EDC CLIENT STORIES

Fueled by a passion for local seafood and shared ties to the Santa Barbara fishing community, co-founders Kim Selkoe, Ph.D., CEO, and Victoria Voss, COO, embarked on a journey to better their community by creating the business Get Hooked Seafood in 2018. Get Hooked Seafood is a community-supported fishery that provides high-quality, local seafood and serves as a platform for education, community engagement and social responsibility. With their shared knowledge of all things ocean, Get Hooked Seafood has set itself apart by offering access to sustainable seafood with a transparent sourcing model and an educational mission to connect people to local fisheries.

Recognizing the importance of community involvement, Get Hooked Seafood has established partnerships with 25 local businesses, spanning from Santa Ynez to Pasadena and Manhattan Beach. This network has allowed them to offer convenient pick-up sites for their customers and strengthen ties with the local business ecosystem. However, they’ve had their fair share of obstacles in their entrepreneurial path. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unforeseen obstacles, including cash flow issues and the need to reconfigure their website. Facing these challenges head-on, Kim and Victoria turned to EDC in 2021 for guidance and connected with many business advisors who helped their business exponentially.

With the assistance of Erin Fredregill, an EDC SBDC Business Advisor specializing in marketing, Get Hooked Seafood navigated the complexities of the digital world. Victoria described how Erin “gave us so much guidance and support in setting up social media, our accounts and how to understand the data. She was just a great guide in helping us get set up and be able to digest the data and information that we were getting.” Another pivotal figure that contributed to the business’ success was EDC SBDC Business Advisor Anthony Elliott, whose guidance proved instrumental during cash flow difficulties. Kim said, “We were really having cash flow problems, and Tony helped us get a handle on our financial plan. He held my hand every step of the way.” Victoria and Kim expressed that during the time of need for their business, they looked to Anthony for guidance with their finances and received more help than they expected.

Looking towards the future, Get Hooked Seafood is expanding its impact by collaborating with local school districts. Kim and Victoria are spearheading efforts to introduce seafood into school cafeterias, aiming to familiarize children with the taste of seafood and educate them about its importance. The company’s story is not just one of business success but a testament to the community spirit and dedication to sustainability embodied by Kim, Victoria and the entire Get Hooked Seafood team.