Today, we’d like to introduce you to Elliott Duren.
Hi Elliott, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
We started at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, steaming crabs at home for my wife and kids since crab houses were closed. I used a family recipe of seasonings and added my spin to it. Friends and family wanted steamed crabs, so I made some for them.
One day, I posted a picture of the steamed crabs, shrimp, and corn and someone said they would buy it from me. From there, I started taking orders and selling live steamed seafood. It started off seasonally, just in the summer, until last year, when we started operating all year.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would love to say it’s been smooth, but it hasn’t. I’ve been learning along the way; every day, I feel like I’m better than the day before. With a typically seasonal business and fluctuating prices depending on the market, I had to learn to be profitable during the slow off-season.
I’ve become a carcinologist, LOL; I had to learn how to keep the crabs alive, study them to know which ones are bad or going bad, and manage the temperature to not lose my crabs. The business is more than just steaming crabs. I’ve become a social media manager, which I was never really into.
Networking is huge, I’ve connected with many people, business owners, customers, and restaurant owners to collaborate and grow the business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Xash Crab is a year-round, mobile crab and seafood steaming business. We partner with several bars, restaurants, corporate businesses, influencers, and more to provide a vibe for customers. We are known for our house blend seasoning; it’s what sets our seafood apart from others.
I’m proud of the fact that my team and I started from the ground up. I feel like I’ve overcome some major hurdles in business development, and as long as we stay consistent, the business can continue to grow. We offer pickups, delivery, drop-offs for events, live steaming for events, crab feasts, or whatever you need.
Networking and finding a mentor can have a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I think being from Baltimore is what helped me with this business in particular. And like I said before, the seasoning was based on a family recipe, so I came from knowing how to cook seafood. I’m naturally outgoing so connecting and communicating with people was never an issue. There are not many black people in this industry, so I’ve been learning by trial and error on my own without a mentor. But not being afraid to reach out to people is the biggest advice I have.
You can sell crabs anywhere, but to have more profit and success, you need higher traffic of customers or to be established somewhere for consistency, and building those relationships can take time. But consistency is the key. When we first started year-round, we contacted about 20 bars to see if someone might be interested in partnering with us for a crab night. Some places didn’t respond, some did, and some we still work with today. Networking is what enabled us to sell crabs every day, all year.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.xashcrab.com
- Instagram: @xashcrab
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xashcrab
Image Credits
@thebaltimorefoodie, YRN Designs, and Photography
