Brian Goulet
| Brian Goulet | |
|---|---|
| {{{photo}}} | |
| Company: | Goulet Pens |
| Location: | Virginia, United States |
| Social Media: | YouTube |
| Website: | Goulet Pens |
Brian Goulet is an American retailer and online presenter associated
with the fountain-pen community. He co-founded The Goulet Pen
Company with Rachel Goulet and serves as one of the company's
co-presidents. Goulet is also the company's principal on-camera presenter and
has hosted several series about fountain pens, ink and paper,
including Goulet Q&A and The Goulet Pencast.[1]
Early life and education[edit]
Goulet grew up in Glen Allen, Virginia. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly known as Virginia Tech, where he studied residential property management. After graduating, he worked with his father in a business providing power-washing and carpet-cleaning services.[1]
Career[edit]
Penturning[edit]
Goulet's interest in woodworking led him to purchase a small lathe and begin turning pens in 2007. At the time, he and Rachel Goulet were living in an apartment, and he worked on a covered balcony. What began as a hobby developed into a business after he received a corporate order within the first few weeks.[1]
Goulet initially made pens during evenings and weekends. In late 2008, he decided to pursue penturning as a full-time occupation. He produced more than 800 custom rollerball pens before becoming interested in fountain pens after attending the Washington DC Fountain Pen Supershow in 2009.[1]
Goulet Pens[edit]
Brian and Rachel Goulet established The Goulet Pen Company in 2009. The business originally operated from their home garage and sold handmade wooden pens. It subsequently moved away from manufacturing its own pens and developed into an online retailer of fountain pens, ink, paper and related accessories.[2]
The company's first expansion beyond its own handmade pens was the addition of products from Clairefontaine. It later increased its selection of fountain pen inks and added pens and accessories from other manufacturers.[1]
The business moved to its first commercial office and warehouse in late 2011. It moved to a larger location near Richmond, Virginia, in mid-2017.[3]
Brian and Rachel Goulet serve as co-presidents of the company. According to the company's account of their roles, Brian Goulet concentrates on strategic direction, educational videos and marketing, while Rachel Goulet concentrates on website design, business processes and operations.[1]
Goulet has described educational material as an important element of the company's approach. The company's stated mission includes providing “comprehensive education” alongside its retail and customer-service activities.[2]
Online media[edit]
YouTube[edit]
Goulet is the principal presenter on The Goulet Pen Company's YouTube channel. Its videos include introductory guides, product demonstrations, pen and ink comparisons, maintenance instructions and answers to questions submitted by viewers.
One of the channel's long-running educational series is Fountain Pen 101, which introduces subjects such as filling systems, nibs, cleaning and fountain pen terminology.
Goulet Q&A[edit]
Goulet Q&A is a question-and-answer series hosted by Goulet. In each episode, he answers questions submitted by viewers about fountain pens, ink, paper, pen maintenance and the stationery industry.
The series began in 2014 and initially ran until 2020. It returned in 2026 after a break of approximately four and a half years.[4]
Audio versions of the original run were distributed as the Goulet Q&A Audio Podcast.[5]
The Goulet Pencast[edit]
Goulet co-hosted The Goulet Pencast with Goulet Pens employee Drew Brown. The programme combined fountain-pen news, comparisons, interviews, viewer questions and discussion of events at the company.[6]
The programme began in 2021 and produced 149 numbered episodes. Its regular run concluded in 2024 with an episode titled “Season of Change”, presented by Brian and Rachel Goulet.[7]
Podcast and media appearances[edit]
Goulet has appeared on podcasts and programmes about pens, retailing and business management.
- Goulet appeared as the guest on The Pen Addict 131. This episode discussed the origins of Goulet Pens, the company's educational material and its online shop.[8]
- He was interviewed by Mixergy in 2016 about developing Goulet Pens as a specialist online retailer.[9]
- In 2019, Goulet appeared on the Think Big Act Small podcast to discuss company culture and leadership.[10]
- Also in 2019, Inked Happiness published an interview with Goulet about renewed interest in fountain pens and the role of online educational material in the pen community.[11]
Approach to fountain-pen education[edit]
Goulet's media work generally combines product information with introductory material intended for people who are new to fountain pens. Subjects covered in his videos include filling and cleaning pens, selecting nib sizes, comparing inks and troubleshooting common writing problems.
In a 2019 interview, Goulet argued that online video, social media and online shopping had made fountain pens more accessible by giving prospective users free educational material and opportunities to communicate with other enthusiasts.[11]
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
- Brian and Rachel Goulet at Goulet Pens
- The Goulet Pen Company on YouTube
- The Goulet Pencast
- Transcript of The Pen Addict 131
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Meet the Goulets, .
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 About Goulet Pens, .
- ↑ Our Office, .
- ↑ Goulet Q&A, .
- ↑ Goulet Q&A Audio Podcast, .
- ↑ The Goulet Pencast, .
- ↑ Season of Change, Grinding Nibs with Rare Materials, & Drinkable Ink — Pencast 149, .
- ↑ The Pen Addict 131, .
- ↑ How married co-founders deal with anxiety while running a business – with Brian Goulet, .
- ↑ Brian Goulet – founder, Goulet Pen Company, .
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Brian Goulet and the Second Coming of the Fountain Pen!, .