Meet Jessica Graves | Founder of Yacht Life TV

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Graves and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As an Emmy-Award winning television veteran, I’m always thinking about content. After returning to my hometown of Fort Lauderdale, aka the ‘Yachting Capital of the World’, in 2016, I recognized the lack of a dedicated network that catered to yachting enthusiasts, coupled with a gap in advertising opportunities within the luxury sector.

In 2022 I partnered with adventure videographer and tech whiz, Abraham White, and we embarked on a mission to create the first ever streaming television channel dedicated to yachting, private aviation, exotic destinations, luxury travel and industry news and Yacht Life TV was born.

Not only does Yacht Life TV provide viewers with precisely what they want to see, advertisers are able to connect with motivated consumers at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising.

Yacht Life TV is currently available on Roku and Apple TV and we are actively working on expanding our reach to Samsung Smart TV and LG webOS in the near future, ensuring that viewers can enjoy an aspirational lifestyle from anywhere in the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The most difficult question for me to answer is ‘What do you do?”. The answer depends on who’s asking and when. I’ve developed so many skills over the course of my career, that one single answer doesn’t suffice. My career path was never a linear one. My proverbial ‘ladder to success’ looks more like a jungle gym, with each opportunity leading me to another. I started my career in hard news, then entertainment news. I was a reality show producer, booking hot tub locations for Blind Date, I produced episodes of True Hollywood Stories, provided voiceover for Nickelodeon and Pampers, directed shows for Playboy TV and acted as editor-in-chief of a luxury magazine. I’ve worked in the world of PR, marketing and advertising and in 2014 I won an Emmy Award for my work with MTV. Along the way I learned how to shoot, edit, direct, pitch and produce just about anything and on any budget.
I’ve never put myself in a box. I pursue what interests me and success follows. I’ve made valuable connections and friendships in the unlikeliest of places because I talk to everyone. If I’ve learned anything along the way, it’s to say ‘Yes’ to new opportunities and that sometimes ‘faking it ’til you make it’ is the best on the job training out there.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I was born and raised in Miami, but I’ve called Fort Lauderdale home since ’92. South Florida has changed exponentially since I was little, which is why any visit must include a day touring the grounds of Vizcaya and Fairchild Gardens followed by a swim at Venetian Pools. While in Miami, you can’t miss the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). Taking the Brightline train north to Fort Lauderdale is fun and easy and once you disembark in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas is short distance away with plenty of restaurants, art galleries and shopping. Stroll by the historic Stranahan House and visit History Fort Lauderdale where you can step back in time when Fort Lauderdale was a little more than a trading post before Henry Flagler brought the railroads and tourists.
No stay in Fort Lauderdale is complete without a day at the beach. If you love watching the ships come in, set up near the Jetties where you can see some of the biggest private yachts in the world.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My father was always my biggest supporter and he encouraged me to pursue my passions and work hard. Though I started out in broadcast news, it only took a few years working at a CNN affiliate in Austin until I realized that entertainment news was more my speed. At the time I thought I was letting go of my lifelong dream to become a top 10 news anchor, but my friend, Ted Goldenberg who was the Executive Producer at Deco Drive at the time, encouraged me to pursue producing and directing. Once I moved to LA and landed a job at E! Entertainment, I realized I enjoyed being behind the scenes and calling the shots, just as much as I enjoyed being the on-camera talent.

Website: yachtlife.tv

Instagram: @theyachtlife.tv

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/yacht-life-tv/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheYachtLifetv

Youtube: @yachtlifetv

Image Credits
Michael Murphy Photography, Downtown Photography, Angela Caraway-Carlton, Nile Fortner