small business spotlight
Board & Brush
Creative Studio EDITED BY AMBER KEISTER PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN
PAULA WEIGEL, owner of Board & Brush Creative Studio in Apex, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the store’s opening. It was tough going at first for the business, which hosts workshops for customers to create wood signs and other custom home decor projects. During the instructor-led classes, attendees are guided through the ins and outs of power tools, paint, art, and assembly, with all materials supplied by the studio. While Board & Brush is a national company, each studio is locally owned. “While I enjoy the creative process, what I love even more is showing people how to be creative themselves, especially empowering women and giving them the confidence to produce something from scratch,” said Weigel. The lifelong DIYer shares her insights about creativity and creating a space for people to have fun — even during a pandemic. Why did you want to work for yourself?
I’ve always known I wanted to own my own business, and I’ve been involved in arts and crafts all my life. Through a corporate career and starting a family, it never seemed to be the right time to actually take that first step. I really value my time, and I knew that owning my own business meant that I could define my life in the way that I wanted it to look. 38 OCTOBER 2021
What attracted you to the franchise?
I was a potter for many years, and had a similar idea about 20 years ago. It would be a community space where people could learn a skill or a trade through classes in one part of the space, and they could sit and read books or drink wine in another part of the space. When I found Board & Brush, it was very similar to the concept I had in mind, and the farmhouse aesthetic fit my own personal style. Did you grow up building things, using power tools?
I did! I grew up on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina and was always tinkering and making something out of raw materials. Stencils make creating custom My dad’s side of the family had a signs easy. plumbing business, and my mom’s side of the family was full of amazing seamstresses, so there was always someone using their hands and making or fixing something. When I bought my first house, I was living by myself, and didn’t want to rely on anyone else to help fix things around my house. I learned very quickly what tools I needed to have on hand.
