In this blog, we speak to Nicola Morgan, Director of Wilsonhalligan, to learn more about her career and life experiences. She shares her story on how she proceeded to lead one of the top superyacht recruitment companies, her biggest mentors and influencers, the importance of matching the right crew to the right yacht, and how she finds the right balance between a demanding career and family life.
Join us as we dive into Nicola’s journey and discover the passion and determination propelling her to success at the helm of Wilsonhalligan.
Tell us about your career journey and what led you to becoming the Director of Wilsonhalligan?
I guess my career journey, as with so many others, came about from a series of ‘sliding door’ moments! I originally studied Psychology at University with a view to being an Educational Psychologist, but the opportunity to get into yachting came about and I felt I just had to give it a go. Here I am (too many) years later! I worked at Wilsonhalligan (WH) in between yachts for the previous owners of the business and through maintaining contact with the company, was fortunate enough to take over the company with Liam when I decided to hang up my skort and settle back on land.
Who have been your role models or mentors, and how have they influenced your career?
I would say I have had a few role models/mentors, who have helped shape my career and who I am now for different reasons. It’s probably very cheesy but my Dad is a huge role model for me – I always saw how hard he worked and how much patience he had coming home to a very busy household (four children, many foster children and countless animals!) He always made me feel that anything was possible and alongside my three brothers definitely encouraged some rather competitive traits (particularly useful now running a recruitment business!) I would also have to say that Terry Wilson, the previous owner of WH inspired me a great deal and many of his working ways I still try and practise myself as well as instil in the team. He always had time for everyone in this industry, something I think can often be forgotten when people are busy.
What challenges have you encountered as a woman in this industry, and how have you overcome them?
When I first took over the business as well as being a woman I was also relatively young, which I found tricky on occasions, especially attending events. I was at times mistaken as being Liam’s PA (much to his amusement!) and often if we were both chatting to another man, they would direct their attention only at Liam. I just tried hard not to let this get to me and in a way, it just made me more determined to be successful running a business in this industry. Over time, I have definitely noticed a shift and this doesn’t happen as much – perhaps attitudes are changing and I guess I know more people in the industry now. Sadly nearly ten years on I no doubt look a bit older these days as well!
What advice would you give to women aspiring to leadership positions within the maritime or recruitment industries?
My advice would probably be the same to women as it would to aspiring men – work hard, don’t let people stand in your way, believe in yourself and don’t take life too seriously. Work is such a huge part of our life and yes there will be many stresses along the way, but it is just work. Family, health and your joys outside of work should take priority whenever possible.
How do you find a good balance in your professional and personal life in such a demanding industry?
As I mentioned briefly above it can be difficult to always get this balance right and it never really phased me until I had my daughter. Now, I have another human being who relies on me being there and I really want to be there for her as much as possible. I do however also want her to see me working hard, like I saw my parents do. I have definitely had to be more organised with my time management so I can get out on time to pick her up from nursery or not end up working on my day off. I actively try to stay off my phone after nursery and before bedtime, though again sometimes this can be tricky! At weekends we are quite active as a family and enjoy getting away in our camper van, this really helps me switch off and come back refreshed and ready to go on a Monday morning.
What made you decide to transition from sea to shore, and how did you arrive in the recruitment industry (this may be covered in the first question) and how does your experience on board help with your current role?
Both my husband and I were finding it harder and harder to go back to sea after leave periods, I was also desperate for a dog (!) hence the decision to move ashore. As mentioned, still being in touch with the WH team and being aware that retirement was on the cards for Terry, led to some life-changing conversations between Liam and myself, which ultimately resulted in where we are now. I absolutely loved my time on board, and I think the passion for the industry is super important, especially in recruitment. Also understanding the nuances of yachting and the way of life at sea I feel has advantages to our clients and candidates and really helps me to help the team make the best possible crew matches.
How important is it to match the right crew member to the right boat and how difficult is it to do this?
Making the right crew member match is probably the most important thing about what we do at WH. It’s important for recruitment in any industry, but especially in yachting where people live and work so closely together, it is vital that we do our utmost to ensure we have done whatever we can do to get this right. The difficult thing is that to get it right, it takes time. Thankfully, many of our candidates and clients have been with us for many years, so we really understand what they are looking for in their next role or crew member. (This is also why we spend as much time as we can getting to know new faces). Recruitment however is known for being fast-paced and sometimes we do lose out because we take a little longer with our processes, but I genuinely think that this has paid off in the long term, as we get a lot of repeat business due to the level of service we offer.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in the superyacht industry?
Firstly, I would say do your research…and then do some more…! The industry really is not for everyone – social media / certain TV series (which shall remain nameless!) tend to only show the glamour and excitement of yachting. And yes, of course there are snippets of this, but the reality of the work involved, the time away from home etc., can often be forgotten. Also, think about the experience you have to date and how it relates to your chosen path in yachting – I would always recommend getting some good quality work experience and/or relevant courses before applying for on-board positions. Examples could be high-end hospitality settings (for interior crew) or marinas/shipyards/water sports-based jobs (for deck crew). I also think for deck or engineering candidates, it could be worth looking at going down the commercial route first and then transitioning into yachting. Again, this wouldn’t be for everyone, but it does offer a structured path with qualifications at the end.
How does Wilsonhalligan support the professional development of its employees and candidates?
For our employees we offer weekly training sessions and have done this for a number of years now – this covers various aspects of not only recruitment but also looking at industry trends/changes/updates. We also try to bring in guest speakers where we can. They all have access to an online learning platform as well as funding for their chosen development courses which kicks in after a certain period of time with the company. We firmly believe that there is always something new to learn or a way we can improve and as such Liam and I continue to invest time into our own professional development as well.
For our candidates, we are huge advocates of professional development at sea and as well as discussing daily with candidates their options in terms of courses available etc., we also speak to a lot of clients about encouraging this in crew. Some of our long-standing clients who have excellent crew longevity on board offer extra time off or funding towards courses for crew and I really think that this is something which benefits all parties.
How do you maintain a positive and productive team at Wilsonhalligan?
You should probably ask the team this question! In all seriousness, it’s not always easy – it’s a cliché, but we are like a family in the office and all families have their ups and downs! Recruitment can be very difficult, and I believe that having a physical office where we can all sit together regularly and share our highs and lows as a team makes a huge difference. There is always someone on hand to make a good cup of tea when you’re having a bad day! We also try and do things together outside of the office, whether it be an assault course, go-karting or just sharing a drink in the local pub. We also laugh…. a lot.
For more on Wilsonhalligan and what they offer, visit their website – https://www.wilsonhalligan.com/
