In this episode, host Iyad Amer sits down with Ali Merchant, Managing Partner at Hala Yachts, to uncover the real world of luxury yacht brokerage and how it closely parallels private aviation and aircraft brokerage  the pressure, the responsibility, and the client expectations brokers face daily.

Iyad & Ali dive into:

• Ali’s journey into the yacht industry and 15+ years in luxury brokerage

• How yacht charter brokerage mirrors aircraft charter and sales

• Prospecting, vetting clients, and setting real expectations with HNWIs

• Day charters vs multi-day yacht charters and how contracts differ

• The four-party contract structure: owner, client, broker, and captain

• Sourcing yachts globally without centralized software platforms

• Pricing yachts by size, region, season, and refit year

• Regulatory limits in the US vs Europe and the Middle East

• All-inclusive yacht charters vs APA (Advanced Provisioning Allowance)

• AOG-style yacht recoveries and last-minute charter failures

• High-pressure Art Basel charter recoveries and client upgrades

• Catering challenges, live chefs, and managing onboard experiences

• Stress stories, client mistakes, and difficult recovery decisions

• Business growth, global expansion, and scaling a brokerage

• Key mistakes new charter brokers make  and how to avoid them

This episode gives aircraft brokers, charter professionals, and aviation entrepreneurs a rare look into the yacht brokerage world revealing how luxury clients think, how trust is built, and why execution under pressure defines success across both industries.