Chic is the word on the street

Creative flair and business acumen often make-up two sides of the same coin and a number of well known Irish companies owe their success to a winning combination of both. But for every Waterford Crystal there are several smaller imaginative entrepreneurs waiting to make an impression. Chic Signs, Caroline Mitchell and Miniature Mansions are three such firms which mix business with other people's pleasure.

Chic Signs

It was by chance that Paul Hurley met his Belgian business partner, Jan Patrick Scheepers. They met two years ago in Dublin through girlfriends who happened to be sisters. The romances ended but the encounter spawned a solid business relationship. Mr Hurley, who has qualifications in business and catering, was working in restaurants at the time: "We decided to look for a business idea that had taken off in Europe but hadn't reached here yet," he says. While in Brussels Mr Patrick came across a company that employed traditional methods to make street signs. It seemed perfect for what the pair had in mind.

Most of the signs we see on our shops, motorways and streets are made of aluminium. Though cheaper, aluminium is less resilient than the signs made from enamelled steel which Mr Patrick had discovered in Brussels. "We figured there was a lot of potential for the idea in Ireland," says Mr Hurley. Funded by his and Mr Patrick's "life savings", Mr Hurley brought the concept of Chic Signs around the country trying to persuade local authorities that the attractive street-signs, embossed with a town crest, could promote tourism in the area. His persistence paid off and after nine months Chic Signs had its very first customer.

Since July 1996, when they installed 13 signs in the tiny village of Lanesboro in Co Longford, business has been brisk. Mr Hurley is based in Dublin, securing contracts and receiving design specifications - crest design, colour, layout - from Co Councils or local businesses. For authenticity the script on the signs is based on an old Irish font used in the Book of Kells.

Meanwhile, Mr Patrick oversees production in Brussels. The image is relayed onto a steel plate using a specialised silk screen process. The plate is then baked in an oven at 850 degrees centigrade and finished with a vitreous enamel coating.

While largely self-funded, the firm applied for and received an Employment Grant worth £5,000 from the Dublin City Enterprise Board. This allowed it to employ a much needed sales person. Chic Signs can now be seen in towns in Longford, Galway, Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny. Its biggest contract so far was for 150 signs in Ennis, Co Clare.

"We hope eventually to be able to move the production of the signs to Ireland, and to develop the range to cater for heritage trails, shops and pubs," says Mr Hurley.

Miniature Mansions

Like Ms Mitchell, husband and wife team Pat Lanigan and Mary C Walshe of Miniature Mansions, are involved in a line of work which gives them great personal satisfaction. However, until recent years, they didn't know that making reproduction doll-houses would turn out to be their ideal career.

It was only when the couple embarked on courses in craft and carpentry that the idea for Miniature Mansions presented itself.

Mr Lanigan makes the doll-houses, using a type of carpentry which allows very intricate work to be done with wood. Ms Walshe designs and creates by hand extremely detailed dolls' furniture made from native Irish hard and soft woods.

The couple approached Patrick Mee, Enterprise and Development Officer with the Waterford City Enterprise Board who quickly spotted the product's potential. "What both Mary and Pat lacked we were happy to provide in terms of soft support, training and expert advice," he says.

"We are only beginning to produce enough houses to meet the demand," says Mr Lanigan. All Miniature Mansions are hand finished complete with paint, wallpaper, carpets, doors and stairs in period design. It also produces `scale models' for builders and developers.

Fashioning success

At the age of 13, Caroline Mitchell from Limerick won a £2 prize for drawing dresses in the Bunty comic. Even then she knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. Now in her thirties Ms Mitchell is having trouble keeping up with the orders for "Caroline" her own label knitwear. A graduate of the Limerick School of Art and Design, Ms Mitchell spent 10 years working in firms from Donegal to Limerick before setting up on her own. This experience was "invaluable" she says.

In 1996 she was ready to launch her own range of machine knit ladies knitwear and separates. "I made up a sample range of eight garments and showed at a couple of local fashion shows," she said. Her trademark applique, beading and handmade buttons were a hit and a number of boutiques took orders.

Next stop was Margaret Ryan at the Limerick City Enterprise Board. "Margaret was a fantastic help," says Ms Mitchell. "She gave me tips on how to apply for grant aid and how to put together a business plan." In July 1996 Ms Mitchell received an Employment Grant (now she could afford to give herself a salary!) and got an office in the busy Workspace complex in Limerick. By October Ms Mitchell had her first employee and by July this year the firm was so busy that another person was employed full time.

For the moment, she limits the sale of her designs to Ireland - she supplies her designs to shops in Dingle, Limerick and Lahinch - but hopes that investment will enable her to start exporting next year.

The hardest part has been what Ms Mitchell calls "the sensible side of it all. I really wish there had been some sort of business studies course in college. You really need to keep on top of it all".

Her advice for all budding Lainey Keoghs is: "Get experience - and a good accountant!".