Shelby Blondell has nothing against the commonly used wooden mallet. As a native of Linthicum, she grew up using it in local crab houses like most Marylanders. That is, until she figured out how to make something better.

The 31-year-old singer and songwriter invented and patented The Sheller, a 3-in-1 seafood mallet, picker and bottle opener. There’s no tool like it on the market.

Blondell believes she has entrepreneurship in her DNA. She grew up watching her dad tinker, build and create. Now the family, including Blondell, runs Blondell’s Accent on Events, an event planning company.

“Building something from nothing. Having to be determined and dedicated to see something through — but also realizing that every day is completely different, and you need to know how to pivot. All of those things really excite me,” Blondell said.

Blondell has been her own boss since college. She graduated from the University of Baltimore with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The university could be considered her first investor, since she won $2,500 through the school’s Leonard and Phyllis Attman Competitive Business Prize.

The Baltimore Banner: What was the inspiration for creating The Sheller?

Shelby Blondell: It was 2017 when I had the idea. I was actually out to eat with my parents. We were at a crab house, it was probably one of the first crab houses I ever went to as a kid, and we still go there quite often. We’re sitting there eating, and I mistakenly picked up the wooden mallet and the plastic knife they gave you. I kind of became silent and started looking at my parents and switching my hands back and forth, and I looked over at someone who was cracking a bottle.

The only thing I remember saying to them was, ‘This should exist. I need this.’

My dad was like, ‘It’s probably on Amazon. Buy it when you get home.’

I stayed up that whole night Googling and looking at products. It didn’t exist. By the next morning, there were drawings everywhere, all over the counter. And that whole week was followed by cardboard cutouts and clay. I was attempting to figure out and work through what this was in my mind.

Thanks to the Center of Entrepreneurship at the University of Baltimore, they led to me people within Baltimore who have spaces to build and create.

Once 2018 hit, the preliminary patent was in. It was a lot of back and forth within that time period. On Sept. 15, 2020 — which was unfortunately prime-time COVID and not an ideal time to launch a new product when you can’t be out at fairs and really be in the face of people and places — my mom called me into her room that morning and was like, ‘Shelby, what, didn’t you tell me.’

She played a message on the answering machine, and it was from someone asking about the patent for ‘The Shelter.’ (The patent database had the wrong name. Blondell says this has since been fixed, but that’s how she found out the patent was approved.)

It was a funny, comical kind of thing. An interesting way to celebrate having gotten the patent.

A patent is a big deal. What were some of your next steps as far as becoming an entrepreneur?

Growing up, I’ve always loved that aspect of creating something from nothing. Having to be determined and dedicated to see something through, but also realizing that every day is completely different and you need to know how to pivot. All of those things really excite me.

For me, the flexibility is really freeing and helpful for the kind of life that I’ve got going on. Entrepreneurship is odd. It’s a funny thing. It can be one of the most stressful experiences, but I also know that I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

You talked about how every day brings something different. With all that you’re doing now as a singer, songwriter and inventor, what is something that you look forward to spending time doing?

I get that question quite a bit. I get asked, ‘Well, which thing do you like more?’ You know, I love them both dearly. I don’t think there’s one thing. It’s not The Sheller vs. music.

But I think the thing I love most about everything I do is watching how it affects other people in some way. It’s such an odd feeling to describe. Watching how you can change someone else’s life or give someone what they need.

That sounds stupid to say, like, ‘Hey, I’m giving people this crab tool,’ but the reality is that crabs are all about memories and the people. It’s the same kind of joy and feeling I get when I see people smiling or crying while hearing a song.

Have you had any challenges along the way?

I was about 24 when I started coming up with the idea, and to be taken seriously as a young woman who was trying to get involved with manufacturing was really difficult. And still is to this day.

I have a patent, I have a physical product, I’m the one standing behind the table — and people will make comments like, ‘Where’s the guy that made this?’ My photo is right in front of you.

Or, ‘I bet you just punch these out overseas somewhere,’ and it’s like, no. As it says everywhere: made in Maryland.

What’s next for you, whether it be for The Sheller, singing and songwriting, or just generally?

Well, to keep going. And to watch things continue to expand and go beyond Maryland and the DMV.

There’s always a dream that every Marylander, at least, will have a Sheller in their home or tucked away somewhere, or have used one.

It’s not about having a ton of money or The Sheller being at the top of everyone’s usage. It’s about the joy that it brings. And whatever I can do along the way to help other people who might be on the journey as well.