{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Charting New Waters: How a Startup Disrupted Superyacht Navigation","description":"Dave and Alicia Store, co-founders of DSNM, join the Evolve to Succeed podcast to trace their 25-year journey from a one-man, paper-based chart-correction service to an award-winning super-yacht-navigation technology company with 27 employees and 620 vessels under subscription. Dave candidly recounts the scrappy early years - dot-matrix printers, Pritt Stick, and fax machines - while Alicia explains how joining the firm (initially to cover maternity leave) professionalised its finances, people processes and long-term vision. &amp;nbsp; The couple unpack the pivotal moments that reshaped the business: realising captains would pay for a fully managed service; raising prices to signal quality; surviving the 2008 crash, COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine shock; and, most dramatically, self-funding and launching their proprietary software, Compass. Their complementary personalities - Dave the risk-taking visionary, Alicia the detail-driven operator - emerge as the engine behind DSNM\u2019s culture of obsessive customer service and constant product iteration. &amp;nbsp; They also share the realities of running a high-pressure, family-run company in a glamorous, yet unforgiving industry. Topics range from work-life integration with their young son Louis, to tight recruitment standards, to the pride (and responsibility) of winning two Queen\u2019s Awards and employing a close-knit team. &amp;nbsp; This episode of the Evolve to Succeed Podcast covers\u2026 &amp;nbsp;   Find a pain-killer, not a vitamin. Early success came from doing the tedious chart-correction work crews hated.   Price can signal value. Raising rates\u2014rather than undercutting incumbents\u2014attracted more super-yacht clients.   Service DNA first, tech layer next. DSNM\u2019s core white-glove support never changed; software (Compass) scaled it.   Complementary co-founders matter. Visionary risk (Dave) + operational diligence (Alicia) created balanced growth.   Crisis = clarity. COVID and the Ukraine conflict forced the team to reassess purpose, costs and future bets.   Culture of \u201cno passengers.\u201d Every hire must be a self-starting problem-solver; weak links show instantly in a small team.   Bootstrapping builds resilience. Funding software internally preserved speed and ownership\u2014crucial in a niche market.   Work-life \u201cblend\u201d beats balance. Shared purpose, clear role boundaries, and intentional family time keep burnout at bay.     &amp;nbsp; Chapters &amp;nbsp; 00:00 Introduction to DSNM and Its Founders 06:50 The Evolution of Services and Software Development 12:04 Navigating Business Challenges and Financial Lessons 20:39 Balancing Growth with Company Culture 30:04 The Impact of COVID-19 on Business Strategy 38:18 Reflections on Success and Personal Growth 42:50 Family Dynamics and Work-Life Balance 48:53 Quickfire Questions and Final Thoughts &amp;nbsp; ","author_name":"Evolve to Succeed","author_url":"http:\/\/evolvetosucceed.libsyn.com\/website","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/37433115\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/190844900"}