HOW TO BREAK IN TO YACHTING... BREAKING IN TO BROKERAGE.

It is almost impossible to get work as a yacht broker if you do not live in an area where yachts are located. There are a few exceptions to this, such as Zurich and London, but if you are serious about becoming a yacht broker the very best thing...and the FIRST thing you should do is move to an area where there are plenty of yachts. Here are a few suggestions: - South Florida, especially Fort Lauderdale. - The Balearic Islands, especially Mallorca and it's capital Palma. - The South of France, especially Monaco and Antibes - San Remo, Italy. - Newport, Rhode Island - San Diego, California, - Sydney, Australia - Phuket - Hong Kong Of course, one thing that all those places have in common is that they are extremely expensive to live in. This may be a challenge for you, so be aware of the many budget options for board and lodging that are at your disposal. Here are five great tips that could make your move more affordable: - Check out www.yachting-pages.com and use their website search engine to look for "crew houses". Crew often require reasonably priced accommodation for varying periods of time, so looking for a crew house will not only allow you to control your costs but also help you get started by meeting the right people. - Don't get drawn in to the drink culture of yachties in the area that you move to. Yacht crew often have a considerable amount of expendable income and few if any overheads, so spending a hundred dollars on a night out is no big deal to them. If you have moved to a yachting area with the purpose of becoming a yacht broker then it is smarter to play the long game. It may take you a while to become financially stable, so save your money for rent and you can enjoy a celebratory Dom Perignon in style when you sell your first yacht! - Don't be afraid to ask people you meet for cheap options for food and lodging. Just because somebody works in the yachting industry does not mean that they are any more wealthy than you. I spent two years working in and around Monaco and learned all of the most economic places to eat, from buying sandwiches at the Casino supermarket by the port to a little pizza place on Boulevard d'Italie (where I once bumped into Jenson Button and his girlfriend). Many, many people in the yachting industry have to work to a very tight budget whilst giving an impression of being very successful....so always ask! - Join local facebook groups in the area that you decide to move to. Antibes, for example, has a wonderful group called "Antibes Buy it Sell it Rent it". There are often well priced opportunities for accommodation advertised, and once accepted as a member you could also post with your requirements. Almost every area in the world where there is a yachting community will also have a facebook group similar to this, and whilst the yachties who have "made it" can be difficult and unhelpful sometimes, the folk who are working their way into the industry tend to be tremendously supportive to each other. - Find a broker buddy. Actually, I only used "broker" buddy because it started with the letter "b". It doesn't matter what your "buddy's" ambitions are, the important thing is to find somebody that you can get on with to share expenses. Sharing an apartment is so much cheaper than renting one on your own, and if you are both looking out for each other's interests it is far better to have four ears to the ground rather than just two. Before you even set foot outside your front door on the way to the yachting destination of your choice, it would be wise to take a good look in the mirror and to ask yourself "who would want to give me a job?" Be realistic about it. How old are you? How long have you been in your current employment? What work skills and life skills have you accumulated so far, and how can these be put to good use? In my experience there are three categories of people who enquire about becoming a yacht broker. It is important to know who you are in order to build a successful strategy to achieving your goal and avoiding disappointment. Be prepared to work out your apprenticeship though, the best things in life seldom come without a price! So who are you? 1. The complete starter? 2. The dissatisfied worker? 3. The career builder?