From Dell deflation to ballooning enterprise
Colm, who comes from Bowman Street in Limerick, worked in Dell for 19 years.
When he lost his job, he looked to his involvement in sports and social activities with the company.
Colm, 39, said: “I was very involved in various social events and played with the Sammy Benson band.
“I had a very good awareness of what made a good party and what was needed, not just by way of entertainment, but the way a room or venue was decorated. So I hit on the balloon enterprise idea.
“My career skills set-up after Dell meant there was no job out there for me. At Dell I was a team leader in the customer call-centre looking after corporate clients. So I turned to what I knew best — the social scene. I saw there was an opening for specialist balloons which could be used for all kinds of displays at various events. Arches, sculptures, table displays, balloon decors, the lot.”
As the customised printed balloon enterprise grew, he took on a part-time worker two months ago to help cater for his growing client list. “We are catering for a wide variety of events, ranging from weddings, christenings, communions, confirmations, and product launches on a weekly basis.”
One of his biggest assignments was to decorate Dublin’s Heuston Station with Munster rugby balloons to welcome fans travelling by rail to a big Munster game in Dublin.
His company, Deegan Balloons, is located at the Eastway Business Park and has received support from the €23 million European Globalisation Fund and the Limerick City Enterprise Board.
Colm said: “We have had a very good Valentine’s day promotion and we have got huge orders for St Patrick’s Day.
He added: “For individual clients we can put their market logos on the balloons and it is a very cost-effective way to market. Where the balloon goes the message goes.”
