Barry Bull

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 is a respected and highly awarded businessman in his own right. According to The Today Show’s Richard Wilkins, he is ‘an absolute to legend in the Australian music industry’.

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 seventies. 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 a best selling book A Little Bull Goes A Long Way, followed by My Little Book of Bull. His new book, The Bullseye Principle was published in 2006.