We sat down with Liz Jackson, founder of LJ Yacht & Commercial Services, to talk about the journey to date and plans for the future of the business.
How did you come up with the idea for the business?
We have always been well known for producing beautiful custom paper logbooks. It was our customers and clients who came to us asking for us to develop a digital logbook for the superyacht industry, and with everything in yachting moving over to a digital environment it seemed like an ideal time to design the digital logbook. Brexit and COVID served as a catalyst to starting the task of concept through to the live product available today.
Why does the industry need the solution you're providing?
Our customers wanted a solution offering them everything a paper logbook can provide, built to industry guidelines, Lloyds Register certified and flag state approved. It is cyber secure, and it saves time from end to end. The platform is available anytime in online and offline mode, allowing for multiple users to access different titles all at the same time. It allows for the Captain to have complete oversight all from one dashboard, track entry history and verify entries simply and easily.
Digital logbooks also allow for the ever growing greener alternative which allows them to reduce their need for printed pages, reduces paperwork relating to shipping paper logbooks all over the world and storing multiple logbooks onboard now all can be driven from a desktop/laptop/tablet.
What have you enjoyed most about starting your own company?
I have enjoyed being removed from the corporate rat race and working on something I am passionate about, having been involved in yachting since 2001 and prior with my family’s sailing boat. The ability to make decisions based on our/my core principles and values and to see the end product beautifully created with the comments we receive back, expressing their sheer delight at the end product. Seeing something from concept to completion is a huge reward for someone who values customer service so highly.
What challenges did you have to overcome at the beginning of your journey?
Main challenge was bringing all the key players together from flag and class, to industry bodies and professionals. It was also a challenge coming up with a solution which would not only take into consideration the regulations and guidelines but also be user friendly for each user involved in the day to day interaction of the digital platform, which is a very different way of interacting with the traditional paper logbooks.
We have brought in a consultant compliance team to ensure we are always on top of any regulation and updated guidance notes, meaning that our users are aware of any changes and we have the ability to react to changes on the platform instantly.
Any bits of advice for entrepreneurs getting started in this space?
Network, go to key events, join crew, yachting forums and be involved. As an insider it is hard to get started in yachting from the inside looking out but this is the same as any industry. Showing up has to be my main piece of advice.
With an industry which sometimes has no set base location, interacting with yachts can be time consuming and it takes networking to break through. Having a great product, being open minded and friendly goes a very long way. I have/had many supporters and the majority have come from relationships and networking over many years.
What's the plan for the future of the business? Where do you see the company in 3-5 years?
I see our digital logbook platform working with major key players and becoming a main feature on many yachts onboard setup. I would like to see it on every new build and it become the industry standard.