Why losing his job was a blessing in disguise for Portmarnock pizza king

It turned out to be the very motivation he needed to pursue his long-time ambition of setting up his own business. Today, his company - Brezzi's Wood Fired Pizza - employs nine staff and is well on its way to turning its first €1m. For Derek, it really is a dream come true.

Pizza restaurants typically do most of their business in the evenings - so when I arrive early in the morning at Brezzi's in Portmarnock Town Centre, Dublin, I am surprised to find customers already in the restaurant and enjoying their morning coffee.

"While our business is predominantly a pizza collection and delivery service, we have a very small eat-in bar. Recently, we began to serve coffees, fresh breads and sandwiches using our pizza toppings.

"And, as you see, there's a steady stream of people who now drop in in the mornings, which is helping our day trade," says Derek with a big smile.

Maria arrives over to offer me coffee. From Panama, she too is friendly and pleasant - a characteristic I discover is all part of the charm of the place.

Where did the name of the business come from?

"Brezzi has been my nickname for as long as I can remember," says Derek. "I did consider calling it something Italian, but the people I asked felt that Brezzi's was easy to remember and easy to pronounce," he adds.

As I sip my Ariosa artisan coffee, Derek explains how he originally came up with the idea for the business.

"After school, I went to Switzerland to study hotel management and ended up working there for a few years. During that time a number of us used to go to an Italian pizzeria called Vieux Moulin, where the chefs cooked their pizzas in large traditional wood-fired ovens. "They were the best pizzas I'd ever tasted," says Derek. "So much so that it sowed the seed of an idea - that if I ever opened my own pizza restaurant, it would be based around using a traditional wood-fired oven."

But at the time Derek was not yet ready to settle down. For the next 10 years he worked in a variety of hotels throughout Hong Kong and Malaysia, ending up as assistant food and beverage manager at the five-star Crown Princess Intercontinental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

"We had 570 bedrooms and 11 separate restaurants - so it's no wonder I lost all my hair around that time," says Derek with a smile.

In 1999, he returned to Ireland and got a job with the Campbell Bewley catering group as part of the team charged with revamping the famous Bewley's Cafe on Dublin's Grafton Street.

After two years there, he began to wonder what life would be like in a regular nine-to-five - and soon after secured the role of area sales manager with a hotel supplies company. It didn't really fulfil him, and he started to realise that what he really wanted to do next was to run his own business.

"I toyed with the idea of opening an O'Brien's sandwich franchise in the Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords - but rents were going through the roof at that time, so it just didn't make business sense. I had to drop the idea - for the time being," says Derek.

For the next few years he worked for a variety of companies supplying commercial kitchens and equipment to hotel and restaurants, but always harboured the idea of working for himself.

"In 2009, the recession hit the country and sales of hotel kitchen equipment fell dramatically. As a result, I found myself out of a job - like so many others in the sector.

"I couldn't believe it. I was so upset. I'd worked hard all my life, had these great references from my previous employers who all said I always gave 100pc commitment and never took any sick days. But here I was unemployed," Derek says.

"Looking back on it now though, I realise that it was the kick in the backside I needed.

"I made the decision there and then to open my own wood-fired pizza business - and this time nothing was going to stop me," he adds.

However, it would take him the next two years to get there. There were so many thing to consider - identifying the best location, finding a premises that was suitable and affordable and identifying the right suppliers for his ingredients.

"I eventually found this premises here in Portmarnock, which has been a perfect location. Next I found this Woodstone two-tonne wood-fired oven, which I imported from the US," Derek says, pointing to the huge oven.

"Our Caputo flour comes from Naples in Italy - the home of pizza - and it's the fine grains that give it the extra elasticity that makes it perfect for pizza making.

"We also found some wonderful Irish suppliers as well, such as The Real Olive Company and Toonsbridge Dairies in Cork, which supplies our buffalo mozzarella cheese. This is made from the milk of real buffalo brought in from Italy and farmed in Cork.

"We use Gubbeen cheese and salami from West Cork," he says.

"It's a perfect combination of traditional Italian pizza making and fresh Irish ingredients," he adds proudly.

But coming up with the necessary funding proved a much more challenging endeavour for the new entrepreneur.

Initially all the banks said no. Even a strong business plan wasn't enough to convince them of the merits of Derek's now well-researched idea. One bank dragged the process out for almost a year - before eventually turning him down. "It was a really frustrating process to have to go through. And such a waste of time," says Derek.

Finally after presenting his plan to the manager of the Bank of Ireland in Raheny, he found someone who believed enough in him to provide the balance of the money he needed. And so, he was now on his way.

Throughout that time his wife Helen held down a full-time job in a pharmaceutical company while he supported himself by doing part-time work wherever he could find it.

"Without Helen's support none of this could have happened," says Derek. "I was also lucky that I'd previously taken out income insurance, so when I lost my job I had an income for the first 12 months," he says.

Opening his business in the downturn also proved advantageous for Derek, as he was able to negotiate a lower rent and better deals on fit-out costs - up to 50pc of what it might have cost only a few years earlier.

Now, two years on, he has no regrets.

"We even made a small profit in our first year of trading and this year sales are up 40pc month-on-month compared to last year," says Derek.

Is being self-employed all he imagined?

"It's hard work and I normally work six or seven days a week," says Derek. "But I love every minute of it. I also believe in what we are doing, offering great food and great customer service.

"I try to develop a positive culture, where it's a friendly place for customers to visit. Our staff are absolutely great and that makes it all the more enjoyable to come to work.

"And I love waking up every morning knowing that there is so much more I can do to develop the business," he adds.

He wants to continue to get his first outlet working perfectly. In an ideal world he would love to open another three or four branches - and has already begun looking at a few possible locations.

For now though, it's back to work. The local butcher has just walked in. He is delivering a box of freshly prepared chicken wings for this evening's customers.

But before I can leave, pizza chef Radu arrives with a pizza fresh from the oven for me to try. Topped with smoked chicken, Gubbeen salami and buffalo mozzarella - as well as onions, peppers and fresh mushroom. As I bite into the crispy, thin base, Derek smiles at what he realises is another very satisfied customer.

Derek Bresnan always wanted to have his own business. For years, he worked hard for other people and other companies. He committed himself fully to every role he took on.

He travelled. He learned. And all the time he was building experience.

However, it was only when he lost his job and faced the stark reality of unemployment did he finally find the motivation to set up his own business.

While it was a big shock for him at first, he now believes that it was the best thing that could ever have happened to him, otherwise he might never have started his business.

His story too, he hopes, might be an inspiration for others who find themselves in the same position that he was once in.

OVERVIEW

Company: Brezzi's Wood Fired Pizza

Business: Pizza delivery and collection, with eat-in option

Set up: 2012

Founder(s): Derek & Helen Bresnan

Annual turnover: €650,000

Number of Employees: Five full-time and four part-time

Location: Portmarnock, Co Dublin

DEREK'S ADVICE FOR OTHER BUSINESSES

First year's sales target often falls short

"Very often, new business owners' forecasts fall well short of what they had predicted and banked on. Try to set realistic targets otherwise you'll suffer cash flow difficulties early on."

Find an experienced mentor and take their advice

"Find someone who has already set up and run their own business. That way they understand your business challenges, know your stresses and can be helpful. Anyone else can be a waste of time."

Be sure to take out income protection

"It is prudent to take out income protection when you are working, so that you have a cushion if you suddenly lose your job. It will also give you with a buffer period and cash to help with a new venture."

Brezzi's Wood Fired Pizza, Portmarnock Town Centre, Coast Road, Co Dublin.

Tel: (01) 8038100 or go online to www.brezziswoodfiredpizza.ie