We talk to former winners of the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards to learn more about how winning the award has impacted their businesses.
In this post we speak to Paul Brophy of Paul Brophy Produce.
Remember, the closing date to enter the awards is Friday 25th September 2015. You can enter your business here.
What was your start-up day?
The business started in 1983, so we were slow developers, not an overnight success but it proves the point “good things come to those who wait”.
What motivates you?
Building a better company, having more customers, adding more value to our products, building my skills and abilities as I develop as a leader.
What keeps you up at night?
I am able to detach myself from all the stresses of the day by immersing myself in a good book.
Paul Brophy, Paul Brophy Produce
What’s been the most surprising part of running the business?
The buy in and enthusiasm from key staff all wanting to go the extra mile to be part of a winning team.
What’s been the most challenging for you?
The transformation from a small enterprise to a larger one. Making the vision a reality.
And the most rewarding?
Living the dream. Ten years ago I could not have even comprehended being where I am today.
What is one mistake you’ve made, and what did you learn from it?
I made a quick decision once on a critical matter and was wrong, it cost the business a lot of money. I learnt a lot from that mistake. The lesson learnt was to think through all key decisions and the quality of these decisions are greatly improved if made with a small group of key stakeholders. As George Bernard Shaw said “ A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
What are some of the characteristics of people that have been successful at your company?
They make decisions quickly trying to exceed our customers’ expectations, agility is one of our traits. They all possess the ability to tolerate intelligent failure and never see risk taking as a career limiting move.
What are you most excited about for the future?
The rapid advances in the internet of things, the changes precision agriculture are bringing, where evidence based decision making will bring the industry to a new level really, enthuses me. Change and challenge creates opportunity, as a business we must embrace this as we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
Any amazing families, partners, friends behind the scenes you’d like to thank – how did they support you in the early days?
No one ever told me I was mad even though they secretly probably thought so. My Wife for her patience and close family for their support. Just being told you are doing great things reinforces you through the dark days.
What doors has winning the Business Achievers Awards opened for you?
The industry I work in (Horticulture) is a very small one, it did not take long for the word to spread among the key players not only in sales but in purchasing companies all wanting to be working with winning partners, as the mantra says “success breeds success”
What was the biggest benefit for you winning this award?
The exposure: when you are dealing with multiples the buyers all like to drive a hard bargain, but there is also a deep rooted need among them that they want to be dealing with the best companies to do a particular job, this has reinforced that need.
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