It's not every day that people get to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. But for Barry Bull, working with celebrities is like a walk in the park.
Barry Bull is a respected and highly awarded businessman in his own right. According to Today's Richard Wilkins, he's "an absolute legend in the Australian music industry".
Previous experience
Barry Bull's career began in music retailing in 1960. After hours he would strap on his guitar and play on Brisbane's booming band circuit with his band The Counts. He was recruited by a record company, CBS Records (now Sony Music) and rose through the ranks to become National Marketing chief through the '70s. In 1981, after giving rock 'n' roll the best years of his life, he returned to Brisbane with the ambition to shape his own destiny. It was then that he acquired Toombul Music.
Over the years, Toombul Music has won over thirty Westfield retail awards, including winning the prestigious National Individual Specialty Retailer Award three times. In 1997 it was an inaugural inductee into the Westfield Hall of Fame in recognition of outstanding retail achievement. In 2001 Barry was presented with a Westfield Legend Award, and in 2003 was honoured with a Commonwealth Centenary Medal, for distinguished achievement in business.
His innovative marketing techniques have seen Barry entice music celebrities and superstars from around the world, including Sir Cliff Richard, Michael Crawford, John Denver, Olivia Newton John, The Corrs, Ronan Keating and dozens more, to participate in promotions at his store in Brisbane.
Barry has fast become one of the country's top business speakers and "No is Negotiable" has become his most renowned trademark. His energetic presentations share the experience of a remarkable journey, and his famous interviews with Sir Cliff Richard, Michael Crawford and Slim Dusty, wow audiences around Australasia.
Barry has devoted a career spanning over 40 years to his lifetime passion: music. At a time when most would think he would put the bull out to pasture, he wrote the best-selling A Little Bull Goes A Long Way, followed by My Little Book of Bull and The Bullseye Principle.
Talking Points
Taking the Bull by the Horns
With over 500 professional presentations to his credit, Barry is a hit with audiences of all backgrounds because his story is of a hands on operator leading from the front, not telling them how to do it, but how he does it.Taking the Bull by the Horns
A story of how he built a small suburban music business into a national icon, by winning countless awards and attracting international superstars to his business, only to dismantle it and reinvent himself when times of change beckoned.
But it's more than a business presentation. It's an inspirational story of discovering your passion in life, "taking the bull by the horns" and going for it. It targets breakfast and dinner audiences as well as conference keynotes where inspiration is the outcome.
Barry's presentation has the impact of running with the Bulls at Pamplona - an adrenalin rush from go to whoa ... keep reading Nursery and Garden Industry Association
He is an absolute legend in the Australian music industry
