What Cage Marshall Consulting does

Cage Marshall Consulting (CMC), founded in Denver, Colorado in 1988 by Cheryl Cage after the bankruptcy of Braniff Airways, is a privately held career services firm specializing in pilot interview preparation and aviation career consulting. The firm offers a structured portfolio of services — including the $649 Pilot Interview Prep Package (three hours of one-on-one consulting plus books and videos), $899 Military Transition Services, hourly consulting at $249/hour, resume and cover letter creation ($229-$299), application reviews, technical prep (CRM/SBI/LOI), meet-and-greet prep, and instructor/management interview prep — delivered by a team of former airline interviewers, Line Check Pilots, pilot recruiters, and background check specialists. Founder-led proprietary content underpins the offering, notably the 'Checklist for Success' book (100,000+ copies sold), 'Reporting Clear?' background check guide, the TMAAT (Tell Me About A Time) behavioral interview framework, and companion on-demand videos.

The business model is a hybrid of professional services (1:1 consulting packages and hourly engagements) and productized digital goods (books, self-study courses, on-demand videos). Pricing is published à la carte on a Shopify-based direct-to-consumer storefront; services are non-transferable and non-refundable. ALPA members receive discounts on select services. Distribution is purely direct-to-consumer with no resellers; the firm supplements digital sales with in-person presence at aviation industry events (NGPA Industry Expo, WAI Annual Conference, OBAP Conference, FAPA Job Fairs, LPA Latin Aerospace Industry Expo, EAA AirVenture) and community outreach through partnerships with aviation advocacy organizations (NGPA, WAI, SOS, LPA, PAPA, FAST, ALPA). Video consultation is delivered via Zoom/Google Meet; digital products are delivered immediately post-purchase.

Since 1988, the firm claims to have served over 150,000 pilots, with cumulative workshop attendance exceeding 220,000. Leadership transitioned from founder Cheryl Cage to Angie Marshall in 2012. The firm has no disclosed investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, or parent company. Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees with 10+ named consultants based primarily in Colorado. End customers are predominantly individual pilot candidates pursuing employment at Part 121 carriers (regional, legacy, cargo, corporate), with secondary segments in military transition, aviation instructors/managers, and a limited extension into non-aviation job seekers.

Name

Cage Marshall Consulting

Legal name

Cage Consulting/Cage Marshall Consulting, Inc.

Website

https://cageconsulting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cage Marshall Consulting is a Denver-based, privately held firm founded in 1988 that provides pilot interview preparation, resume and cover letter services, military transition consulting, and aviation career coaching, serving aspiring commercial, military-transition, and corporate pilots primarily on a direct-to-consumer basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Consulting Services: One-on-one personalized consulting sessions including interview preparation, resume reviews, application reviews, and career coaching. Sold as hourly services or comprehensive packages.
2. Study Materials and Books: Sale of proprietary books including 'Checklist for Success' (100,000+ copies sold) and 'Reporting Clear?' as well as study guides
3. On-Demand Video Courses: Self-paced online video courses companion to books, including Building Your Interview Foundation and Discussing Problem Areas
4. Package Deals: Bundled service packages like Military Transition Services ($899) and Pilot Interview Prep Package ($649) offering savings over individual services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cage Marshall Consulting provides specialized career consulting services focused on pilot interview preparation, resume and cover letter creation, application reviews, and military-to-civilian aviation transition support. The company delivers one-on-one consulting via video, self-study courses, books (including the bestseller Checklist for Success), and on-demand videos, complemented by general non-aviation career coaching.

Product overview

Cage Marshall Consulting offers a portfolio of career consulting services primarily focused on pilot interview preparation and job search support for the aviation industry. Founded in 1988, the company provides a combination of personalized one-on-one consulting packages (such as the flagship Pilot Interview Prep Package at $649 and Military Transition Services at $899), supplementary hourly consulting, resume and cover letter services, application reviews, and self-study materials including books and on-demand videos. The core offering centers on the Pilot Interview Prep Package, which includes three hours of personalized consultations, study guides, and video courses. Additional specialized services cover technical preparation, meet & greet prep, instructor/management interview prep, job fair prep, and general non-aviation career services. All services are delivered by former airline interviewers, background check specialists, and pilot instructors, providing a human-delivered consulting model rather than technology or AI-powered products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• On-Demand Videos: Companion videos to Cheryl Cage's book 'Checklist for Success' for pilot interview preparation
• Checklist for Success
• Reporting Clear?

Products and services

• Pilot Interview Prep Package Comprehensive, personalized one-on-one interview preparation service including three hours of consultations, study guides, and on-demand videos tailored to specific airlines. Priced at $649 and designed to help pilots present their background effectively and build confidence for airline interviews.
• Pilot Interview Prep Self Study Course Self-guided interview prep curriculum priced at $199 including the Checklist for Success and Reporting Clear? books plus the Building Your Interview Foundation and Discussing Problem Areas on-demand videos, designed for pilots unable to attend one-on-one consultations.
• Military Transition Services Comprehensive package priced at $899 (representing a stated value of $1,297) for military pilots transitioning to civilian aviation, including application review, four hours of consultations, books, and videos.
• Pilot Resume Creation Tailored resume building or rewriting service for pilots at $299, ensuring compliance with industry standards and differentiation from competition. Delivered within 10-14 business days.
• Pilot Cover Letter Creation Expertly crafted cover letter creation service priced at $229 with personalized suggestions and industry-standard formatting, with 7-10 business day turnaround.
• Resume Creation + Job Fair Prep Package Combined service pairing resume creation with one-hour job fair preparation consultation, priced at $399 (saving $100 vs. purchasing separately), designed for pilots attending pilot expos or career fairs.
• Pilot Application Review Comprehensive review of pilot applications for legacy, regional, and corporate flight departments, including initial review tailored to one airline and a personalized video consultation with an Application Review Specialist.
• Hourly Consulting Services (Aviation) Confidential hourly consulting service for pilots seeking expert guidance on career moves, employment decisions, and specialized consulting for challenges such as check-ride failures, terminations, driving infractions, and FAA actions, priced at $249 per hour.
• Technical Prep Services (LOI / SBI / CRM) One-hour one-on-one private consultation for pilots preparing for technical evaluations including situational-based interviews (SBI), line oriented interviews (LOI), and crew resource management (CRM) interviews with specific airlines.
• Meet & Greet Prep One-hour one-on-one consultation helping pilots prepare for in-person Meet & Greets, Grin & Grab, or Meet the Chiefs events by articulating their story, strengths, and career aspirations.
• Instructor / Management Interview Preparation Confidential one-on-one service for pilots preparing for instructor or management positions including Line Check Airman, Instructor Pilot, Chief Pilot, Assistant Chief Pilot, and Fleet Manager roles.
• Job Fair or Recruiting Event Prep One-hour consultation helping pilots make lasting impressions at job fairs and recruiting events, covering elevator pitches, behavioral questions, and event expectations.
• Building Your Interview Foundation On-Demand Video Four-part self-paced video course presented by founder Cheryl Cage covering interview-enhancing approaches, types of questions, self-evaluation, and delivery of stories, priced at $59 ($39 for ALPA members).
• Discussing Problem Areas On-Demand Video Self-paced video course helping pilots present problem areas professionally during interviews, covering paperwork organization, verbal explanation planning, and follow-up question preparation, priced at $19 ($15 for ALPA members).
• Checklist for Success Book Bestselling book by Cheryl Cage described as the must-read guide for pilots attending professional interviews, with over 100,000 copies sold, priced at $31.95 for the digital edition.
• Reporting Clear? Book Book providing a step-by-step method for pilots to research their own background before interviews, helping present personal history professionally, priced at $19.95 for the digital edition.
• Live Webinars Live online seminars where clients can ask questions to Cage Marshall career experts in real time on aviation career topics.
• Hourly Consulting Services (Non-Aviation) One-on-one career coaching for job seekers outside of aviation, covering job discovery, resume assistance, interview prep, and career planning, priced at $249 first hour and $89.50 per additional 30-minute increment.
• Interview Preparation (Non-Flying) Two-hour one-on-one consultation for non-aviation professionals who have landed face-to-face interviews, covering professional presence, common mistakes, interview reasoning, and salary negotiation, priced at $299 ($199 for ALPA members).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150,000 pilots have benefited from services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FAST (Fatal Accident Survivors Team)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAviation safety organization partnership for community outreach and pilot career support
• LPA (Latino Pilots Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing partnership for Latin aerospace industry events including LPA Latin Aerospace Industry Expo in Orlando, FL
• NGPA (National Gay Pilots Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerActive partnership for NGPA Industry Expo in Palm Springs, CA, supporting LGBTQ+ pilots in aviation careers
• Sisters of the Skies (SOS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for annual scholarship gala supporting Black women in aviation careers
• Pilot PipelineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPipeline program partnership connecting aspiring pilots with career resources
• PAPA (Professional Asian Pilots Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for PAPA Aerospace Expo supporting Asian pilots in aviation careers
• ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerALPA members receive discounted pricing on select services including interview prep videos and career consulting

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• King Schools: Long-established pilot training content company producing video courses, online test prep, and study materials for pilots across all certificate levels. Comparable to CMC as a content-plus-services aviation education brand serving aspiring pilots, though King Schools covers the full pilot training lifecycle while CMC specializes narrowly in airline interview preparation.
• Sporty's Academy: Major pilot training content and supplies retailer offering courses, test prep, and aviation study materials. Comparable to CMC as a category-authoritative aviation education brand with both digital and physical product lines serving pilot candidates, though Sporty's is broader in scope (full pilot certification) versus CMC's interview-prep focus.
• Gleim Aviation: Established provider of pilot training study materials, online courses, and exam prep across private, instrument, commercial, and ATP certification tracks. Comparable to CMC in serving the aspiring-pilot candidate with paid digital study content, though Gleim is principally test-prep rather than interview preparation.

Others

• Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA): Long-standing publisher of aviation training books, FAR/AIM manuals, pilot logbooks, and study materials distributed through pilot supply channels. Comparable to CMC as a book-plus-study-materials publisher for pilots, though ASA is broader and content-only rather than service-delivered.
• ATP Flight School: Largest flight training organization in the US, operating a structured airline career pilot program that funnels students directly into regional airlines. Comparable to CMC because both serve the pilot-career-development pipeline and compete for the same aspiring-airline-pilot customer, though ATP delivers actual flight training rather than interview coaching.
• FLYING Magazine / FLYING Media: Established aviation media brand producing pilot training content, articles, videos, and career resources for general aviation and airline pilots. Comparable to CMC as an authoritative content and resource brand for pilot career development, though FLYING is editorial/media-led rather than a paid-consulting service.

Emerging players

• Boldmethod: Digital-first aviation training content company producing articles, videos, and online courses for pilots. Comparable to CMC in targeting aspiring commercial pilots with paid educational content, though Boldmethod focuses on technical flying knowledge rather than interview and career preparation.
• PilotWorkshops: Specialized provider of scenario-based online aviation training courses for pilots, including crew resource management and technical subjects. Comparable to CMC in delivering paid, expert-built content to working and aspiring pilots, though PilotWorkshops focuses on in-flight scenarios rather than the hiring-process niche.
• MzeroA: Online pilot training video course platform covering private pilot through CFI and beyond. Comparable to CMC as a digital aviation education brand serving pilot candidates with paid video content, though MzeroA concentrates on flight training fundamentals rather than interview preparation.
• CFI Bootcamp: Specialized aviation training program helping pilots become Certified Flight Instructors, with intensive in-person and online curriculum. Comparable to CMC in providing paid, expert-led pilot career-advancement training with strong brand presence in pilot communities, though CFI Bootcamp focuses on the instructor certification track rather than airline interview prep.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cageconsulting
• Facebookfacebook.com/CageMarshallConsulting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cagemarshallconsulting
• Instagraminstagram.com/cagemarshallconsulting/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cage Marshall Consulting