Celebrating 25 years as broker with Superyacht Investor

The interview, “Experience is a trap”, reflects on his 25 years as a superyacht broker and offers a candid look at how the industry has changed — and how experience, while invaluable, can sometimes narrow perspective if it isn’t actively questioned.

Rather than revisiting career highlights or deals, the conversation focuses on judgement, pattern recognition, and the risks of relying too heavily on “how things have always been done.” Jan speaks openly about how long-term experience must be paired with adaptability, particularly in a market shaped by new owners, shifting expectations, and increasing complexity around regulation, sustainability, and yacht operation.

The interview aligns closely with SuperYacht Investor’s editorial approach. The publication is read widely across brokerage, finance, shipyards, family offices, and advisory firms, and is known for prioritising commercial insight over lifestyle coverage. Its opinion section, in particular, is designed to surface informed perspectives from those who have spent years operating inside the industry — not marketing soundbites, but practical viewpoints shaped by real exposure.

For Jan, the interview was an opportunity to step back from day-to-day brokerage activity and reflect on what experience actually means in a modern superyacht context: when it helps, when it hinders, and how staying relevant requires continuous recalibration.