A Journey Through Time with Begüm Doğulu's Photo Album
As I stepped into the RMK Shipyard for the ceremony, I immediately knew she was from Izmir thanks to the lokma cart next to the cocktail table. The scent of fried dough wafting through the crowd added an unexpected warmth to the event. While Lady Luna prepared to meet the sea, my eyes were drawn to the elders in the crowd, the shipyard workers, and the excited employees. “This is going to be unlike any launch I’ve seen,” I thought. And just then, Begüm Doğulu appeared at the entrance — in a navy suit, dark sunglasses, and with confident strides.
She first hugged her parents, then greeted her loved ones… Asking each how they were, her demeanor seemed to say, “I am the protagonist of a grand story.”
In this piece, we will unfold that story with her photo album. Together, we will breathe in the air of those days captured in nostalgic frames. Happy Sunday!
Some people are born extraordinary. Begüm Doğulu is the heroine of one of the most remarkable and unique stories in the Turkish yachting industry. Her story began in Karşıyaka — also my hometown. A spirited, restless, free-spirited, and slightly rebellious girl, Begüm attended İzmir Turkish College for both middle and high school. While her grades were not stellar, she had other ambitions...
Outside of school, she was incredibly determined. As she puts it, her teachers often told her family, “This girl won’t make it academically.” But no matter what others said, her family always believed in her without pressure or judgment.
Then came university. Begüm spent a year at the Faculty of Fine Arts — a brief but impactful period.
This part of her story is especially significant. Sometimes, a person’s entire path can shift based on one intuitive decision made during such a short time.
Perhaps that’s where she first encountered aesthetics, proportions, and color harmony — elements reflected years later in her yacht interior designs.
The Real Story Begins
After high school, she went to the UK to study tourism — a major turning point in her journey through the blue seas. A new language, a new perspective, new people, and completely different worlds…
This chapter helped her see herself, her passions, and her path more clearly. It was in the UK that she began to develop the vision everyone now admires.
Living on an island intensified her interest in the sea. She learned to view the industry not just as a business but as a way of life.
1989: Her return to Turkey and first job at a yacht agency in Kuşadası.
As expected, her initial duties included paperwork and managing the phones. Gradually, she started dealing with clients.
She stayed at the same agency for eight years, during which she observed the industry from every angle — yachts, operations, human relations, communication… everything.
After eight years of learning, she finally asked herself the key question:
"Why am I not doing this under my own name?"
1997: Begüm Yachting is Born in a Bare Office with Struggled Rent
She opened her first office in Kuşadası. It had no furniture, and the rent was difficult to pay.
But this was no harder than school for Begüm — this office symbolized courage, dreams, and dedication.
The Bench in the Caribbean
One day, she heard about a major yacht show in the Caribbean.
With a modest office and tight budget, she was determined: “I have to be there.”
She had only $2,000 — enough to join the fair, print brochures, and try to stay abroad.
She didn’t see the costs; she saw the dream.
She bought her ticket, prepared her brochures, and flew out with determination — knowing the journey wouldn’t be easy.
She joined the fair — with a twist…
No hotel. She slept on a marina bench. Each morning, she pulled brochures from her bag and stood by her booth until sunset.
She didn’t make any deals that day, but something else became crystal clear: her identity as a businesswoman.
Years later, she said in an interview:
“I used to feel so sad because things weren’t working out. But it was worth it. It molded me into who I am.”
When I heard her story, I paused to reflect. A young woman sleeping on a bench in the ultra-luxury yachting world…
Dreaming on the edge of a brochure is one thing. Waking up and standing there again the next morning — that’s the true strength.
That experience paid off. The first clients came. Small, reliable jobs, and growing satisfaction…
Step by step, Begüm Yachting began to grow.
The 2000s: Time to Set Sail
The adventure that began in Kuşadası soon spread to Bodrum, Marmaris, Göcek, Antalya, and Istanbul.
She expanded beyond just agency services. Guests started requesting provisions — leading her to create the TPS provisioning system tailored for yachts.
Though the business grew, her hands-on approach never changed.
Over time, she began welcoming not just guests — but the yachts themselves.
She entered the refit business — handling major renovation projects for yachts 40–50 meters long. She completed 85 large-scale projects to date.
Each one left behind happy captains and loyal clients.
In the Spotlight with Mercedes-Benz
Her achievements eventually made her not just well-known — but a brand. She became Turkey’s distributor for Mercedes-Benz Motor Yachts.
Through this partnership, she reached not only Turkish clients but also yachts cruising international waters.
In 2005, she began building mega yachts — three ultra-luxurious vessels measuring 36 to 39 meters.
Not just building — she was involved in every stage: design, sales, launch, and after-sales service. Because she was never one to stay offstage.
Her determination, vision, and work ethic made her rise solo in the sector — earning her the title of Turkey’s Best Woman Entrepreneur in 2009.
But awards were never her final destination — just checkpoints in her journey.
Her Eponymous Brand Now on the Global Stage
That day was one of pride — for the young woman who once clutched brochures on a bench, now standing tall.
The day began with the sweet scent of lokma at RMK Shipyard — and now it was time for the ceremony…
After launching Lady Luna, Begüm took to the stage to address the audience. She scanned the crowd and, with a proud smile, called out to someone: Master Ersin…
She brought him on stage arm-in-arm. The applause quieted to respectful silence. Her heartfelt thanks could be seen in the smiling eyes of the workers.
It wasn’t just gratitude — it was a reflection of her ability to share success. Her parents clapped with pride as she thanked everyone for being part of her journey.
I looked back at the lokma cart — the scent still lingered in the air.
Begüm Doğulu, who once struggled to print her brochures, now leaves a lasting legacy — not just as a brand, but as a mark on the industry.
This article is just one page from her photo album.
Want more?
Begüm Doğulu will undoubtedly keep writing...