By Business & Finance 
Barry and Bernard Broderick, co-founders of Broderick’s take the Business & Finance 60 second challenge.
Q. What was your first job?
We helped our mother bash biscuits for cheesecakes since we could stand up.
Aged 12, our first paid job was as builder’s labourers. We quickly realised how tough work was and saw the benefits of working with chocolate and caramel vs concrete and cement.
Q. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
It has to be our success in exports. 2008 changed the market, with people cutting back on all luxuries. We could have retrenched and focused on cost reduction but we focused on growth and put all of our efforts into growing the business.
Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Big picture and brand building is fine but you need money to pay the wages.
Q. If you could step into the shoes of one business person for the day, who would it be and why?
Walmart head of purchasing. We’d list everything Broderick’s made and call Cadbury, Hershey, and Mars with the news that they had to give all their shelf space for two handsome gents from Ireland. Closer to home, Denis O’Brien has achieved so much across so many businesses.
Q. In three words or less, how do you define success?
Bigger than Coke.
Q. What’s your motto?
The harder you work the luckier you get.
Q. How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
By being involved in all areas of the business. But the real motivation comes when a consumer tells us how tasty our brownie is. Regarding the team, we have tried to create an environment where decisions are made quickly and there’s a steady stream of new products, new markets and fun advertising campaigns to keep every day different and interesting.
Q. How do your relax?
Exercise and pacing our landing at 2am with my baby daughter.
Q. What are your aspirations for the future of your business?
We would like to see Broderick’s become an internationally-recognised Irish brand, known for great taste and unique recipes, employing a large number of people locally and building something that will still be there in many years from now.
