Featured Yacht Broker Spotlight: Brian Franc

In just about every company, there are the team members that everyone comes to for answers. They’ve got the experience, they’ve seen every situation a hundred times, and they know how to react to a problem the right way, the first time. They are the leaders of their teams and are invaluable to educating those around them. At United Yacht Sales, Brian T. Franc, CPYB is one of the senior most yacht brokers both from a tenure standpoint and in experience. 

“Brian Franc is the managing yacht broker for the United Yacht Sales Emerald Coast Division,” said Jeff Palmer, President of UYS. “He’s developed his team so well and they have really integrated themselves into many of the communities along the Gulf Coast through sponsoring local events, boat shows, and billfish tournaments. He really delivers a first class experience to his customers and we are grateful to have him as part of our team.”

If you’re interested in speaking with Brian Franc about buying or selling a boat, you can contact him directly at 850-428-0866, by email at [email protected], or on Skype at btfranc. 

 

Here are a few fun ‘Quick Facts’ about Brian:

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA even though born in Philadelphia with Family moving when I was 2 months old
Retirement Plans: Relaxing with family and traveling by land, sea, and air to unique destinations
Favorite Restaurant: Jessie’s Magnolia Springs, AL
Favorite Thing To Do On The Weekend: When not Showing Boats, Spending Quality Time with my Family
Favorite Concert: Cheap Trick/Heart/Journey
Dogs Or Cats?: 1 Dog – Double Doodle 2 Cats – 1 Think’s he’s a Dog
Pineapple On Pizza?: Never
Favorite Boat Show?: Monaco
Dream Car: 1957 Chevy Belair 2Door Hardtop
If you could own one boat, it would be: 60 Ft + Hampton Endurance Series

 

(Below: Brian at the Monaco Yacht Show.)

 

Q: What were your earliest memories of being on a boat?

A: I had to have been 6 years old in Pittsburgh, PA and was on the Gateway Clipper Fleet, which was part of a fleet of riverboats. I was mesmerized by the size of the vessel and the fact something that large could actually float on the water. I’ve been hooked on boats ever since.

 

Q: What has been the most fulfilling part about helping people buy or sell their boat?

A: The process itself of searching for the right boat and the purchase process can be a lot of fun for clients. We try to make it as stress free as possible. That fun though only builds in excitement as they come under contract on a boat and take delivery. The incredibly fun moments and experiences they have after, that are sometimes shared with me, are extremely fulfilling. These are the memories they will have for a lifetime and you cannot place a price tag on it. Buying a boat isn’t a financially smart decision, but the emotional ROI that comes with boating is what keeps people coming back for their next one.

 

Q: What has been the most memorable boat you have sold or the family you’ve sold it to?

A: The most memorable boat has to be a 112′ Westport yacht that I sold to a family that has enjoyed boating for decades. After exploring the market for months with a very tight set of buyer parameters, I was fortunate to find this particular yacht that had a history of top notch service, and attention to the details. 

(Below: The Westport Yacht sold by Brian.)

 

Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to buy their first yacht but are brand new to boating?

A: As a first-time boat buyer, I suggest finding a qualified, professional yacht broker with years of boat sales experience and who is willing to perform the required due diligence to find you the ideal boat for your needs. Remember, it costs you nothing but time when you make this selection and brings an invaluable amount of help to you. The seller of the boat pays your broker commission so not only do we bring you a high level of value, but you pay nothing other than the cost of your boat. Be selective in your choice of broker. Be honest with him/her and expect the same in return.

 

Q: How do you set yourself apart from other brokers in how you build a relationship with a client, as well as the job you do for them?

A: I let my clients know early on that I will be working with them every step of the way during the boat buying process by answering any questions that arise such as surveyors, service yards, insurance, financing, storage, marine management, and outside subcontractors who can maintain your yacht. After the sale and delivery, I personally stay in touch with them as they know I’m only a text away.

 

Q. You are the managing broker for the Emerald Coast Division. What qualities do you look for in a broker that you bring on to the team?

A: Maturity, strong morals and business ethics, interpersonal skills, prior boat sales experience, and an overall level of likeability. The marine industry is one big community and my team needs to be able to work professionally with other brokers at other companies in order to get your boat sold as quickly as possible.

 

Q: You also have your CPYB Certification (Certified Professional Yacht Broker). How important is this to you and your clients?

A: It’s a value added accreditation that assists me when dealing with other brokers in the Boating Industry both domestically and internationally. I’m not quite certain it makes too much of a difference with my clients as I believe I have won their business based upon my performance and attention to detail.

 

Q. What does United Yacht Sales and the Emerald Coast team bring to the table for customers selling their boat, that maybe your local competitors cannot?

A: The longevity of years of experience in the industry both locally and Internationally. As an IYBA, (International Yacht Broker Association) member, we at United Yacht Sales – Emerald Coast Division have the ability to network with a set of professional yacht brokers assisting each of us in selling or finding a boat for our clients no matter the location. No other brokerage firm can compare to us here. I am also speaking from experience as I have previously represented two other, highly reputable brokerage firms.

 

Q. What destination is on your bucket list to visit?

A: Spain/France/Italy Coastline

(Below: Brian and his wife enjoying a trip to the south of France.)

 

Q. Who has been your biggest mentor in your career in the boating industry? (Or just in life?)

A: In my early boating career my mentor was the late Richard Genth, A boating Legend himself with Chris-Craft, Donzi, Century, and Westship to name a few. In life my older brother, Patrick, has been a rock of strength and support as he excelled in upper management positions including President of a Major Industrial Company prior to his retirement. Always a man I admire and someone I can bounce any thought or idea and get an honest answer. As they say “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

 

Q. Has social media changed how you interact with previous customers and prospective customers? Favorite social media?

Yes, absolutely. Social media has been a great way to keep in touch with customers and watch them evolve in their boating lifestyle. It’s fun to see someone you help begin to explore and cruise farther out than they did before. You get to see those memories happen almost in real time. It’s also given us an incredible way to market our clients’ listings as we have an incredible following online.

 

Q: What are some of the reasons you decided to ‘hang your hat’ with UYS? How has the company changed in recent years?

The most important reason for me to be with UYS is the strong ownership that understands how to support their brokers and the needs of their clients. Being a self-starter, United Yacht Sales was a perfect fit as I do not need to be burdened by weekly meetings, zoom calls, that have no to little impact in servicing my boating clients. I wake up daily feeling productive as I have set my own goals all centered around servicing my clients’ needs from boat search and selection, survey preparations, boat deliveries, etc. We have the largest network of yacht brokers in the world that are all connected, so the minute i get a new listing everyone knows about it, we can talk about it, and find a new home for the boat. The marketing team is second-to-none and it allows me to compete with anyone in the industry. Best of all, all of the marketing is focused on our listings, not new boats we own or traded in boats the company has to sell. This makes a big difference.

(Below: A marketing video of one of Brian’s latest listings, a 54-foot Aquila power catamaran.)

 

Q. How is the level of support you receive at United Yacht Sales? Do you feel like there is a team behind you and your clients helping to get your boat sold?

A: I have always stated that United Yacht Sales as the best support staff in the industry. To me, that says a lot since I’ve had several incredible support teams in prior brokerage firms. The difference with UYS is the timeliness and the attention to details. If someone is busy, the next qualified support person steps in to help. While we continue to grow at UYS the level of support has not deteriorated. It is difficult to manage growth but somehow United Yacht Sales has excelled. The credit goes to the management team and the years of experience in each department

 

Q. Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

A: Relaxing and enjoying life with my Wife, Son, and Family…and pulling out old Boating Magazines and selling these relics on Ebay for some extra spending money.

 

Q:. You and your team, along with UYS, are major sponsors of local fishing tournaments and boat shows. How does this help you and the Emerald Coast Division, as well as your clients?

These events allow us to be active members in the boating community and participate in exciting events such as Billfish Tournaments, Boat Shows, Car Shows, Wine Tastings, Special Concerts (we have a 10,000 seat amphitheater 5 minute walk from our Local Office). It expands our network and database of customers in our local area. Having a big network is a key to success when being a professional yacht broker.

(Below: Brian and UYS were sponsors of the recent Orange Beach Billfish Tournament and had these awesome shirts made for it!)

 

Q. How would you describe the boat market right now?

Inventory levels are still a bit low due to the prior four years being higher-than-expected sales. Combine those numbers with fewer boat owners selling their boats during that same time period and you are left with depleted inventory levels. However, If you are a buyer who is focused and patient you should be able to find a good quality boat within the current market conditions.

 

If you’re interested in speaking with Brian Franc about buying or selling a boat, you can contact him directly at 850-428-0866, by email at [email protected],  or on Skype at btfranc. 

(Below: Brian with family fishing in Ontario.)

United Yacht Sales has the world’s largest network of boat buyers and sellers in the industry, thanks to our team of over 250 yacht brokers in 104 different locations. Whether buying a luxury boat or selling one, we have the right expert on staff to assist you in navigating the brokerage market for your type of yacht. If you’re looking at selling a boat, there is no quicker way to get activity than listing it with United. Our entire team is immediately notified every time a listing agreement is made with United Yacht Sales and many boats are sold before they ever even make it online. Our support team is among the best in the industry at marketing your yacht. 100% of our marketing budget goes towards advertising our clients’ listings, a claim not many other firms can make. To get started listing your yacht, fill out our online form What’s My Yacht Worth?