Case study from Walsh Graphics!

The Cork and Dublin based Walsh Graphics, has reached the business milestone of 25 years. Michael Walsh and his mother Rose Walsh couldn’t be prouder. Having started in their home garage twenty five years ago, Walsh Graphics was always very much a family affair.

'My Mom, Rose, my Dad, John, and I started Walsh Graphics in 1993. My Dad sadly passed away in 2002. He was such an important part of Walsh Graphics and carrying on without him was very difficult.’ Indeed, success in business never comes easily and Michael feels that the key to their success has been adapting to new trends and changing tack early to avoid failure. ‘The litho business was our bread and butter but I could see it was not going to sustain us or make growth possible - so we diversified into sign and display. This proved a success and we have been building on that foundation ever since. Developing our website, walshgraphics.ie in 2012, also proved to be a vital part of our business strategy. How does a Mother and Son team work together? Michael laughs, ‘Oh we’ve had our ups and downs but when you go through those together you learn to play to each other’s strengths. I have the utmost respect for Rose and for her business skill. Nobody can get money in like my mother!’ The respect appears to go both-ways, ‘Michael has achieved so much with Walsh Graphics and twenty five years is really a celebration of the good decisions he has made and the business relationships he has built up over the years. We have had many of the same customers for as long as I can remember and our first member of staff, Sue Curran, is still working with us today.’ With twenty four staff, and twenty five years of trading under their belts, Walsh Graphics is a family business success story with very good reason to celebrate.