February 2023

Those on the market for a sports fishing boat would do well to discover the Viking difference with the Viking 74. One of the most popular models from the family-owned Viking Yacht Company, the Viking 74 remains unique among luxury convertible yachts. Focusing on design, performance, and engineering, her beautiful lines and exceptional capabilities ensure she is the standard for convertible fishing yachts in her category.

Measuring 74 feet in length, she features a fiberglass hull with a beam of 19′ 9″ and a draft of 6′. Rest assured, no expense was spared when the team at Viking created her cockpit. Available in both an open and enclosed bridge configuration, the Viking 74 is a favorite among both recreational fishermen as well as tournament anglers. Offering 218 square feet of workable space, her open bridge configuration has plenty of room for live wells with hatch bottoms, food, and bait freezers, tackle and gear stowage, and an electric gearbox. The raised helm station offers unobstructed views of her stunning surroundings with three pedestal seats and remains easily maneuverable. 

Her enclosed bridge includes a raised lounge, complete with a state-of-the-art helm station, wet bar, entertainment system, and additional seating. A small space located aft includes live wells and food and bait freezers. A spiral staircase leads down to the main deck, which features a wide-open interior that is similar to larger Viking convertibles. A salon with L-shaped seating with a table is located aft, and the galley and dinette forward, with a day-head for convenience. The U-shaped galley completes the casual and formal dining area located opposite with wraparound seating. The galley features two refrigerator and freezer units and granite counters, and the salon includes a 50-inch pop-up TV.

Her lower deck is also configurable with either a four or five-stateroom layout, including crew quarters with direct engine room access. Each stateroom includes an ensuite bathroom, while the owner’s suite offers king size bed and L-shaped lounge as it takes full advantage of the Viking 74 19′ 9″ beam. 

Powered by twin MTU 16V2000 diesel engines, she has a cruising speed of 30 knots, with a top speed of close to 39 knots. 

Interested in learning more about Viking Yachts and the Viking 74 currently available on the market today with FGI Yacht Group? Contact our team of expert brokers and find your dream Viking 74 sports fishing yacht now.

If you are an entrepreneur like Evan Rubinson, one of the hardest things that you have to do is hire new employees. You may find yourself contemplating everything that you are looking for in a new employee, and that can be overwhelming. As such, Mr. Rubinson wants to make things a little easier for you by explaining the one trait that all employers should be looking for in a new hire, and why this one trait is so important to consider when hiring.

Evan Rubinson knows how important hiring the right individual for your company is. He is the CEO of ERA Music Brands, and he too has been in the position where he has had to hire employees. Hiring the right employee can help increase productivity, boost the company’s morale, and help avoid the costly expense of having high employee turnover. While many companies look for things such as education and job experience, Mr. Rubinson implores you to consider when trait that may be more important than all of these things combined; emotional intelligence, also referred to as EQ.

Emotional intelligence allows an individual to understand human psychology and behavior. Having a high emotional intelligence allows your employees to recognize feelings within themselves and within others. It makes it easier for these people to understand what your customers are looking for and how they can deliver that to your customers. It also makes it easier for your employees to recognize how to get along with their managers and other employees, making for a better and more productive workplace environment. Mr. Rubinson explains that having the smartest guy on your team does you no good if they do not understand how customers are feeling, know how to relate to customers and know how to provide customers with the overall experience that they are looking for.

Evan Rubinson cautions companies to take their time and to really hone in on searching for employees who have high emotional intelligence. He states that one of the most common mistakes companies make is mistaking a smooth talker or a liar for someone who is highly intelligent. Trust your instincts and look for individuals you feel are trustworthy and honest. After all, if you feel that they are trustworthy and honest, there is a good chance your customers will also feel that same way.

Evan Rubinson states that his father taught him the importance of hiring individuals with a high emotional intelligence. He feels that this is a key to his success when it comes to hiring, and as such, he wants to share this tip with every other company out there. While there are many traits that you can focus on when hiring, looking for employees who have a high emotional intelligence can pay off in a big way for your company.

As a young entrepreneur who founded the musical company ERA Brands, Evan Rubinson understands the challenges of getting business owners and their employees on the same page. He believes that the first step is to create a vision that merges the needs of owners and employees.

Business owners are committed to the long-term success of their companies because they have invested substantial time and money into developing them. They tend to have more of a long-term view, while employees who only earn a paycheck and not part of the profits have no problem leaving the company if a better opportunity comes along.

Evan Rubinson Speaks from Experience

Having been both an employee and an employer, Rubinson understands the give and take between people in both roles. Now that he has several people reporting to him, Rubinson knows that employees repeat behavior that has earned them rewards in the past.

When workers look at their successes, they typically focus on short-term accomplishments, such as exceeding their sales quota for the year. Employers are more interested in actions that build lasting relationships with customers. The result is earning business from customers who will then buy from the company multiple times according to how well employees invest in them and try to meet their needs.

Evan Rubinson makes a point of praising the success of his employees while encouraging them to think in terms of building relationships and a strong brand name. He recommends that new employers continually express their expectations while also tying monetary rewards and other types of recognition to the company’s five-year and 10-year goals. Rubinson also recommends breaking goals down into smaller timeframes to help make them more manageable for employees.

A Better Way to Reward Employees

Employers who want to get employees onboard with seeing beyond immediate goals need to change the way they think about rewarding them. According to Evan Rubinson, stressing the importance of developing long-term relationships with customers and suppliers while still paying bonuses based on sales numbers sends a conflicting message to employees. Most people will prioritize doing what they need to do to earn their bonus and all but forget about the long-term goals discussed at every department meeting.

This issue is a double-edged sword because employers cannot afford to have employees focus only on the big picture while failing to meet sales quotas. He feels that the best way around this is to provide incentives to employees based on what is most impactful and meaningful to the company. At ERA Brands, this can include a wide range of both short-term and long-term objectives.

Evan Rubinson tries to balance both types of goals when he decides how to pay bonuses to his employees. By blending employee objectives together, he avoids overfocusing on one outcome to the detriment of the other.