Company Focus: Ripple

Ripple is a creative agency founded by local man Colm Boylan in 2018. A team of three enthusiastic and passionate designers, they are responsible for the design, and branding for some of the largest firms in Northern Ireland.

Having started the business from his home office, Colm quickly found the need to source an alternative arrangement for his business needs and has been a tenant of Dean Swift Building since February 2019.  We caught up with Colm to find out what his experience has been to date.

Why did you make the move into a shared workspace environment?

When I started out it made sense to work from home as it was just me and my laptop at that stage.  However very quickly the work started to pile up and I soon had to take on extra staff to help manage the workload.  I realised asking them to work from my home probably wasn’t ideal for all parties involved, especially when the kids were around – it was difficult to stop them coming into the office to show off their toys!  I generally found it was getting difficult to separate work life from home life so I took the decision to look for a better solution and help the business grow.

Why did the Dean Swift building appeal to you?

Looking for office space wasn’t easy as I didn’t want to commit long-term to somewhere that turned out not to be suitable, and I wanted to find somewhere that fitted in with the nature of the creative work we do.  An ‘old school’ style or corporate look office was never going to be for me – I wanted somewhere modern and fresh but where I could put my own stamp on the interiors too.  I was delighted when I discovered the Dean Swift building – it ticked all the boxes for me in terms of layout and space and I loved the fact I didn’t have to sign a long term lease as it felt like less of a risk when the business was in its infancy.

Why Armagh?

I’m a very proud Armagh man and I suppose the main reason was because it was convenient to me and my staff. It goes beyond that though.  It was important to me to base the business here to contribute to the local economy. There’s a great opportunity at Dean Swift to build a hub for business within the city.  There are fantastic schools here and a large working population that mainly seems to commute elsewhere which I think it a great shame.  I can see a real shift change though, with a growth in industry outside of our major cities, and I’m excited to be a part of that change.  You don’t need to go to Belfast to get top quality designers and I’m proud to build a business that offers ‘big agency’ standard design in my own home town.

What has your experience been since signing up with Dean Swift?

Fantastic!  The support we received from the management team of the building was amazing, and it was tailored to the individual needs of our business. We really felt they had our best interests at heart and wanted us to thrive, and this is something we have seen replicated across all the businesses that have set up here.  It has been really great getting to know the other business owners and tenants of the building and we have developed a strong support network for each other – sharing experiences and skills with each other and helping to move forward in business.

How would you describe the premises?

Our office is perfect for our needs with three working desks and a spare for the consultants and other professionals we work alongside on a frequent basis.  The meeting rooms are a huge advantage for us – they are perfect for impressing our clients – existing and prospective – we love the décor and the rooms are set up with screens for projecting work onto, so they are perfect for us.  The shared spaces in the building are amazing – the kitchens and bathrooms are all newly fitted and modern and everything is kept so clean and tidy.  We couldn’t ask for better in terms of the upkeep of the place.  The ample parking is a huge factor for us too as we all need to drive to work and it suits the needs of our clients and third parties coming for meetings too.

What is the greatest positive about Dean Swift in your experience?

 I think the biggest thing for me is that it has allowed my business to grow.  I’ve now taken on a third designer which I could never have done in a home office.  I know that the attractive workspace and environment of the building was definitely something that helped in that recruitment process.  Moving to Dean Swift has helped this venture grow, and I’m excited to see where we take it in the coming years.

To find out more about Ripple click here or contact us here to arrange a viewing of the Dean Swift Building.

Pictured from L-R: Colm Boylan, Saerlaith Duffy, James Cullen