military teams achieve in high-stakes missions every day. This is how Murph passes these ideals to leaders across the globe. This is how Murph gives back.

In just a short time, Murph went from farm boy to fighter pilot. The lesson: If he can achieve a transformation like that, then any team can reach the elite level they aspire to.