Boataffair Profile

“Boataffair is a boutique yacht experience company we established in Switzerland in 2017. We offer bespoke yacht holidays in 60+ countries.”

“Having looked deeper into it, we realized that current luxury boat rental solutions do not satisfy affluent clientele: unreliable vessel and crew quality, poor UI and software, minimal transparency, flexibility, and geographic fragmentation. Competing platforms offer unreliable services and [are] low-quality at best with a luxury price tag at worst. We saw the exact niche and established Boataffair with a focus on quality yacht experiences by handpicking only professionally managed yachts and strictly vetting all our inventory. Quality vs. quantity became a USP for Boataffair. Competing platforms all go for the quantity of boats – we went after the quality of yachts and, crucially, the quality of the overall experience.”

“We invested our own capital at first and got a couple of angel investors on board during the journey.”

“We are a team of 10 around the globe. We are the two co-founders, we have a dedicated tech team, an outstanding Head of Experiences, and dedicated business development team members.”

“Yes, both of us (Natalya and I) always wanted to start our own business. This was always in our DNA. In both our families, we have successful startup stories, and we have always been inspired by our family members who had started and managed their own companies.”

“After meeting at Imperial College London during our MBA, my wife and I found a shared passion for boats and authentic experiences. A few years after the MBA, we spent a day on our yacht in the South of France, and we both discussed how beautiful, enriching, and fun experiences on the water are and how wonderful it will be for more people to enjoy them. We realised, having chartered yachts ourselves, that high quality in the overall experience was missing: Lack of advice and poor consulting prior to the charter by the yacht broker, vessels that were old, poor itinerary building or an inexperienced crew — all items we wanted to fix and there you go, Boataffair was born.”

“We had of course considered other names. The name Boataffair was born during a brainstorm session in France. We wanted to combine the technical aspect with an emotional one: Boat and Affair. We are convinced that everyone who deals with a boat (chartering one, owning one, being a guest on one etc.) will develop a passion and a relationship to the yacht: A Boataffair.”

“We have noted a very positive effect on our business with the coronavirus pandemic. We have lots of clients who now turn to us because they are looking for safe and socially distant holidays. On our yachts, you get precisely that. You only travel with people you know, you stay away from the crowds, and our crews are regularly tested and trained in strict hygiene procedures. We always pay great attention to how the yachts we offer are cleaned and maintained. Hence, the already strict cleaning standards were strengthened further due to COVID-19. The vessels are meticulously cleaned and sanitized after and during every charter. Crews have been trained in extended hygiene procedures and, of course, tested regularly. The staff has additional protocols on how to spot symptoms in guests and what course of action is needed if anyone onboard displays symptoms.

Private, socially distanced, away from people you don’t know, and with all the luxuries that come with chartering your private yacht with a professional crew — you will be experiencing such great comfort in your floating hotel.”

“Our target clients are families, a group of friends, couples, or small teams from a company — they all have one thing in common: they seek boating holidays which give you more than a different kind of trip. They give you a different perspective on life, a revitalising boat rental replenishing family time on a luxury yacht charter. They expect a superb experience along the entire process of a yacht charter: They expect more."

“We work B2C [business to consumer] and B2B [business to business]. We work with media companies, social media, and in-person as well as virtual exhibitions.”

“We asked friends to test our product at the very beginning. Word mouth then helped us to get the first clients on board. The news spread fast, and media publications, as well as trade exhibitions, helped us get off the ground.”

“Monthly recurring revenue, qualitative customer feedback, [and] customer lifetime value.”

“‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear.”

“‘The Tim Ferriss Show.’”

“The resilience you learn over the years as you appreciate the roller coaster ride.”

“We like to take defined time-outs by going outdoors and spending time with our families. Sometimes it is worth it to work less, and it is ok to do so. We’re in it for the long run, so there is no point in burning your energy too fast. Going outside and being in nature gives us new perspectives and for a lot to be thankful [for].”

“My wife and my two sons love to undertake various activities. As a family, we spend a lot of time together. We are very outdoorsy, and [we] love to go on hikes and spend a lot of time in nature. Being on one of our outdoor adventures, just the four of us, is where we genuinely recharge our batteries. This is where we realise that we are building a company for all of us, for everyone who cherishes a genuine experience.”

“Yes, we realised that true change comes from making many small decisions every day. And these small decisions will have a big compound effect. For example, a short workout every day, but for many years, will yield big changes that are only visible after some time.”

“We are pleased and very proud that we can offer the perfect ‘post corona travel product’. Boataffair has proved to be COVID-19 resilient and we are so happy we can provide holiday solutions on the water that are so sought after in the new post-pandemic world.”

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