3
- W I N T E R
S
ally Comerford runs. She
runs to exercise her body
and clear her mind. To think
about her day, to wind down. “I
love running,” she says. “I solve all
the problems of the world when
I run. It’s my time. I don’t wear
headphones, I just go.”
Sally is a business woman, a
wife and mother and is passionate
about health, fitness and beauty.
Along with husband Gary, she
owns Comprint Solutions.
Sally is Muswellbrook born and
bred. She went to Muswellbrook
Public School (where her own two
children attend now) and then
Muswellbrook High. “I was not a
scholar,” Sally admits. “But once I
found my passion, I did well.”
Studying graphic design at uni-
versity in Newcastle, Sally then
moved to Sydney, working at
advertising agencies and at print-
ing firms. She met Gary at a large
printing company in Sydney, and
they later decided to go into busi-
ness for themselves.
“We bought Cambridge Park
Printing in 2000 from the husband
and wife teamwho owned it,” Sally
recalls. “We had our two children
early on and there were times it
was a real struggle. We came back
to Muswellbrook in 2006 and had
to re-establish the business here.”
“
WE ALL HAVE
CHALLENGES IN LIFE,
WE ALL HAVE THINGS
WE GO THROUGH,
BUT WE CAN LEARN
FROM EACH OTHER
”
Sally describes building the busi-
ness as a “hard slog” at times, but
their hard work has paid off, with
Comprint Solutions coming up to
its 15th year.
“We had some clients who
kept using our business when we
moved to Muswellbrook, but a
lot wanted to keep with a Sydney-
based printer, which we under-
stood.” Sally says. “We wanted
to build the business here and be
truly local – employ local people,
On the run
and
loving
it!
SAL LY COMERFORD
serve the local community, spon-
sor local sporting teams.”
And while many couples
couldn’t work together, Sally says
she and Gary have never known
anything different. The pair com-
plement each other, with Sally
describing Gary as 'very, very pa-
tient'. “He will pull me back when
needed, so it’s a good balance. I
sometimes wonder what it would
be like to not work together, but
it’s nice knowing he’s there.”
Comprint Solutions started as
purely a printer, but has diversi-
fied, branching into embroidery
and promotional merchandise.
Sally combined her business ex-
pertise with her love of fitness, de-
veloping the Sienna Jean range of
women’s activewear.
Most recently the company
started offering website design and
marketing solutions, and to top it
all off has become the publisher of
Belle Vie.
If you think Sally sounds busy,
you’re right. When asked how she
finds the balance, she admits that
like most working mums, it’s not
easy. “When I do find it, I’m go-
ing to write a book about it,” Sally
laughs.
“I do have challenges with find-
ing balance, but I think it comes
down to acceptance. Accepting
this is where I am in life. We have
a roof over our heads, the kids are
well fed, we’re well dressed and
one parent is always home with
the kids. I’m good at being a mum
and I’m good at running a busi-
ness, and that helps my family.”
Purpose is important to her. Sal-
ly says she wants to be a good role
model for her children, but also an
example to young female entrepre-
neurs who are embarking on their
own businesses.
Sally is excited about Belle Vie
and hopes women will embrace it.
And what does she hope women
will gain from the magazine? “The
idea that it’s ok to be real and ok
to be yourself,” she says. “We all
have challenges in life, we all have
things we go through, but we can
learn from each other and support
each other.”
- W I N T E R
3
Hair – Kylie Wilton
Make-Up/Nails/Spray tan – Forever Beauty
Jewellery – Finders Keepers
Photography – Kristen Clapham Photography
Location - Hollydene Estate
