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Danielle McLaren | Managing Director of Yotspot

  • Writer: andrea tagliaferro
    andrea tagliaferro
  • Jul 13
  • 4 min read

Updated: Jul 23

Danielle McLaren is the Managing Director of Yotspot, the leading job platform for the yachting industry. Danielle is the driving force behind the growth of Yotspot. With a background in business, and a love for Great White Sharks, she’s helping modernize yachting through smart tech and teamwork.


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Can you introduce yourself by sharing your name, where you're from, your role in the yachting industry, and the company you work for?


My name is Danielle McLaren. I'm from Southampton, UK, and I run the leading jobs board for the yachting industry — Yotspot.


My role as Managing Director means I quite literally manage and direct everything! We’re still a fairly small company, so I’m involved in a lot of different areas.


My main responsibility is to guide the vision for the company, constantly working to ensure Yotspot remains the go-to destination for yacht recruitment.


Day to day, I wear a lot of different hats, and no two days are ever the same. Whether I’m working with our marketing team to ensure our brand presence is felt in the right places and by the right people, or managing our business finances — from weekly, monthly, and yearly revenue reporting to credit control.


I also lead on HR, with the support of a fantastic partner. There always seems to be something to do, even if it’s just approving a holiday request!


As the strategist for most of our shows, business trips, and events, I handle the majority of the logistics (with the help of an agent and PA). I also attend some of the shows to represent Yotspot and support our sales and customer success team.


That’s just a snapshot, but the role demands being multi-skilled, having strong communication abilities, being a solid people manager, and having a clear vision for where the business is heading. I’m still working on all of the above and am always happy to learn — and admit when I don’t know something — which I believe is incredibly important.



Can you share how you first got involved in the yachting industry?


I’ve only been in the industry for three years and had quite an interesting path. I was approached to work for Yotspot by Daryl, one of the founders, when they were looking to take the business to the next level. He’s a school friend of mine, and we’d always kept in touch and stayed within the same group of friends. My initial thought was absolutely not—but within 24 hours, I’d changed my mind to absolutely yes!



Can you describe what it's like to work at Yotspot?


It’s been hugely rewarding to work at Yotspot and I’m really proud of the collaborative culture we’ve created with a real emphasis on team. We work at a fast-pace so having great working relationships is critical and we celebrate the wins, no matter how small. Oh - and we have a team snack basket as nothing boosts morale like a snack-sized chocolate treat!


Can you describe your role and the key tasks you handle? What does your job entail on a daily basis?


We work in a hybrid model, splitting our time between the office and home. On home days, I tend to focus on the tasks mentioned above and take calls with external businesses or partners. On office days, I prioritize team-related matters.


We have a lot of discussions when we're together—mainly around ideas for the website and the broader business—so office days often fly by and rarely go as planned!



What would you consider your biggest accomplishment or proudest moment in the yachting industry?


I’m really humbled that we now have over 150,000 (and counting!) Crew on our platform and have helped so many people in their yachting careers. The growth of Yotspot is a huge accomplishment and I’m really proud of the work the team and I have done to achieve this.


What changes have you observed in the industry since you began your career?


I’ve seen significant changes in the discussions surrounding mental health during my short time in the industry, which is great. I’m also seeing more diversity, and I hope that continues to grow.


How do you envision the yachting industry evolving in the coming years?


More technology will be used. When I joined yachting, I was surprised to find it lagged behind other industries in terms of tech adoption. I believe we’ll see increased and more effective use of technology moving forward.


At Yotspot, we’ve already deployed new AI functionality. I expect to see more of that across the industry — but it needs to be thoroughly tested and implemented thoughtfully, not just used for the sake of it.


Can you tell us something we don’t know?


I’m obsessed with Great White Sharks



What advice would you give to your younger self, and what do you wish you had known on your first day in the yachting industry?


That boat show weather can be unpredictable!



Get in touch with Danielle McLaren

 Full Video Episode: https://youtu.be/GOyUaQCpp7U

 
 
 

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