Brody Sweeney

Brody Sweeneys company, which he founded 20 years ago, the 300 strong franchised Sandwich Cafe chain O'Briens, was placed into administration in the U.K. and he lost control of his business. Brody describes his "annus horribulus" of 2009, how he is restructuring the business for the future, and what, in a similar situation, he definitely wouldn't do again. What he would do is less clear to Brody, but nevertheless he has observed some home truths about entrepreneurs, how they react in crisis mode, and some lessons he will take with him into current and future business ventures.

Brody founded O’Briens Irish Sandwich Bars in 1988. The Company became one of Irelands most visible and successful export brands.

Brody and his management team opened over 300 outlets in Ireland, UK, Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Australia and Asia (Singapore, China, Malaysia & Thailand).  In Ireland there over 100 outlets in every major Town and City. 

Brody  recently launched a new brand – Cafe Bar Deli – a Pizza and Pasta concept. 

Brody’s best selling book “Making Bread – the real way to start up and stay up in business” was published in 2006. His second book “Small to Tall – growing your business from it’s entrepreneurial roots”, was published Autumn of 2008.

Brody’s popular “Small to Tall” 3 day residential leadership development programme, based on his book of the same name -  for business leaders, is helping a new generation of business leaders grow themselves and their business.

He is a non-executive director of Paddy Power PLC. He is co-founder of the Irish business charitable foundation, Connect Ethiopia. Aged 47, he lives in Dublin with his wife Lulu and 4 children

Brody jokes that he used to be introduced as “one of Irelands leading entrepreneurs.”