Episode 39 - Megan O'Reilly and Maurice Harold of Pitch Black Printing Co.

This episode is different. I recorded it live at Printing United Expo in Orlando with Megan O'Reilly and Maurice Harold from Pitch Black Printing Co. They'd just got married, and they chose the expo as part of their honeymoon. That tells you everything you need to know about how much print matters to them.
 
Pitch Black Printing has been going for ten years. It started with music and DIY screen printing. Now it's a respected Reno business that does fine art, commercial work, and numerous community projects. They're fiercely independent. And they've built something special.
 
We talked about their journey. How they've stayed involved in local causes. Why they charge fairly and keep learning. Their location in the Brewery District serves as both a gallery and a coffee house, allowing them to constantly build relationships with artists and clients.
 
We also got into the challenges. Managing a multifaceted business. Working as partners in life and work. What they've learned along the way. And, as always, there's the quick-fire round that shows their eclectic tastes and some quirky print adventures.
 
This episode is all about embracing creativity, collaboration, and community. Megan and Maurice are doing it right.

Key takeaways:

• Megan and Maurice advocate using print as a gift to support community fundraising and charitable causes actively.
• The business started when they realised they could screen print their own band's merch cheaper than outsourcing.
• Their unusual business model includes a front-of-house gallery and coffee shop to attract print customers.
• A key business lesson learned was the necessity to charge appropriately for their high-quality work.
• Coming from an art background allows them to use creative problem-solving on commercial print jobs.
• They stress that true sustainability goes beyond recycled paper and includes eco-conscious operational choices.
• The co-owners' success is based on their completely opposite and complementary skill sets in art and operations.
• They are excited about new equipment, like a specialised scanner for capturing oil painting brushstrokes.
• A highlight for their business was printing covers and wedding stationery for well-known musicians and actors.