Richard Zaher started with a $5000 loan from Dad, a 2nd-shift job, and a promise: “If we do this right, the clients will follow.” Today, Paramount Business Jets proves him right - every flight.
Twenty years ago, Richard Zaher was crashing on a bunk bed in Manhattan, framed with 2x4s, scraping by on odd jobs after switching his major from Aeronautical Science to the broader Aerospace Studies at Embry-Riddle. One morning, he spotted a faded newspaper clipping stapled to the inside of the bed frame: “Private Jet Charter Broker - Will Train.”
He showed up. He learned. He hated what he saw.
“It was a boiler room,” Zaher recalls. “High pressure. Hidden fees. Clients are treated like numbers. I thought: These are the world’s top leaders - they’d pay fairly if someone just offered honesty, safety, and true service.”
So he quit.
With a $5000 loan from his father, a full-time day job, and nights burning the midnight oil, Zaher began building Paramount Business Jets (PBJ) from scratch. For three years, he worked 9-to-5, then built the company after hours - researching, cold-calling, dreaming.
He moved to Daytona Beach to be near Embry-Riddle, hired student interns, and together they developed the largest and most transparent private jet booking platform in the world.
That hustle paid off. Today, PBJ is A+ accredited by the Better Business Bureau, a four-time Inc. 5000 honoree, five-star rated on Google and Trustpilot, home of the world’s first fully transparent Jet Card, and creator of the first open-source carbon offset tool (2019, updated 2023) - free for the entire industry.
He Didn’t Just Build a Company - He Rewrote the Rules
As President of the Air Charter Association of North America (ACANA), Zaher and the ACANA Board worked closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation to draft FAA Rule 295, setting new standards for transparency and ethics in private aviation.
“We didn’t want to be the only honest broker,” Zaher says. “We wanted to raise the floor for everyone. Our mission was to raise the industry standard, elevate professional practices, and restore trust across the entire sector.”
Technology with a Human Cockpit
Since 2008, PBJ has powered hyper-personalized service with a proprietary in-house CRM - no off-the-shelf solutions. A recipient of Embry-Riddle’s Eagle Excellence Award, Zaher has funded annual scholarships for students since 2015, paying forward the opportunity that shaped his journey.
Flying for Good, Not Just for Profit
PBJ’s heart beats loudest off the tarmac: humanitarian missions to McDowell County, WV - one of America’s poorest regions - personally delivering food, clothing, and hope; aid to earthquake victims abroad; sponsoring bullied children in martial arts programs; feeding the homeless in Washington, D.C.
“My dad didn’t loan me money for a business,” Zaher says. “He bet on a kid who refused to let him down. Every flight we fly proves he was right.”
A Milestone Rooted in Gratitude
PBJ celebrated its 20th anniversary with a three-day gathering at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia - team members, partners, and families from five continents. Awards honored long-serving staff and top contributors. A special tribute went to Zaher’s mom - the parent whose $5000 and quiet faith launched a global movement.
“This isn’t my 20 years,” Zaher told the room, voice thick. “It’s ours - built on our clients’ trust and our team’s dedication. With the best people, technology, reputation, and values in the industry, we’re poised for tremendous growth. Together, we’ll keep soaring - leading with integrity and putting our clients first, always.”
