FedEx Award for Small Business Grant Bronze Winner

Everyone here at Brian Boggs Chairmakers is ecstatic to share with you the great news that our company has been selected as a Bronze winner in the Fedex award for Small Business Grant Contest!  We feel honored to be chosen in a contest that included thousands of amazing applicants! Thank you to all of our subscribers and loyal friends for voting for us in this contest! Your support has meant so much and now has allowed us to receive a very generous reward of $7,500 in grant money and an additional $1,000 in FedEx office services! This will enable us to grow our company and continue to produce the luxurious furniture that you all love.  Thank you to FedEx for believing in our company and choosing us to be among the ten winners.

Here’s what we submitted to FedEx in case you missed it:

Elevator Pitch:

I design furniture with an intention to preserve a tree’s integrity in honor of human comfort that will be celebrated for generations.

Tell us about your business, what inspired you to get into it, what you sell/service you offer, what makes your business stand out and how it impacts you, your community or the environment.

35 years ago I set up shop with a combination of passion, grit and $50. I made 300+ chairs without electric equipment. I have taught globally, written for major magazines, and designed my own tools and equipment. It’s now my opportunity to give back. We have designed an apprentice track that allows craftsmen to earn a living wage making fine furniture while honoring tradition and embracing innovation. Through their hands each piece will be imbued with the human touch and a sense of permanence.

How would you use the FedEx Small Business Grant money to make a significant impact on your business?

We have been continuously improving how we do things in our business, each step carefully timed for best impact. While we have been getting beautiful results from our time-consuming oil based finishes, a more efficient and sustainable option has been developing that is water based. Water based finishes have finally reached a point that they are better and less expensive than oil based varnishes. With the award from Fedex we would purchase the sprayer and booth required to apply these finishes.