Ever wondered what it takes to go from life on the water to running one of the most trusted recruitment agencies in yachting?

In this episode of On the Bridge, we sit down with Nicola and Liam from Wilsonhalligan, the dynamic duo who made the leap from working at sea to building a successful business on land.

We dive into their inspiring journey, from that first “bottle of wine” conversation that sparked the idea to buying the company, modernising it with social media and growing it into an industry leader.

Nicola and Liam share candid stories about partnership dynamics, the realities of entrepreneurship and the lessons they’ve learned about trust, team-building and staying human in a digital world.

If you’ve ever thought about making a big career pivot, or you’re fascinated by the business side of the superyacht industry, this episode is full of insight, humour and heart.

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Chapters
0:00 – Introduction
0:37 – From working on yachts to running a business
1:50 – How did the opportunity to buy Wilsonhalligan come about?
5:23 – What changes did you make after taking over the company?
8:38 – What were the biggest challenges in the early years?
13:29 – Growing the team
15:32 – The turning point
21:04 – Finding the right fit when placing a crew
23:30 – How has the recruitment landscape changed over the years?
30:43 – What qualities make a great crew member?
36:13 – How do you build strong relationships with owners and clients?
42:08 – What lessons have you learned as business owners?
46:13 – How do you work together as business partners?
48:34 – Best piece of advice you’ve ever received