Sailing Around the World with Jessica Watson at the Handleman Lecture
The Ross School of Business welcomed Jessica Watson, sailor, author, and consultant, as the 2024 Joseph and Sally Handleman Lecture Series speaker. At age 16, Watson became the youngest person to sail solo, nonstop, and unassisted around the world, learning valuable lessons in resilience along the way.
Now aged 31, Watson described her voyage and takeaways from that experience at the 2024 Handleman Lecture, an annual event established in 2008 by a gift to Michigan Ross from the Joseph and Sally Handleman Charitable Foundation. The lecture series focuses on topics to keep students at the forefront of emerging business challenges and opportunities.
A voyage around the world
Watson began her talk by introducing her younger self as a shy, timid child who struggled with dyslexia. When she was very young, her family decided to take up sailing together, and each night at bedtime, her mother enjoyed reading adventure stories to her and her siblings. Watson was especially struck by the story of a young sailor who was an ordinary person who accomplished something extraordinary. These influences initially sparked her fascination with the idea of sailing around the world, and that fascination evolved into her determination to achieve that goal.
Facing criticism, hardship, and some of the world’s most challenging stretches of ocean, Watson spent a total of 210 days at sea. Along the way, she survived seven knockdowns and captured the hearts of supporters from all over the world, finally sailing into Sydney Harbour on May 15, 2010, with more than 100,000 people gathered there to celebrate her achievement.
While Watson described the many challenges that she encountered on her voyage, she emphasized that her successes were never hers alone. Preparation before the journey was a massive team effort, with many mentors and guides who helped her research, plan her route and supplies, and facilitate discussion on potential life-and-death scenarios. She also received information from a weather expert along the way.
In the end, one of Watson’s greatest takeaways from her journey was simply the importance of celebrating small victories and beautiful moments, a practice that helped her through the hard times. She also stressed the importance of embracing vulnerability and the power she feels in being able to look back on the hard times and know that she made it through.
One of the best things that I learned early on is that it is actually okay to have a bit of a whinge, a bit of a cry, and you can be a little bit broken, completely vulnerable, and that didn’t mean at the same time I wasn’t still strong and capable.
Overall, Watson’s perseverance, grit, and vulnerability demonstrate that everyone has the power to accomplish their dreams — no matter how small or big they are. Since returning from her voyage, Watson has authored two books, completed her MBA, and currently works as a management consultant within Deloitte’s Human Capital Practice. Netflix released a film adaptation of her first book, True Spirit, in February 2023, telling the tale of her adventure around the world.
The event ended with a moderated discussion between Watson and Sharon F. Matusik, Edward J. Frey Dean of Business at Michigan Ross, before opening up to questions from the audience.
