Name: Jimmy Finn
Job Title: Chief executive
Company: Bizmart Group
What were your childhood ambitions? Have my own business and represent Ireland. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to achieve both early in life.
What was your first full-time job? Selling sheds.
What was your first car? Austin Mini.
Who was your pin-up as a teenager? Back then I didn’t know what a pin-up was, but I did know what a cow was!
What bad habits do you have? Too damn helpful.
How do you like to relax? Bird watching on the beach or trying to be a golfer.
What is your favourite book, and why? It’s hard to pick from politics or sport. However, I’ll go for Bob Woodward’s The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate’s Deep Throat. Poor old Nixon had his troubles!
What was the first record you bought? Records are borrowed, never bought! Anyhow, the first I remember was The Young Ones by Cliff Richard.
What is your ideal night out? A good concert or going to the dogs (literally or otherwise).
If you could invite two people for dinner, who would they be, and why would you invite them? Oprah Winfrey and Dolly Parton. Business and pleasure.
What is your favourite movie, and why? Smokey and the Bandit with Jackie Gleeson. Very funny! I’d say a close second is One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with Jack Nicholson.
What sports teams do you support? Gaelic sport (football and hurling) is Ireland’s great pastime. I’m a huge supporter of my county team Laois.
What is your favourite food and drink? Bacon and cabbage, with Guinness to wash it down.
What is your favourite holiday destination? USA.
If you could build your house anywhere, where would it be? Miami Beach.
What do you begrudge spending money on? Water.
Have you ever broken the law? I break it all the time, but seldom get caught.
What makes you happy? Being with funny people.
What makes you angry? Seldom angry, except in the car. But I can have a short fuse with sloppy, mean or racist individuals.
What pets do you have? None since the dog bit me.
If you could be a superhero, what superpower would you choose to have and why? I’d love to have the power to give a lot of people a better standard of life.
What was your biggest mistake in life? Not having children.
What was your luckiest break? Teaming up with my partners, family and business.
What is your best piece of advice? Stay out of trouble and enjoy life.
Which industry figure do you most admire? Tom Stemberg.
If you weren’t doing your present job, what job would you be doing? Sports agent. I’d love to control those egos.
If you could be God for the day, what miracle would you perform? Cure Aids.
Can money buy happiness? No, but try and buy something without it.
What has been the best moment in your career? Opening my first store in 1974.
What has been the worst moment in your career? No bad experiences, just a few bad decisions on my part.
What was your most embarrassing industry-related experience? Can’t remember any, thankfully.
What would you like to be doing in five years’ time? Playing better golf.
What is your IQ? If I knew that, I’d consider myself a genius.
Describe the OP industry in three words: Full of characters.
Describe yourself in three adjectives: Optimistic, cheerful, competitive.
