Sandy Yawn

Captain | Bravo’s “Below Deck Mediterranean”

Anative of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Captain Sandy Yawn is the first female superyacht captain on Bravo’s “Below Deck Mediterranean,” and her fascinating stories hold leadership lessons for today’s live and virtual audiences. With over 30 years of international maritime experience, Sandy has broken glass ceilings, survived a heart attack, cancer, near-fatal accidents on land, and pirates and fires at sea. She received a degree in Marine Training at the Maritime Professional Training Institute, and was honored to receive the International Superyacht Society’s Distinguished Crew Award in 2006. Most business leaders will never have such life-ordeath challenges in their daily work. But surviving stormy seas has taught Sandy many invaluable lessons on such timeless leadership principles as inspiring your crew, that failure is ok, and how to empower your team to accomplish their win together in the same boat. Enduring a voyage on a 157-foot vessel requires discerning when to be tough enough to stay the course or flexible enough to circumnavigate to calmer waters – decisions all leaders are faced with every day. Throughout her career, Sandy has lived by the mantra, “Wake up, show up, kick ass, repeat!”

What made you want to become a super yacht captain?

It was an unrealized dream. I had to find a job, and back in the day, we looked for jobs in the help wanted section of the local newspaper. I saw an ad, and that is when the start of my career began. I started by washing boats. A few years later, a man offered me a full-time job on his boat because he liked my work ethic. He ultimately offered to pay for my classes to become a United States Coast Guard Licensed Captain. How did you manage to become so successful in a field that is male dominated?

I never thought of it when I entered the industry. I honestly just worked hard in spite of the obvious challenges I would face as a woman in the industry. I had to work hard, and when I was pushed back, I didn’t take a step back- I made a comeback. I just kept showing up and working hard.

How and when were you approached to become involved in a reality TV series?

I was approached by the showrunner. I never even considered being on a TV show. I loved my job as a yacht captain, and when I was asked to be on the TV show, I thought, “Why not?!?” Especially after all the push back I received from all the people who said not to do it. I was always like that. When they say no, I say “Yes!” If something drops in your lap just say ‘yes,’ because you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. That is my outlook on life. As viewers of “Below Deck” can see, living in such close quarters with the crew naturally makes you form close bonds. How do you manage to balance your friendships while still maintaining your authority as the captain of the ship?

It’s a fine line. I know where the line is. It took some time in my early years as captain to find it. I learned to lead with clarity, so they know that there is a line. Leadership involves investing your own time. If you invest your time in them, give them a clear directive, show them how, and lead them with kindness, you will have established the line just by one’s own actions.

Tell us about your scariest moment as a captain.

I had a fire in the Red Sea in an area that was known for pirate attacks. We were rescued by a war ship and towed to Al-Hadiyah, Yemen. The country was in the middle of a civil war, and was in the middle of Ramadan, one of the holiest months of the year. Needless to say, it was not a place one would wish to be in the summer. What do you hope readers take away from your new book, “Be the Calm or Be the Storm: Leadership Lessons from a Woman at the Helm?”

I want anyone who reads it to learn the art of self-leadership. Leadership begins with one’s own self-awareness and actions in your personal life. People need to learn to pause- not to react, but to respond. Reaction comes from emotion; it’s an impulse based on an emotional experience. Response is based on facts after a pause, looking at all sides, and finding a solution. It takes work.

It takes practice. Once you do it over and over it becomes second nature; it becomes a choice, to choose to be the calm and not the storm. I am currently working on building out a six-week course to help people find their true north and learn the art of self-leadership by providing them with the personal skill set that it takes to improve on one’s self-mastery. As a motivational speaker, what are the most important words of wisdom you share with audiences?

On yachts we use a gyro compass. It is not affected by the earth’s magnetic pulls or any other magnetic interference surrounding it from other equipment on the bridge. Its job is to constantly seek true north to ensure we stay on course and reach our destination. This compass is one of many aids in navigation. I encourage people to map out their own gyro compass to ensure they constantly seek their true north. This is the first step in self-leadership.

You enjoy such lavish meals when you are working. When you are home, do you like to cook?

I am not a cook, but I can make a mean breakfast! I love fruits, veggies, fish, and all things seafood. I must admit I do love a good burger.

What is your favorite destination you have visited and where else would you like to go?

I love the Bahamas, the Hamptons, and the south of France. How do you relax and unwind when you are not at work?

I love to play in the water. I ski on the water and on the snow. Describe yourself in three words. My family calls me Peter Pan.

I guess I would use the words: joyful, playful, and kind. Do you prefer stability or spontaneity in life?

Spontaneity!

What are you most insecure about?

I never actually thought about it. I guess I would say insecurity itself. I don’t look at things like that. I see insecurities as an opportunity to walk through or work through fear.

How does your travel schedule affect your relationship with your partner?

It’s all about making the time to Facetime. Leah also travels a lot with me, so we have man- aged to figure it out. If you want something bad enough, you figure it out through compromise and perseverance. captainsandyyawn.com

What does the word power mean to you?

Energy. If I do not fill myself with energy, I will not have the power to keep moving in a direction that is healthy. It’s about my own choices, where I get my energy from, who I surround myself with, and how I give the energy back to keep it flowing. The absorbed energy provides the activation energy, and this is the flow that gives me power that keeps my gyro seeking my true north.