In the summer of 2004, I had just sold my second media company, which published magazines (the first one was sold to Spray, if anyone remembers them). We worked within action sports such as windsurfing, snowboarding, and mountain biking, and since 1995 we had our own websites. Now, free from corporate responsibility, I saw an opportunity to use my experience in online publishing, marketing, and editorial work in the boating industry.

In the mid-2000s, yacht brokerage was mainly done by companies located in marinas. Most yacht brokers also represented certain boat brands, which made them biased.

Here was an opportunity: do it like real estate agents. Cut the costs of marina facilities, docks, properties, and full-time staff. Stay impartial. Represent the client and their boat—not a brand or a region. Båtagent takes the buyer to the boat, not the boat to the company’s pier. That way, the boat owner can keep using their boat during the sale, just as people live in their homes while they’re on the market. During viewings, the prospective buyer gets help from a knowledgeable broker who knows the boat, handles questions, agreements, and connections in the boating industry, and assists with financing if needed.

Moreover, an organization like Båtagent, just like most real estate firms, is well suited for franchising—both in Sweden and internationally. It can scale up with low overheads and without a large head office. It benefits both buyers and sellers to have Båtagent representation across a wide area.

Together with Niclas Karlsson, we built the website www.batagent.se, which lasted for 18 years—a record in online marketing? It has now, of course, been updated and modernized.

A successful boat sale is no coincidence. When both buyer and seller are satisfied, Båtagent has often played a part. I am incredibly proud that the company is still thriving after 20 years and that a strong team of brokers is taking Båtagent into the future.

The fact that I’m still involved, even on a small scale, says a lot. Other companies I’ve built and sold have simply “passed by.” Not Båtagent!

//Niklas Forsén, Founder of Båtagent

PS. Have you thought about the name? Båtagent? Agent or agens. Google the words “agent” and “agens” and you’ll find: representative, proxy, someone who gets things done.