Jackson Fairburn, Mission Success Lead at Swarm Aero | Resilience, Reinvention, and Being Open to Yes

What does resilience look like when the market turns against you?

In Episode 78 of the BreakLine Arena, Team BreakLine’s own, Natalia Peddycoart, sits down with Jackson Fairburn, a former U.S. Army AH-64 Apache pilot, company commander, and now Mission Success Lead at Swarm Aero, to unpack his journey from nine years of military service into a volatile 2022 tech hiring market.

Jackson shares how he translated high-stakes aviation leadership into civilian impact, landed a solutions engineering role at Evolv Technology during a downturn, earned rapid promotions, and ultimately returned to aviation-focused innovation by staying open to unexpected opportunity.

This conversation is about more than transition.

It’s about reinvention.

Reassessing priorities as life evolves.

Trusting the process when outcomes feel uncertain.

And adopting a mindset Jackson calls: “Be Open to Yes.”

Whether you’re navigating a pivot, leading through ambiguity, or searching for true mission fit, this episode offers a grounded, tactical look at resilience in action.

If you’re a visionary founder or a purpose-driven top performer building the future with clarity, community, and access to the most ambitious companies in America, join us!

Learn more about our Effects-Based Hiring approach here: partners.breakline.org