Photos by Cherrie Hanson

Prime Printing’s success comes from learning, adapting and building a legacy in the community. Owners (left to right) Liaqat Ali, Mohammad Imran and Sabeen Imran (not shown)are celebrating 25 years of business.  

Learning, growing, adapting and sustaining a successful business for 25 years and counting is a noteworthy achievement, but Imran said he is most proud of building a legacy in the community

In 2001, Mohammad and Sabeen Imran moved to Milwaukee to start a new business they knew nothing about. 

“When we left our home in Maryland and came to Milwaukee, it was a new experience for us,” said Sabeen. “My husband wanted to take a step in a different direction, leaving his IT field to fulfill his dream of owning a business. I supported him every step of the way.” 

Today, deeply rooted in the community and in high demand in the Milwaukee area and beyond, Prime Printing is celebrating its 25th year in business.

Inside the bright storefront in Hales Corners, Prime Printing customers have lots of services to choose from. 

“This was something I wanted to do from the time I was young,” said Imran, who previously worked as an application developer. “I wanted to start a business of my own.”

It was a leap of faith for the newly married couple.

“As we were driving from Maryland, my wife said, ‘We don’t know anything about printing. How are we going to do this?’ Here I was driving a big moving truck through the Pennsylvanian mountains, and it took two days to get here and I said, ‘Listen, I’m definitely not driving this thing back. This is a one-way trip and we’re going to make it work.”

The owners invest in new technology and machines to keep up with the local and national demand of print services.

The Imrans originally intended to take over the print shop of Imran’s uncle, Muzaffar Zuberi, the first Muslim printer in Milwaukee. But after seeing the business’s location and setup, Imran decided they would start their own shop. Zuberi became their mentor and teacher. 

“I told him if he sells his business and I start my own, he could become my teacher, and I’d pay him for his time. So, every month I would write him a check, and every morning he would come in for a couple of hours,” Imran said.

Zuberi’s help and encouragement was invaluable, according to Sabeen. 

“He pushed us to build our skills. We took steps along the way, such as studying the market, new technologies, trends and so on. We kept our expenses low and invested wisely,” said Sabeen.

Building a business together

Imran and Sabeen recalled working long hours and spending countless nights and weekends at the shop. Imran worked a second job in the evenings and on weekends (at 27th Steak and Potato, the restaurant he co-owns). Their original store was quite large—too large, according to Imran, so they moved to a smaller location and then after several years, built the current store, located at 5442 S. 108th Street, Hales Corners. In 25 years, the Imrans never took out a business loan.

Prime Printing is tucked into a corner of a strip mall at 108th and Grange.

“We never borrowed money. We were raised differently and borrowing money was not an option. So that was a challenge, but the thing was, if we can’t afford it, we’re not going to buy it.

“If we are behind on technology, no big deal. We’ll make the money and keep moving in the right direction,” Imran said.

Back in the day, Prime Printing used an offset printer with “big, huge cameras that you had to stick your head into.” They focused on small-business printing needs including forms, business cards, signage and other products.

Eventually, they upgraded to digital technology and continuously invested in new machines to keep up with the demand for an increasing offering of print services: stickers, menus, banners, flyers, letterhead, envelopes, brochures, raffle tickets, calendars, catalogs/magazines, vehicle graphics, rubber stamps, postcards, shirts, mailers, embroidery, table covers and more.

Challenges, successes and growth

Imran called on his creative resourcefulness during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Prime Printing lost 60-70 percent of their sales revenue as businesses shuttered.

“That first year during COVID-19 was difficult,” said Imran. “But then vaccines started coming out, so we started printing for the pharmacies that were offering vaccines. Business was slow so we had time to think. I had to figure out what we could do that we hadn’t done yet.”

He found a need and filled it: printing and delivering restaurant menus, which could not be reused during COVID-19.

Imran hired everyone he could think of to use their own vehicles to deliver orders that previously took three weeks to be fulfilled by the restaurant chain’s corporate headquarters. Imran reached out to paper suppliers. 

Orders began coming in from other restaurants. He also took a chance on purchasing a plastic material for menus that could be wiped clean and reused, which sold well and remained as one of their printing services.

Imran’s ability to react and adapt helped keep the business afloat.

The Imrans now have a business partner, Liaqat Ali, who has been friends with Imran for more than 20 years. When Ali was laid off from his IT job last September, Imran asked him to join Prime Printing. He agreed and is now co-owner. The flourishing business receives most of its business by word-of-mouth referrals. And Imran is not afraid to collaborate. He built a network of other area printers to fulfill orders during busy times like elections. 

“We all work with each other in a way that I guess a lot of people don’t do in business,” Imran said.

Learning, growing, adapting and sustaining a successful business for 25 years and counting is a noteworthy achievement, but Imran said he is most proud of building a legacy in the community. 

Liaqat Ali, a longtime friend of Mohammad Imran, became a co-owner of Prime Printing last September. 

“We give a lot of our funds back to the community. We serve our local communities and our national communities. Wherever we see a need, our money goes there,” Imran said.

Both Imran and Sabeen said they are pleased and grateful for the success of their business. 

“I’m very proud of the fact that we succeeded in what we came to Milwaukee for,” said Sabeen.

Our greatest challenge was that we didn’t have prior experience. We also didn’t have much money, and we didn’t borrow any money to establish our business. We really didn’t think about 25 years. Our goal was to build a legacy and by the grace of God, we have done it.”

Imran said the key to success is having your heart in the right place.

“Listen, if you think that your goal is to become a millionaire, you’re in the wrong field. But if your goal is to make a mark in the community, then money will follow you.”