North west business Graphica is still in its infancy, but it is being steered into the future by Steve’s decades of experience
FACING redundancy can be an extremely challenging experience for those caught in its wake. Yet, for Steve Finney, it became the catalyst for a new chapter. Rather than seeking a new position, Steve decided to leverage his wealth of experience and launch his own venture, Graphica - a graphic and website design company.
The 41-year-old, who lives in Arigna in Co. Roscommon, having moved from England in 2006 had spent the previous 16 years with a local publishing company, before being made redundant.
“I’ve always had the idea of working for myself eventually, I’d already been on training courses and read up on everything down from book-keeping to tax returns, So I had an idea of how things worked. When I was made redundant, I was kind of thrown into this situation” he said. “I thought, if I do not do this now, I will probably never get another chance to do so.”
Graphica is not just a business, it’s a manifestation of Steve’s passion for design and his commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative solutions. Located in its scenic backdrop, Graphica caters to local businesses and international companies alike.
While Graphica is very much in its infancy, Steve, who in 2003 gained a first class honours degree from the University of Huddersfield in Creative Imagining, brings a wealth of experience in graphic and website design.
He added: “With nearly two decades of professional experience in both print and online media industries, I’ve immersed myself in every aspect of this industry. From client consultations, in-depth research, initial concept development, and design refinement to final design execution, prepress preparation, printing, and online publishing.
“I have a passion for design. I have a very critical eye and extreme attention to detail. I’ve been a graphic designer for 20 years and I bring a wealth of experience. If a client or customer rings me and starts talking to me about their business, by the end of the conversation I’ve already imagined visuals in my head that I can start putting down on paper.”
Graphica is not just about creating aesthetically pleasing designs, it’s about fostering local connections while maintaining a global outlook. Steve’s experience allows him to offer a unique blend of creativity and strategic thinking to businesses of all scales.
“My unique selling point, is when people who don’t know how to build a website call me up, all they have to tell me is what they want their website to do, they can give me one or two pointers as to colours or general style, but after that, I’ll run with the rest of it for them. Nine times out of 10, the first proof that goes back to any of the customers is signed off.”
As Graphica unfolds its journey, Steve envisions not just a business but a creative hub contributing to the visual identity of businesses both near and far. The redundancy that initially seemed like a hurdle has transformed into an opportunity to build something