Dan Chaplin and his wife, Emily, could be poster children for the classic American entrepreneurs.
Dan works seven days a week in his one-man CNC machine shop called Forge 41. Emily works full time as a teacher and helps Dan when she can. Together they form one of the many mom-and-pop shops at the heart of the nation’s defense industry by providing parts for submarines built by General Dynamics Electric Boat. And seCTer is playing a key role in keeping the Forge 41 team, and many others, resilient as they pursue their dreams and keep the supply chain flowing.
seCTer provided Forge 41 with a Boost Loan of $50,000, which allowed Dan to purchase additional CNC milling machines and other equipment that will allow him to broaden his scope of products and clients. He currently works predominantly with Department of Defense contractors but has done work for Mystic Aquarium, University of Rhode Island and the U.S. Navy among others.
A broader scope of clients will lead to a stronger, more sustainable business which will lead to opportunities to hire workers, which will strengthen the regional economy.
Yes, we’re talking about an incredibly small scale, but small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, and when a region has lots of successful small businesses growing over time, the region wins. That scenario, repeated over and over, is seCTer’s goal. To that end, seCTer has lent $1.5 million to small businesses through the CT Small Business Boost Fund program.
After serving aboard submarines for seven years as an electronics technician, Dan left the U.S. Navy and worked for a defense contractor installing equipment on subs. He officially established Forge 41 about 18 months ago and generated $130,000 in sales last year. He’s already beat that mark this year and is working toward a goal of $200,000 in sales this year.
When asked what it’s like to own his own small business, Dan said “It’s crazy, it’s scary; there’s sleepless nights, but it’s good. I’m hoping to grow and add a 3D printer and more powder coating capabilities for the commercial side in addition to the military side.”
“seCTer’s help has been invaluable – not just the financial resources, but their general business guidance too,” Dan said.
