Meet the Staff: Q&A: Kevin Stigall

Kevin Stigall

Senior Broker

Resides: Coloma, CA - Tucked on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Northern California. Right where gold was discovered back in 1849!

Years with POP Yachts: 6 years.

Family: Married with a 3 year old girl and a 1 year old boy.

Q. How did you end up in the Yacht Broker business?
My passion for being in the nautical world didn't really take off until my years in the US Navy. As one of the 5 navigators aboard the USS Taylor, I learned the art of navigation while travelling to the far sides of the world. From the Caribbean to Cairo and then to the Middle East and back, I knew that after my days in the Navy I would end up pursuing a career in the marine industry. When my days on the open ocean ended, I went back to school and completed my degree in Communications Studies (Marketing) at California State University. Ever since then I have been thoroughly enjoying my job with buyers and sellers locally, and throughout the world!

Q. What do you like most about your job?
The people. It's not like the days before the "internet age" where you'd only rely on the local market. These days it's common to see buyers purchasing boats that are hundreds if not thousands of miles away. On any given day, I'm working with clients from all walks of life, from all parts of the world. From my first day with POP Yachts until now, that's always been something that I've enjoyed.

Q. What is the strangest deal that you have encountered while working for POP Yachts over the past 6 years?
Probably a 100 ft steam powered paddle wheeler. Like one you'd see on the Mississippi river back in the 1800's.

Q. What is it about POP Yachts as a company that keeps you on board?
The lifestyle. We help people buy and sell boats. Big kid toys! What could be better than this? To be honest, I can't think of many other jobs out there that I'd rather have.

Q. How have you seen POP Yachts change over the years?
When I came onboard with the company back in 2010, we had just over 300 listings (in Florida only), 4 brokers, and a tiny little office in Sarasota, FL. Back then we had some big ideas but we were still one of the smaller brokerage companies in the industry. When I left the previous brokerage company, I had 3 or 4 options on the short list. I could have gone to one of the bigger more traditional brokerages but I opted not to do so. After meeting with Scott McNally (CEO of POP Yachts) I was sold with his forward thinking, outside of the box central model, proprietary software and marketing platform. Once all of this got set in motion, change was a near constant. POP started with 300 listings and just a few brokers, we're now up to 120 or so brokers nationwide and 6000+ listings throughout the country. This actually makes POP Yachts the largest boat broker in the world. Coincidentally enough, the company just earned a spot on the INC. 5000 Fastest Growing Company in America.

Q. What do you do for fun?
Boating up on Lake Tahoe and the surrounding lakes, whitewater rafting, snowmobiling, skiing, and hanging out with the family. My wife and I have two kids. A 1 year old boy and 3 year old girl.

Q. Name one celebrity - dead or alive -whom you would love to meet and spend a day out on the water with!
Can I name 2? Mark Twain and Jimmy Buffett!

Q. In all your time being on the water, what is the coolest thing you've learned?
Back in the Navy days I learned celestial navigation (CELNAV). Learning this art that so many sailors used for all the thousands of years before GPS and radar is definitely on the top of that list for me.