One of the foundational values of Wild Alaskan Company’s mission is to create shared experiences — a value that I think about each week in this newsletter when I give you a peek into the Kallenberg kitchen. It’s also a value that the WAC team works hard to uphold everyday through a stellar member experience. It’s also a value that we’re exploring in real time through live events, where we get to celebrate wild-caught seafood from Alaska, together.
What’s another way we create shared experiences with each other as colleagues? We go fishing together! In these moments, we witness and work the waters of our beloved Alaska, the wondrous place that gives our workday a collective purpose. This July, a group of WAC teammates traveled to Ketchikan, Alaska for a summertime fishing excursion. The team spent several days and nights on a fishing vessel, reeling in dinner while revitalizing their spirits amid the great expanse of sky and sea. Many of these individuals typically work in areas such as software development, marketing and member experience, but in these moments, in real time, face to face with one another and with nature, everyone is connected to Alaska.
When you’re a team that works remotely, connecting mainly via Zoom meetings and messaging apps, being able to share this on-the-water experience brings to life the essence of what it means to care for, believe in and advocate for the Alaskan way.
Carl Minor, Member Experience Specialist for WAC, summed it up: “If you really want to bond with a group of people, there’s no better way than spending 12 hours on a small fishing boat.” It’s on the water that you sacrifice your sense of personal space for common ground. You forget all of your differences beneath the splendor of a fiery sunrise or the purple-green light show expressed in the great Northern lights.
Caption: A bird’s-eye view of a wild Alaskan landscape.
Seen through one’s own eyes — rather than simply over a computer screen — the splendorous elements of nature can render you speechless. “You’re cruising around, seeing whales jumping and otters cracking clam shells on their stomachs,” said Will Rogers, WAC’s Seafood Category Manager. “The peace and quiet of everything is something you never fully understand until you see it for yourself.”
I’ve also found that there’s nothing like connecting with colleagues in real life. “There was so much passion and knowledge there, between the crew, the captain, and everyone else on board,” said Victoria Shayn, WAC’s Lifecycle Marketing Lead. “We just… started talking fish. It was great to have that kind of energy throughout the trip, especially when you’re surrounded by the sheer majesty of Alaska.”
Every time I hear about these unforgettable moments among colleagues, immersed in nature, I too feel revitalized and am reminded of why we like to refer to one another as a “fish family.” I hope that while we work toward accelerating humanity’s transition toward a sustainable food system, we can continue to honor our full potential that we have as interconnected beings by creating shared experiences through food, friends, and fish.
To my colleagues who were fortunate enough to be on the fishing trip, a big welcome back. But also, take us with you next time!
Live Wild,
Monica
Pictured above: Member Experience Manager Aileen Cañas, gazing with gratitude into the eyes of a king salmon.
