Ветеран армии Дональд Франкс открыл бизнес по сборке электрогитар с помощью программы поддержки в Кларемонте

CLAREMONT – Guitars have been a part of life for Donald Franks II since he was in grade school. Franks was inspired to learn the guitar by his father, who also plays, and he has been playing “off and on” throughout his life. Now 43, Franks, a disabled Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and took years to recover from his injuries, has transformed his love and knowledge of guitars into a new business that is getting a boost from the Claremont MakerSpace. 22 Frets LLC began as an idea almost a year ago, and this summer Franks is gaining support and an opportunity to grow the business as the inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence at the Claremont MakerSpace on Main Street. During the four-month program, which began in June, Franks has studio space at the MakerSpace where he builds electric guitars from parts and also can work on marketing the business. “Our search is always in what way can the MakerSpace be helpful,” said Cortney Nichols, the MakerSpace director of workforce development. “Somebody like Donald gets a lot out of being here because he is using the laser cutter and different shop tools that are not easily accessible. Plus he has space to work, WiFi and a printer.” During a recent interview at his studio, with several newly finished electric guitars perched in their stands, Franks said the business idea took shape when he offered to share his knowledge of guitars at a class at Fall Mountain Regional High School last year. Franks’ son, also Donald, a Fall Mountain junior, was enrolled in an ELO (Extended Learning Opportunity) class at the high school. He had learned guitar from his father about two years ago, and he was going to be helping out the teacher. Franks agreed to share his expertise and began helping the class with their instruments. “They had bought 20 guitars and needed help getting them set up,” Franks said. At the same time, Franks began doing repairs on guitars at his home. When the ELO teacher went on maternity leave, Franks stepped in last fall as a substitute. He reworked the curriculum with less emphasis on classical music and introduced guitar building. “We started putting guitars together, and it was really fun,” said Franks, who taught two blocks of 80 minutes each with four students in one class and 10 in another. “I brought in my own amps and electric guitars. We had a great time.” Franks, who previously worked at the post office in Claremont and the Sullivan County Community Corrections Center in Unity, has advanced degrees in information technology. IT was a “backup” career plan if the guitar business did not work out, he said. A few things were coming together around the same time that helped get the business off the ground. While he was teaching and repairing guitars from his home in Charlestown, Franks enrolled in a Business Lab course last fall offered by the city at the MakerSpace. “I really like working on guitars and was already doing the business lab,” Franks explained. The lab, Franks said, helped familiarize him with the basics of starting a business, including brainstorming ideas on what might be feasible, registering the name with the state, learning how to apply for a bank loan, and marketing. When he completed the course in January, Franks applied for and was chosen for the Entrepreneurship in Residence program. But because he was substitute teaching, he waited until school ended to begin the residency. “Our mission has always been to remove barriers to creativity, learning and innovation,” Nichols said in a news release last month, announcing Franks’ residency. The program supports that mission by giving entrepreneurs the tools, space and support needed to build their businesses. “So far this has worked really well,” Franks said. “It is relatively low cost to begin. MakerSpace did a press release, put it in its newsletter and sent out emails to all its connections.” Franks said it can take anywhere from two to four hours to build a guitar, some of which come painted and others he has to paint, which has proved to be the hardest part of the assembly. On occasion, people will stop by his space, and he is happy to show them the guitars he has made and explain the building process. Nichols said MakerSpace has promoted 22 Frets LLC on social media and presented the business at events, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair at Mount Sunapee in early August and the Apple Pie Crafts Fair in Newport on Aug. 22. Franks said he hopes the residency program will prove to be an effective way to build the business and gain exposure to potential customers. At the end of the four months, he hopes his marketing efforts at MakerSpace will have increased that exposure. “I think this will be fantastic for the business,” Franks said. “Already it has helped me with the two biggest things: a space to work and exposure for the business.” Patrick O’Grady can be reached at [email protected]