From the warehouse floor to the Managing Director's chair

A Legacy Worth Protecting

Nearly three decades later, Kate is Managing Director of Advanced Coatings, the company her parents handed over. "I came in on a ship that was well set for sailing," recalls Kate, who was 27 when she took the helm. "The foundations were solid but there was a lot of pride tied up in making sure it didn't fail on my watch. People forget that whoever takes over the business faces the same fear as the first generation."

Branching Out — and Learning to Let Go

In 2019, Kate opened The Paint Hub, a specialist paint store and e-commerce business. Brand loyalty in the paints sector is deeply entrenched, and Kate concedes that she devoted too much attention to the start-up. "I probably should have shared the load. Over the last year or two we've brought in external consultants for different projects, and we are hiring a marketing director who can push things forward faster. This next decade I intend to lean more on others."

A Trusted Constant Through Change

Through the company's generational transition and expansion, one constant was accountancy practice Coughlan Carroll, which merged into ifac in 2025. Rosaleen White, who has worked with the business for over a decade, continues as Kate's primary point of contact.

"It's about having a familiar face, and continuity builds trust," Kate remarks. "When you are on the job 24/7, it's important to have people in your corner who you know are minding everything."

Support That Works in the Background

Ifac handles payroll and compliance matters for the company, and in-house bookkeeper has a direct line to Rosaleen White in ifac. "She's always free to email in any queries, payroll-related or otherwise," Rosaleen explains. "It's not constant and we're here when she needs us. Benefit-in-kind on vehicles is a good example. With sales reps on the road, that's constantly changing and it's something you simply don't want to get wrong with employees' wages."

The Foundations of Family Business Success

In Kate's opinion, for family business owners at any stage of their journey the hard work is non-negotiable. So is building a good team and having genuine passion for what you do. "And you need people in your corner — people you trust."