Boasting over 23 years of experience in the yachting industry, Jan Jaap Minnema has represented clients from across the globe. Jan Jaap’s comprehensive expertise has allowed him to achieve great success throughout his career and in his current role as Senior Yacht Broker at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/158" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fraser (Company)">Fraser Yachts</a>. Driven by a true passion for yachting, Jan Jaap has successfully brokered the sale of many noteworthy yachts, including the record-breaking 89-metre superyacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5634" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Illusion Plus88.5m (290'4&quot;)Pride Mega Yachts2018">Illusion Plus</a>. With several years of experience working on large sailing ships under his belt, Jan Jaap has an innate understanding of the yachting industry. Skilled at representing both buyers and sellers, the Dutch broker has bought and sold superyachts built by 17 different shipyards, with a particular focus on Dutch builders.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/292426/image/large-0c1db5b9f49564a4b5aa9e76108334ef.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/292426">Have you had any significant mentors who have helped you during your career and if so how have they helped you?Education is always important in any business, however, brokerage mentors were very rare when I first started in the industry. There have been several brokers and company owners whom I have admired both for their business ethics and as people. During my career, I have also found several clients who have greatly inspired me. As a broker, you develop personal relationships and consequently, you understand more about the complexity of business, pleasure and knowledge. The people who work at the shipyards are also worth mentioning, as they build the products that we are selling, so the better you understand them, the better broker you will become.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/250496/image/large-129231451cd4ee6dcae4ce957547d539.png" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/250496">How important is it to gain experience selling yachts of a smaller size when you’re first entering the industry?For me, it was very important and I consider it the basis of my current knowledge and expertise. I started in the brokerage selling 40-50 ft sailing yachts. The personal contact you build with the clients increases greatly as you are responsible for finding them a great boat deal. There were countless more deals selling sailing yachts than in the superyacht industry, so I gained a plethora of valuable experience in negotiating and closing deals!<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/253668/image/large-ca5e5382591690aa737d99c1f24812a2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/253668">You successfully brokered the sale of the record-breaking Asian-built 89-metre yacht,&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5634" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Illusion Plus88.5m (290'4&quot;)Pride Mega Yachts2018">Illusion Plus</a>. Please tell us more about this impressive sale and the challenges of selling a yacht her size?It was a long story of entrepreneurial endurance. When I first became involved in that project it was nothing more than an idea in the head of a Chinese shipyard owner who wanted to build one family yacht at his yard, and a second one for the market. The initial ideas they proposed were good, but needed to be finetuned and modified to superyacht standards; naval architecture, interior design , engineering etc. When this was in place the big financial crisis occurred and the project was shelved. The shipyard was sold to a large Chinese conglomerate and that made the negotiations even more complex. All the people involved were doing their best but they were learning by doing, so a lot was lost in translation. When the yacht finally began construction we introduced her to the market during the Monaco Yacht show party of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/158" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Fraser (Company)">Fraser</a> in the old yacht club. It was a big success and within a year, the yacht was sold. It was very special to have been involved in such a production!<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/253667/image/large-d2076d0257ac8a1cea23f505093954b3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/253667"><img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/253680/image/large-91bbce00883f8354168fd8a40ff39074.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/253680">Are you noticing any recent trends in the market at the moment?Trends in yachting are most evident in production yachts, they have a shorter lifespan than full custom yachts. In addition, the number of units produced in full custom is too low to have a real ‘trend’. There are certain style elements, such as the ‘explorer’ look, large floor-to-ceiling windows and ‘origami’ fold-out transformer beach clubs which become trends. Essentially, yacht layouts shift slightly every few years.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/249212/image/large-7810e73ced7071045d8f4099ec0b6880.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/249212">Sustainability remains an important topic within the yachting industry, how has this influenced your strategy when selling yachts?I don’t have a strategy as such. A broker should follow the wishes of the client and not attempt to put their own personal agenda or preferences in the foreground. We are delivering a service that should be 100% around the clients’ ideas, intentions, and wishes. We need to be sure that we are extremely knowledgeable in any field a client wants to explore further. If it is sustainability, then we better ensure we know all the possible sustainable options and present them in a coherent way, only then can the client make an informed and educated decision.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/44971/image/large-f63ccec4d8dd513f4a92955293e37812.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/44971">What challenges are brokers in the yachting industry currently facing?A combination of the above. In today’s world, there is a lot of superficial communication which is only skin deep. As a broker in yachting it is important to make sure that the client is well-educated and informed when it comes to the different subjects involved in owning yachts. We saw a lot of buyers during the covid years who had no idea what yachting was about. They thought it was like buying a car or an apartment, but they were not informed about crewing, operating, maintaining, and legal structures related to yachting. The challenge we are currently facing is ensuring individuals less experienced in the brokerage field inform the client properly. The level of professionalism within a brokerage company has nothing to do with the size of the company, it is determined by mindset and professional and personal ethics.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/192453/image/large-d2e1509ae2b9c1f19d45afc18504a125.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/192453">Yacht sales require a sophisticated understanding of the market and your clients' needs. How do you stay informed about the latest market trends and ensure your clients' preferences are met?Keep on studying, visit yards, talk to designers, inform yourself about technology, and legal matters and visit as many yachts as you possibly can so you maintain a strong reference point throughout your career. Don’t hesitate to inform a client that you will provide an answer for them the following day if you don’t have the information readily available. Yachting has many different disciplines, so you can’t know everything at once.Networking is crucial in the yacht industry, how do you create trust with your clients to ensure they feel content throughout the sales process?Just show you are knowledgeable, listen to them instead of talking all the time and simply have the empathy to find out what they want. Assist and suggest instead of forcing your personal preferences. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276551/image/large-d140e17d26dc1112059fffd368fabee2.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276551">How has your fluency in four different languages helped create smoother collaborations between parties and led to successful yacht deals?While it breaks the ice and opens doors, when it comes to successfully collaborating with clients, it is not about how many languages you speak, it is about how well you listen!<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/276547/image/large-438c7b8071a36368e9e800baf637de37.jpeg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/276547">Boasting over 23 years of experience in the yachting industry, what advice would you give to aspiring brokers joining the industry today?Always remain interested in your clients and in all the facets of the industry as success in this career will take endurance. Remain humble and recognise that as brokers we make our living thanks to the clients and we have a duty to inform and assist them in the best possible way.&nbsp;What trends and developments do you expect to see for the future of the yachting industry?I hope the industry will become increasingly professional. I expect the way marketing within the industry is done will change over time but at the end of the day a boat will be a boat and spending time with family and friends on the water will still continue to be the coolest pass time!<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/251775/image/large-d5ec51cff65bf49036be461a5a12e988.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/251775">On a personal note, if you could purchase a yacht which would you choose and why?&nbsp;I have a very eclectic taste, so there are many boats I would love to use, from sailing classics to fast powerboats and expedition yachts. I know so many shipyards, and all the people who work there have a real passion for the yachts that they are building. After every visit, I have a new boat to choose from. All yachts are just great!

Broker Insights with Jan Jaap Minnema

Itasca yacht at anchor

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Formosa in Costa Rica

Victoria Vienna yacht anchored

Illusion Plus yacht anchored

Illusion Plus yacht aerial

Illusion Plus yacht cruising

Illusion Plus yacht saloon

Hakvoort YN254 in-build

Jan Jaap Minnema, Senior Yacht Broker at Fraser Yachts

Endeavour II anchored

SuperYacht Times spoke with Jan Jaap Minnema of Fraser Yachts to discuss his career and advice for aspiring yacht brokers.

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Broker Insights: Jan Jaap Minnema Senior Yacht Broker at Fraser Yachts