Show Us Your Shop
GrainWell woodworking wins loan from women manufacturing fund source
By Bill Esler
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GrainWell is a creative wood shop producing signage, displays, and wood centric decor designed and crafted by three sisters in Covington, KY.  
 
The woodworking business, launched by Michelle Kirn and two of her sisters, told their story at a business event, presenting, "From Makers and Sisters Into Business Partners," during NewCo Cincinnati, a celebration of start-ups in Cincinnati last month. 
 
The two also received a funding stiped to expand their business, launched in 2015, through Bad Girls Ventures, a  program for women-owned manufacturing businesses. Bad Girl Ventures is an educational and micro-finance, non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and supporting female entrepreneurs to start and sustain well-managed and profitable businesses through business education classes, guidance from mentors and coaches, and access to debt capital.
 
The trio describes their business at their website:
 
We are three sisters designing and creating wood-centric decor at our workshop in Covington, Kentucky. 
We are producing one-of-a-kind products from quality materials and each good is a representation of our similar yet unique personalities.
 
We do it all. From dumpster diving, breaking down barns, and hand selecting quality wood to the designing, building and finishing all our products.
  
We pride ourselves on creating products that celebrate the authenticity of the material. Each piece of wood we work with is inspected for uniqueness and then transformed into a one-of-a-kind good. From modern home decor to customized statement pieces, we strive to produce goods that are well done. #grainwelldone
 

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About the author
Bill Esler | ConfSenior Editor

Bill wrote for WoodworkingNetwork.com, FDMC and Closets & Organized Storage magazines. 

Bill's background includes more than 10 years in print manufacturing management, followed by more than 30 years in business reporting on industrial manufacturing in the forest products industries, including printing and packaging at American Printer (Features Editor) and Graphic Arts Monthly (Editor in Chief) magazines; and in secondary wood manufacturing for WoodworkingNetwork.com.

Bill was deeply involved with the launches of the Woodworking Network Leadership Forum, and the 40 Under 40 Awards programs. He currently reports on technology and business trends and develops conference programs.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Bill supports efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities in the manufacturing sectors, including 10 years on the Print & Graphics Scholarship Foundation; six years with the U.S. WoodLinks; and currently on the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee. He is also supports the Greater West Town Training Partnership Woodworking Program, which has trained more than 950 adults for industrial wood manufacturing careers. 

Bill volunteers for Foinse Research Station, a biological field station staddling the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one of more than 200 members of the Organization of Biological Field Stations.

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