Brian Boggs and his incredibly capable team at Brian Boggs Chairmakers have received a pretty significant award for their accomplishments and goals as a small business. FedEx has named them one of the ten winners of its small business grant contest, which awarded $120,000 in cash and prizes to small companies around the country. The Chairmakers will use its winnings, $8,500, to bolster business so it can stay its course and rekindle direct relationships with woodworkers.  

One aspect Brian’s most excited about is his upcoming The Ask Brian Boggs Show because it’ll reconnect him with fellow makers. Brian admits he “loves that we offer tours”  of the Chairmakers’ shop, noting that many woodworkers come to see the operation and ask questions. These interactions are part of the thread that leads directly to his show, where Brian will field questions submitted by makers. He hopes the show will become more of a dialogue than a Q&A, though, by “stimulating ideas and experimentation.” If the program plays out the way he plans, woodworkers won’t just pop in to ask and listen but will return when they’ve tried out ideas discussed on the show so they can share their experiences with peers. 

The winnings will help in other ways too, including helping the Chairmakers team explore some uncommon techniques and materials, like carbon fiber. The group is also getting things in order to eventually move from oil- to water-based finishes. “Finishing anything is a mix of compromises,” Brian concedes, but because of their low VOC, quick drying time, and safety, “water-based finishes seem to be the winning option,” he says.