October Aviatra of the Month: Michele Tibbs & Melyssa Kirn, Grainwell

In 2013, the Kirn sisters collaborated and made their parents a wooden sign for Christmas. When the beautiful sign brought their mom and dad to tears, they knew they had something special.

One year later, the sisters started their business, Grainwell, and began designing and creating wood-centric, one-of-a-kind products from quality material. To no one’s surprise, Grainwell exploded in popularity, and the team quickly grew out of their shop in their parents’ garage and relocated to their own woodshop and boutique. But, in order to continue growing, they needed more funding—and that’s when they found Aviatra Accelerators (then BGV).

The Grainwell sisters participated in Aviatra’s 8-week LAUNCH® cohort in 2016. During those eight weeks, they accessed the resources they needed to build a solid business and growth plan. At the end of the program, they were awarded a low-interest loan that they used to expand their wholesale opportunities and marketing efforts.

Since 2016, Grainwell has continued to find success. In 2017, they separated their boutique from their woodshop to streamline production and allow for more space. And most recently, in 2021, they opened a second boutique in Hyde Park. The sky is the limit for Grainwell, and we can’t wait to see what they do next!

“We had a wonderful experience with Aviatra. We started a business without a business background, and the program helped us learn, plan, and grow in ways we weren’t previously aware. Aviatra connected us with amazing mentors who helped us grow and we were in contact with for years after. We love being a part of such a wonderful group of women!”

– Michele Tibbs, Grainwell

Click here to listen to Michele’s “Her Million Dollar My$tery” episode.

Click here to make a donation in honor of Michele & Melyssa.