Responsible & Sustainable Fishing - Alaska Fresh
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Adra Kusnirova, owner of Alaska Fresh, located in Menomonee Falls, WI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Alaska Fresh sells Copper River salmon and wild Alaskan halibut through our online store. Our fish are sustainably harvested by our small-boat, independent fishermen. We sell frozen and smoked fish of the finest quality and pay our fishermen a fair market wage. We ship our affordable wild fish directly to your doorstep across the continental United States in eco-friendly packaging. Your purchase supports the long-established, artisanal traditions of a remote Alaskan fishing village and its fishermen.
With over 17 combined years of living and working in the seafood industry in Cordova, Alaska, married owners Adra and Juro intimately understand exactly how to source the best quality wild salmon and halibut. Now residing outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they distribute the world's finest fish across the nation direct to consumers and wholesale via one-time purchases and annual subscriptions.
Alaska Fresh embodies the spirit of personally knowing your food source, sustaining a Community Supported Fishery, and consciously consuming the finest quality wild food.
Tell us about yourself
Juro first started in the seafood industry as an international exchange student through the U.S. State Department program. He traveled to Alaska from his home in Slovakia to process fish and years later came to manage the entire processing plant. Me and Juro brought so much fish back to Wisconsin at the end of each season that we decided to start selling it to friends and family. We started an online store, made a presence at local farmer's markets, and Alaska Fresh grew organically from there!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
This sounds cliche, but the biggest accomplishment has been watching the business grow and maintaining our return customer base. Many businesses did not survive the pandemic. With everyone cooking more at home and online grocery shopping gaining traction, we actually grew. It's been rewarding to thrive in this environment and know that our product is improving the health of our customers.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is being your own boss. While it is also the most rewarding thing, it takes a lot of discipline to work independently without a larger team. There are huge learning curves for various processes in accounting, marketing, sales, and other areas. When you run your own business, you have to wear many hats, and you need to be super organized and dedicated in order to keep yourself and the business moving forward.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Do the work. No one else is going to do it for you. Structure your day, reprioritize your to-do list, and keep crossing things off with intention.
- Network with your industry peers. Don't reinvent the wheel. The best entrepreneurs are also mentors. They are willing to share what worked and didn't for them and what resources you can tap into. Find those people and stay connected. Give back to others who seek your advice.
- Customer service is king. Unfortunately, it's a dying art. The businesses that forge personal relationships with their customers and make them feel appreciated are the ones who sell more products and grow in turn. Take time for your customers, ask them for feedback, and let them help you mold your business into a structure that benefits the both of you.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
If you want to start your own business, just start somewhere. Obviously, you want to have some type of plan, but don't wait for "the right time" or any other excuse you can make up. Take a small step, and then take another one, and another. Some of your ideas will fall flat, and some will succeed, and all you need to do is take the first step.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.alaskafreshsalmon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaskafreshsalmon/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alaskafreshsalmon/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alaska-fresh/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.