We recently connected with Tia Clark and have shared our conversation below.

Tia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I am a Charleston, South Carolina native that grew up with no relationship with the water that surrounded me. One day of getting access to the water and having one of the most memorable days of my life crabbing and fishing with a cousin, has changed everything for me. My love for what I do has propelled me into a world of stewardship and conservation.

Tia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the host of the Airbnb Experience, “Let’s Go Crabbing,” an immersive experience that allows guests to practice the art of crabbing. In 2018, my experience was recognized as one of Airbnb’s best in the world. I found crabbing because I wanted to get healthy. I quit smoking, changed my diet, and I was looking for a way to be more active. I told my cousin this, and he invited me to go crabbing with him. That was it. After he showed me how, I went crabbing every single day. I would get off work at 2 a.m. and set an alarm for three hours later to wake up and go back out to cast the net for two hours, every single morning. I loved it. I have lost over 100lbs during my journey to build a relationship with the water.

After a few months, one of my buddies made a Facebook page called “Casual Crabbing with Tia,” sharing photos of me on the dock. People started messaging me, wanting to come crabbing but I wasn’t sure. I never saw myself as a teacher, but he told me people would really enjoy doing it with me. So, I took a chance and formed a crew to help me host crabbing experiences for our guests.

Now, in addition to Casual Crabbing, my crew and I work monthly with the SCORE (South Carolina Oyster Recycling and Enhancement) program building artificial oyster reefs and bringing awareness to the program and all it does for our local waterways. For me, being a native, this is very important to me. There always needs to be balance. I want the work that my crew and I do to be sustained for years to come, so supporting our fisheries and waterways is a crucial part of that.

The experience we provide is now sought after by large groups and it has grabbed national media attention steadily for four continuous years and counting.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

All my guests book their experience through the Airbnb Experiences platform until Covid hit and Airbnb paused their programming. We had to shut down for two weeks because of the pause. I built a website very quickly so that I could provide an alternative way to book our experiences. We got so busy that I had to hire new crew members quickly to meet the demand. Since the experience we provide is outside, when the pandemic hit, we were able to lower the group size and still provide an unforgettable time for our guests. The community was grateful because folks were really looking for different and safe ways to get outside. The success of the website, business, and the constant media attention has me pretty busy and I am very grateful for it.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My social media audience was built around me sharing my own experiences. When I found crabbing, it’s all I wanted to do every single day. So, I would hit the dock and share the sunrise or catch something and share it to my social media to ask if anyone knew what it was. I had no idea what I was catching when I started going out every day. I think my audience was learning right along with me, so they were invested.

Just be authentic. Truth is stranger than fiction so why make anything up? Authenticity is what will sell whatever you are doing. The joy on my guests’ faces every single day while they are crabbing is what sells my experience. Strangers can picture themselves holding their own catches and want to experience it. Just be real!

Contact Info:

• Website: casualcrabbingwithtia.com
• Instagram: @casualcrabbingwithtia
• Facebook: Casual Crabbing with Tia

Image Credits
Casual Crabbing with Tia