Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Blondell.
Hi Shelby, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
You got it! Im a songwriter/singer/inventor. I know a strange combo. I have always had a love for the entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. My family owns a special events business, and I attended the University of Baltimore for both my undergrad and MBA. In 2014, my first business began- incorporating my music journey as an international recording artist- Shelby Blondell, and THE SHELLER story began one night in February 2017.
As I was out eating crabs, I mistakenly picked up a crab mallet and knife at the same time and that’s when the idea hit me. I went home to search for a product that was what I envisioned and I couldn’t find one. So I started to create it.
After countless prototypes, many sleepless nights, a trademark, and a patented granted – THE SHELLER was here! The three in one- Crab Mallet, Picker & Bottle opener. Stainless steel, flat ( so it cracks the claws not smashes!)
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Bringing an idea to life isn’t a smooth road- but it’s a really wonderful journey. Lots of detours and turns are constantly thrown in the way but that’s also a part of the fun…. ok the stress as well!
Whether it is business or just daily life we all have ideas of how we are going to get to our goals. Too often I think we look at how we get to our goals as failures vs. success and if we don’t get to that goal as planned it’s seen as a failure or a very rocky road which many may decide isn’t one they want to take.
Since this was my first endeavor in the manufacturing world I had to do a bit of a 180. I started working along with some incredible people, at what was The Foundry in Baltimore next to the city garage, and patience was key in learning how to attend to the different machines and work through countless prototypes to get THE SHELLER to where it needed to be.
I knew that I wanted THE SHELLER to continue to work alongside partners and collaborators in MD so finding a machine shop with the capabilities to be able to cut through stainless steel took much patience. Since I wanted THE SHELLER to be filled with MD pride and to be able to add types of engraving on the top portion, this made it more difficult to work through what that could potentially look like.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I wear many hats, literally and figuratively! I mentioned earlier, that I am a songwriter/Singer/Inventor. You may have seen me around the DMV as the girl in the red hat- Shelby Blondell or with my band (Shelby Blondell Band) at a festival. Or you may have seen me at a festival, Makers of MD shop, or entrepreneur event with THE SHELLER. Completely different worlds but somehow they seem to collide.
I am a full-time recording /touring artist AND full-time THE SHELLER and I love so much being able to have both of these experiences as a part of my life. Both are filled with a lot of hard work- I manage all aspects of both businesses. But the lessons that have been learned from the peers, mentors, family, friends, and supporters have helped to lift both businesses and allowed them to reach where they are today.
Pricing:
- Musical PERFORMANCES vary depending on where
- Pricing of THE SHELLER $20 each
- Speaking engagements and workshop pricing vary
Contact Info:
- Email: SHELBY@THESHELLER
- Website: Www.THESHELLER.COM WWW.SHELBYBLONDELL.COM
- Instagram: @THESHELLER @SHELBYBLONDELL
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shelbyblondell/ https://www.facebook.com/THESHELLER
