We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shelby Blondell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shelby below.

Shelby, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

On night while eating Crabs I mistakingly picked up the mallet and knife at the same time and my mind went a mile a minute . I thought, this would be cool together.. and a bottle opener. I went home to look for something similar to what I was envisioning and by the morning a prototype drawling was on the counter for what is now know as THE SHELLER. The PATENTED, stainless steel, Seafood multi tool- FLAT Crab, mallet, picker & Bottle opener.

In 2017 I came up with the idea and in 2020 my patent went through! Over the 3 year period there were countless prototypes, and sleepless nights to get THE SHELLER to where it is today. Many people will ask me WHY. Why continue this way take so much time or reinvent the wheel?

The reality is that the old thick wooden crab mallets and ways that a seafood is enjoyed isn’t efficient. Wooden mallets smash , are dirty, don’t work on harder shell seafood and for many people still leave a need for multiple tools. I wanted to create something that was environmentally friendly, lessen the needs for more tools when eating was locally made and helping make memories that last! And not just a tool that could be used for crab but for other seafood and not just used for Maryland crabs but for other seafood like lobster and oyster.

Crabs are more than a meal, its about the memories made with family and friends. My hope is that THE SHELLER helps make many memories with family and friends that last a lifetime!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

HEY THERE! I’m Shelby! I’m a songwriter, singer, and inventor. I know a strange combination! Whether it is a song I am writing or a product I am creating I want to have an impact and to be able to touch someone’s life. I have been performing since 2014 and have shared the stage regionally and internationally alongside acts like Pentatoxix, Howie Day and James Author. In 2017 I stumbled upon the inventing world during my time in my MBA program at University Of Baltimore. While I knew not much about engineering I feel like the creation and involvement in my music business, and my family’s special event’s business ( Blondell’s Accent On Events) helped drastically with product development of THE SHELLER in 2017!

I created THE SHELLER to fill the void of a functional crab mallet/ seafood tool. Crab mallets do exist. Even some that are multi functional. The issue is that these are thick and smash not crack claws. Also most are wood which are hard to clean and can not be used on hard shell seafoods. When you use a wooden mallet many use a plastic knife as well which is not environmentally friendly. Some use butter knives but this means having multiple tools and still no bottle opener. With the combo of the wooden mallet, plastic knife and or butter knife there is no way to open an oyster or lobster. With THE SHELLER you can because of the weight and stainless steel material!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

. At an early age perseverance became a way of life along with three words that I carry though my days’ ITLL BE OKAY.” Growing up I had craniotomy’s for craniosynostosis with high inter cranial pressure. To this day chronic conditions like chronic migraine and Dysautonomia, play a part in my day to day, but help to appreciate the joys, the love and through the pain .” In life, life happens. We all have a story to tell and I think that our journeys are what helps push us along and leads us to making an impact on others lives like people do to us. For me, every part of my journey has played a huge part in the joys that I get from performing as well as creating products. Its about the ability to change someone’s day, even if only for a moment and bring a smile. Because you never know what someone is going through.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In life, life happens and there are lessons every day, sayings we are told and questions asked. A question gets asked often “ What is your greatest success and what’s your greatest failure.” That life lesson/question to me is something I have reshaped in my mind and it has helped me in many situations to work toward goals even that seem unreachable. Every step forward is a success. We all have goals and the reality is that most of the time we will not reach the goal exactly as we planed. To some, or what we may have been taught, this is a failure. But the reality is that every moment is something to learn or a way to learn.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.shelbyblondell.com
• Instagram: @shelbyblondell @thesheller
• Linkedin: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwil-fjhj7n6AhXAEGIAHTiMDgQQFnoECBkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fshelbyblondell&usg=AOvVaw0yJxAgsU8ve1df8x6u65VU

Image Credits
Images by : Storia studio: University of baltimore: Steve Goodman : and self.