# How I Built Resilience: Luke Holden and Ben Conniff of Luke's Lobster

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2020-09-03
- Length: 23m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster

## Summary

Luke Holden and Ben Conniff, co-founders of Luke's Lobster, discuss how the company pivoted from a restaurant chain to a direct-to-consumer e-commerce and grocery business to survive the pandemic. They detail the difficult decision to furlough 300 employees and close most locations while maintaining their commitment to buying seafood from Maine fishermen to sustain the local supply chain. The founders explain how they rapidly built an e-commerce site in seven days and expanded their product range beyond lobster to include species like bluefin tuna and scallops to help fishermen who lost their traditional buyers.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster#t=0) Introduction: Luke Holden and Ben Conniff of Luke's Lobster
- [1:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster#t=106) Furloughing 300 employees and closing restaurants
- [5:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster#t=355) Pivoting from food service to grocery and e-commerce
- [10:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster#t=610) Building the e-commerce site in seven days
- [13:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster#t=821) Supporting the Maine seafood supply chain
- [17:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster#t=1075) Sustainability challenges and MSC certification
- [19:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-03-how-i-built-resilience-luke-holden-and-ben-conniff-of-lukes-lobster#t=1175) Leadership lessons and future expansion

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Luke's Lobster (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Marine Stewardship Council (company)
- Bluefin tuna (product)
- Debo scallops (product)

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## Citing this page

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