TRAILBLAZER
the commander behind SpaceX ' s first all-civilian space mission
By the age of 18 , his sharp intelligence and technical whizz-kid ability had impressed those working with him and he was offered a full-time position with one of his clients , with the proviso that he could obtain a GED as part of the deal .
Taking to the skies As his interest in financial technology grew , Isaacman ’ s love of technology turned to flying machines and breaking new boundaries . In 2004 , at age 21 , he fulfilled a lifelong dream and began to take flying lessons .
At the same time , his passion for fintech was also taking off and in 2005 , he founded his first company – a retail payment processing platform called United Bank Card . The company , which later rebranded as Harbortouch , was a point-of-sale payment solutions business based in Pennsylvania . Isaacman took the helm as the CEO and continues to hold that position today .
Harbortouch was phenomenally successful in its first decade , processing an astounding US $ 11bn a year and generating $ 300 in revenue from 60,000 merchants .
During this time , Isaacman was also working on his piloting skills – another area he was excelling in . In 2009 he set the world record for circumnavigating the globe . He also gained his degree in aeronautics in 2011 . Not content with setting world records , he continued to fly in airshows and is also qualified to pilot multiple military aircraft jets .
In 2012 , the love of flying became even more serious , as Isaacman co-founded the Florida-based company , Draken International , a school that trains pilots for the US Armed Forces . Draken International
18 October 2021