Is this still efficient—or already decadent? I know what images like this can evoke. Maybach, runway, private jet—at first glance, it looks like the full cliché package. But the reality behind it is different: This isn’t a status symbol, but a choice for efficiency. Berlin to Paderborn in 54 minutes. Appointments in the capital until 4 p.m., back at my desk in the office by 6:30 p.m.

In between: time to think, phone calls, and sometimes even a quick power nap. By car, that would take an extra 4–5 hours at worst—one-way trip and traffic jams included. For me, the plane is like a time machine. It gives me hours I’d otherwise lose—and makes days possible that wouldn’t exist without it.

Of course, I could also take the train. I’d even like to. But as long as tardiness is the rule rather than the exception, it’s not an option for me. Missing appointments because the train is stuck somewhere again? That’s really not an alternative for me. I’m not sharing this to stir up controversy. Rather, I want to foster a little more understanding for the decisions entrepreneurs make when they view time as their most important resource.