What does it take to create a culture where employees feel united and customers feel respected? At United Ink, the answer is simple: communication.

When we walked through their 17,000 sq. ft. facility Thursday morning, co-owner Chris Davis greeted us with the kind of energy that made it clear why people love working there. As he told their story, you couldn’t help but picture it—three friends in a Smithton garage, experimenting with screen-printed t-shirts and custom tabletops, fueled by nothing more than creativity and a dream. Then came the leap of faith: they quit their jobs, bet on themselves, and built what would one day become United Ink.

Today, alongside fellow owners Joe English and Matt Morgan, Chris leads a company that produces almost anything you can imagine with ink—screen printing, signs, billboards, wraps, embroidery, and those one-of-a-kind tabletops and bar tops that started it all.

The facility was impressive. The machines, the scale, the possibilities—it all stood out. Everyone LOVED the break room where the team gathers on Friday afternoons to kick back after a hard week of work. But what stuck with us most was something less visible: the culture. You could feel it in the way Chris talked about his team. This wasn’t just about growing a business; it was about creating a place people want to come to every day, and a company that customers trust and respect.

We left energized—and grateful. Huge thanks to United Ink for welcoming us in and for being our very first financial sponsor for our badge business. Your support means so much as we learn and grow!