16 Monetizable Skills For Retiring Yachties [+ how to validate an idea]
Income inspiration tailored to a yachtie’s skillset, as well as tips on what makes money and how to pick a profitable niche.
Discover Which of Your Skills Have Earning Potential
Everything you need to find a viable, money-making idea grounded on expertise you already have.
Published: 8 October 2024
Retiring from yachting?
Searching for how you’re going to make a living once you’ve left the industry?
If you’re struggling for inspiration, and constantly hearing how yachtie skills are “not transferable”,
Then do I have news for you!
So much of what is second nature to you in yachting, is actually considered super valuable in “the real world”.
If anything, you should be struggling because of how many options you actually have!
To prove it to you, we’ve shared 16 examples of skills and experiences from thriving industries – all centred around expertise that yachties excel at.
You are sat on a gold mine.
While this post has been written with an inherently entrepreneurial outlook, these principals stand no matter how you’re looking to structure your income after yachting.
Your skills and expertise are invaluable assets, no matter how you you choose to monetize them.
Let’s get inspired.
What Makes Something Profitable?
Just because you have something really valuable to offer the world, doesn’t mean that anyone is actually going to pay for it.
The key to making money with anything in life, from the entrepreneur to the employee, is this:
Offer something that somebody wants.
And wants badly enough that they’re willing to put money on the table for it.
Now, I can hear your thoughts already:
“Jea obviously!”.
And you’re right.
But what you think people want vs what people actually want are two very different things.
3 Steps To Finding A Viable Niche
While the theory behind making money is all good and well, how can you be SURE that you have a winning idea?
So that you know you’re putting your time and energy into a viable idea from the get go
– and can start earning as quickly and efficiently as possible!
Here are 3 simple steps to follow to validate your idea niche:
1. Solve A Problem That People Are Willing To Pay For
The ONLY thing you need to do to ever earn money:
Solve a problem well enough that people will pay you for that solution.
This stands, whether you’ve solved global warming or whether you’re a call centre attendant, hired to assist customers so that the big man doesn’t have to.
Think about whether your offer assists someone to:
- Gain something (A clothing item; knowledge; an experience; more time)
- Become something (Healthier; qualified in a field; a better artist)
- Feel something (Happiness; stress-relief; control)
People pay for results that benefit them and transformations they desire.
And what people are actually willing to spend money on and what not?
Look around you.
What are people already paying for? What are you being paid for in your job? How are other people bringing in cash?
And to dive even deeper into people’s exact thoughts into what people find valuable : Online forums. (Which is basically the same as good old in-person research, but without scaring off the introverts).
Reddit posts and Facebook groups offer limitless resources for finding problems people want solved! And you don’t even need to post, just head to the comment sections.
I also highly advocate for drawing inspiration from what other clever people are doing. This by no means copying – do not copy them!
But, idea block is a real thing, and a little inspiration is sometimes all it takes to get those creative cogs turning.
2. Pick A Problem You Can Solve
Now that you know what people are willing to pay for, you just need to figure out which of problems you can solve best.
Your unique perspective, experiences and skillset are likely already plenty!
You do not need to reinvent the wheel or do anything groundbreaking!
Even if you are just one step ahead of someone else, you still have the ability to meaningfully assist them with their problem.
All you need is one thing that you can do particularly well, along with any uniqueness you can leverage to differentiate you.
You’ll already find valuable ideas in some of the jobs that make up your onboard role. Making sourdough, travel planning, conflict resolution, decor, leadership.
– These are just a few niches, yet every one of them has examples where someone has turned a 6 figure income!
3. Get Super Specific With What You Are Doing, For Who
I get it. Thinking bigger and broader is always considered better
But, the exact opposite is actually true.
You’ll find far more success doing a very particular thing to help a very particular person, compared to helping several people with solutions that only partially solve their full problem.
Sure, you may see an initial benefit with thinking broader.
But keeping things super specific not only helps you to stand out, it also aids in selling the impression that you really know what you’re talking about!
So when picking your idea, focus on:
- Standing out
- Providing valuable results
Show your target audience that you are perfectly equipped to with help their specific problem – the more exactly so, the better.
Think about it:
If I were to say, “I can help you get fit”. How helpful is that?
Even if you are looking to get fit, you have no idea how I’ll do so or whether what I offer will work for you. And why would you even choose me when there are tons of other more established fitness options out there?
But what if I say, “I help yachties with tight schedules get fit while at sea through weight training, without having to sacrifice more than 20 mins each day”.
Do you see what I’m getting at here?
A great way to make sure you have your specificity nailed, is with the “xyz method”:
I do [X – what you do, products or services you provide to customers], for [Y – ideal targeted client or customer for your offer], so that they can [Z – the benefit you are offering them].
16 Monetizable Niches Tailored For Yachties
Making the move from sea back to shore is no small feat.
It’s entirely understandable that many yachties have no idea where to start thinking about post-yachting income opportunities.
But do not worry.
Yachting has given you some very unique experiences that you can exploit to your advantage!
“…I have personally trained some of the world’s elite…”,
“… I grew passionate about sustainability after seeing global oceanic pollution with my own eyes…”,
“…I am resilient, having worked 14 hour days for 90 days straight…”.
Between your skills and your experiences, you have some pretty epic value to offer to the world – but don’t just take my word for it.
Here are 16 thriving income niches, tailored to a yachtie’s skills and experiences.
Proven Monetizable Niches, Fit For Yachties
1. Health
Assisting people to improve their health, by mean of diet, exercise schedule, herbal remedy, you name it!
You may have assisted guest in this regard already, or just noticed that you are particularly good at maintaining your own health.
If you have a health benefit to share, you can earn from it.
2. Wellbeing
Life in yachting is a tough balancing act. Maintaining your fitness on a tight schedule, finding ways to rest your mind while on trip, ensuring you don’t binge eat while on a 3 month boss trip.
If you learned methods for prioritizing your mental or physical wellbeing in such a demanding environment, then chances are that you can help people in similarly demanding situations.
3. Focus
If yachting taught me one thing, it’s how to work efficiently and effectively in a chaotic environment.
If you have a particular knack for prioritizing tasks, cutting the bull and just getting things done, you could help others with to improve their productivity and focus.
4. Stress
If you’re consistently able to manage your stress effectively, you may have a some valuable insights that many people would find very valuable.
5. Communication
Having lived and worked in close quarters, serving the world’s elite, you bet you’ve got some great communication skills.
– which is coincidentally one of life’s most valuable skills.
Could you translate this expertise to assist others with interpersonal skills, cross-cultural communication or even public speaking?
6. Resilience
You have likely experienced all sorts of adverse situations onboard and therefore grown a strong sense of resilience.
Are there any lessons you’ve learned through challenges you’ve overcome, that could be beneficial to others?
7. Social Skills
Navigating social interactions with both crew and guests has likely sharpened your social skills.
And as they say, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
Assisting others with building relationships, networking, and effective communication are all super profitable ventures.
8. Conflict Management
Conflict management is a skill that some people really struggle with, I’d bet that you’ve witnessed this at some point onboard.
Are you someone who tends to deal effectively with conflict? Could you use this expertise to help other people do the same?
9. Sustainability
Sustainability is an ever growing and significant topic around the globe. And you have seen parts of the world and it’s oceans that most people never will.
If conservation and sustainability are your passions, you could capitalize on your first hand experience, helping others to adopt eco-friendly practices.
10. Sleep
(Or should I say lack-thereof).
Chances are, you are a seasoned veteran at operating on low levels of sleep. And while this is not necessarily ideal, there are other people in similar situations too – like university students, parents, and finance bros.
Do you have any (preferably healthy) coping mechanisms for getting by, to help others cope through their sleep deprived?
11. Energy
Ok so I was one of those annoying crew members that exudes energy at every given moment – especially first thing in the morning (much to everyone else’s dismay).
My secret? ADHD (- undiagnosed at the time).
But if you have any particular tips or tricks for keeping your energy up during demanding times, you could assist others too.
12. Decluttering
You know confined spaces and the inherent need to be tidy onboard all too well. Do you have any tricks for optimizing space, or making a small space homely?
13. Relocation
There are few people in life who are as qualified in this regard as yachties.
Moving to a new city or country comes with multiple challenges, many which you have likely overcome!
Could you assist people facing relocations by providing guidance on the logistics of moving, adapting to new environments, and getting settled? You could even go so far as specializing in specific locations.
14. Travel
The best recommendations someone can offer are those that you have experienced yourself. And you have seen some places!
Actually, you’ve probably grown sick of certain places because you’ve visited them so much.
Paired with the possibility of having already been involved with planned trips for guests, you have invaluable insights and tips to offer travellers!
15. Technical Skills
Your position on board comprises of various technical skills, many of which are desired on land too.
Drone flying, videography, maintenance work, pastry making, nail art.
The beauty of technical skills is that you can profit from them by using them in a job or by teaching them to someone.
16. Hobbies
Although not a specific skill, several hobbies common among yachties, like photography, beauty, diving, sourdough making, even something as niche as astronomy, can form very profitable income sources.
That’s it! In Just 3 Steps, You Have Yourself A Profitable Income Idea
… and some inspo to get those creative juices flowing!
I sincerely hope that you realise how your options for post-yachting income are by no means limited.
You might not have 100% surety just yet, and that’s okay!
But you absolutely have more than enough skill and expertise to go out there and absolutely crush it ashore.
Happy brainstorming!
Discover Which of Your Skills Have Earning Potential
Everything you need to find a viable, money-making idea grounded on expertise you already have.
