Inside Track Q&A

Shane Crilly, co-founder of Base Wood Fired Pizza

What sets your business apart in its sector?

We’re essentially a pizza delivery and collection business, but there are quite a few things that would differentiate us and other well known brands.

For example, we produce genuine fresh pizza, with premium healthy toppings. And we set up a co-op of producers in Italy to supply us with ingredients such as cheese, flour, prosciutto, chorizo and pepperoni.

This means that we can cut out the wholesaler – to get these products in Ireland, we couldn’t afford it. It also means that those products are exclusive to us and it has given us an edge in terms of the quality we can offer to customers.

Was it difficult to go down the co-op route?

It wasn’t particularly difficult. We went to Italy a few times, met suppliers and made a contact who represented small artisan producers who were just supplying villages at the time. It has paid off for us.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in business?

The biggest mistake I’ve made is that I’m not good at delegating. That means micro-managing a lot of the time.

But I went to a talk hosted by Bank of Ireland in the Aviva stadium about a year and a half ago and the business coach there was talking about different pitfalls.

The penny dropped and I’ve improved a lot since. I realise that if you go around micro-managing all the time, you’re not giving people a chance to do their job, and it will stop the growth of the business.

And your major success to date?

When we opened our first store in 2008, we did so in a very difficult environment, but the response we got gave us the confidence to open a second outlet in Ballsbridge. That has been the biggest success for us.

Who do you most admire in business and why?

First and foremost I admire anyone who has the courage to set up their own business. It’s not easy and it’s not for the faint-hearted. I would like Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent drinks, because he has created an amazing brand through determination and hard work, and has grown it into a multi-national company without losing brand identity. He’s someone I would look up to.

What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?

When you start your own business you do get a lot of common sense advice. But the best advice that Aengus (Lacey, co-founder of Base) and I would stick to is that, to survive in business, you must be prepared to work extremely hard.

You need to pick something unique in your sector and do that to the best of your ability. If you do, you’ll stand out from the rest. And I’d also say don’t be afraid of trusting your own judgment – it’s usually right.

Based on your experience in the downturn, are the banks in Ireland open for business to SMEs?

Accessing credit is a much longer process now and anyone starting a business should take that into account. There are many onerous conditions attached to credit.

We got our main funding back in 2007, but things have changed dramatically since we opened and the banking world is a different place. But if you have a good solid business plan, which is well thought out, you have a very good chance of getting credit.

You need to stick to your guns because everything is a battle these days.

What’s been the biggest challenge you have had to face?

The initial set-up of a business is not easy. We had to learn everything from scratch – making pizzas, working ovens, making calls . . . We were in on Christmas Day making dough, hand-rolling it ourselves. But doing that has stood to us now, as we know how everything works in the business. I would say that it was a lot tougher that we thought it was going to be.

The second challenge for us has been communicating what we do and what the Base brand stands for. Being included in the Bridgestone Guide has stood for us, but communicating is an ongoing battle.

How do you see the future for your business?

We’ll continue to grow and build on brand in the short term in both Terenure and Ballsbridge. With two stores, we have very strict systems to make sure that the product is consistent. We would also like a third store in Dublin and, in the longer term, there’s potential to open outlets nationwide.

What’s your business worth and would you sell it?

It’s worth an awful lot to myself and Aengus, because we’ve put blood sweat and tears into it. We’ve no plans to sell to the business at the moment, but we wouldn’t rule out anything in the future.

In conversation with FIONA REDDAN