Family Ties: The Personal Side of Wide-Format Print Shops
There's something special about the family connections in wide-format printing. Some shops have three generations working under one roof — grandparents handling client relationships built over decades, parents managing production, and the younger generation bringing fresh ideas about digital marketing and automation.
The 2025 Printing Industry Census is diving deep into these connections. Whether you're working alongside family members, inherited the business from your parents, or you're hoping your kids might carry on your legacy one day – your story matters.
The census explores how our work impacts our personal lives:
- How do you balance running a shop with family time?
- Has your business strengthened your family bonds?
- What challenges have you faced mixing family and business?
- How are you planning for succession?
- Are your children interested in the industry?
Understanding these family dynamics isn't just about nostalgia – it's about mapping out the future of our industry. How many current owners are planning to pass their businesses to the next generation? What support do family-owned shops need to thrive?
Want to help paint this picture of printing's family ties? Take the census here.
Denise Gustavson is the Editorial Director for the Alliance Media Brands — which includes Printing Impressions, Packaging Impressions, In-plant Impressions, Wide-Format Impressions, Apparelist, NonProfitPRO, and the PRINTING United Journal — PRINTING United Alliance.
