Listen to the segment from 4 December 2024, featuring Brydie Hull from Tobin Brothers Funerals.
Listen to our segment with Catherine Sayer, FBA CEO here: https://familybusinessassociation.org/article/hear-from-catherine-sayer-on-3aw-australia-overnight-with-tony-mcmanus
Listen to our segment with Rachel Beard from A.H. Beard here: https://familybusinessassociation.org/article/hear-from-rachel-beard-from-a-h--beard-on-3aw-australia-overnight-with-tony-mcmanus
Listen to our segment with Val Montagnana-Wallace from Hyphen here: https://familybusinessassociation.org/article/hear-from-val-montagnana-wallace-from-hyphen-on-3aw-australia-overnight-with-tony-mcmanus
Listen to our segment with Brandon Reynolds from The Yoghurt Shop here: https://familybusinessassociation.org/article/hear-from-brandon-reynolds-from-the-yoghurt-shop-on-3aw-australia-overnight-with-tony-mcmanus
Listen to our segment with Brent Hutchinson from Don Kyatt Group here: https://familybusinessassociation.org/article/hear-from-brent-hutchinson-from-don-kyatt-group-on-3aw-australia-overnight-with-tony-mcmanus
View the transcript here:
Tony McManus
Every couple of weeks we catch up with a great personality associated with Family Business Association.
This morning, it's a joy and pleasure. We keep missing each other for some weeks now. Brydie Hull from Tobin Brothers. There's a name. Great family business right throughout Australia.
Brydie Hull, hello and welcome.
Brydie Hull
Hello. Good morning, Tony, thanks for having me.
Tony McManus
Growing up Tobin?
Brydie Hull
I was lucky enough to not have the Tobin surname. I guess lucky in a way that I could escape a little bit of the notorious name. As my Mum's a Tobin, so I got to sort of sneak through and tell only who I wanted to when I needed to in a way.
Tony McManus
Certainly in Southern states, as you would know, growing up, I mean the name was just prolific and remains so as almost the company with whom most people would have dealt.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, it's really incredible to think that a funeral company has such a well-known and recognised family name like many other sort of businesses because it is a very unique industry. So, it's pretty incredible that it is such an instantly recognised name particularly in Victoria.
Tony McManus
Tell us about what Mum did and how it was introduced to you to become a family member and part of Tobin Brothers.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, of course. Well, I'm a fourth generation family member, so my mother is a third generation, and for much of my sort of younger years, we obviously knew about the family business but Mum wasn't directly working in the business. It wasn't until probably in my early teens, Mum, who was a nurse, previously joined the family business, and then from that point on, she has changed her role many a times, and is currently on the Board of Directors. First female family member on there. And we just got to come into the office and experience the family business and get to decide if we wanted to join on our own, which I did, and my brother, and my sister, we all did.
Tony McManus
And in what capacity for you now, Brydie?
Brydie Hull
Yeah, I am the Manager of the Funeral Communications Centre, so that is two of our sort of in the heart of the hub of the business. So, one is looking after our Coordination Teams, and the other is looking after our funeral advice line, which is essentially the frontline when families call in.
Tony McManus
It feels to me, based on some recent reading and promotion, that the industry, a part of which is very importantly Tobin’s, that there seems to be a slight shift in emphasis where it's really more about celebration than perhaps historically, it may have been.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, we can definitely see that trend is coming in and I think it's happened even more so since COVID. I think what has happened is these next generations of people coming through Australia are leaning less towards that traditional, maybe church service, and more looking at what just fits their family, and getting permission to just do what suits them, and that has really changed the industry because we are seeing people celebrating things and doing things that 90 years ago when we started, just would not have happened at all.
Tony McManus
Because of conditions that prevailed at that time.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, I think so, and more, it was such a traditional... A funeral was so traditional and had its set ways and these days, you can do whatever you want for your funeral really. There's no rules anymore, and that's something we really celebrate at Tobin Brothers. We want to celebrate lives, so whatever a family wants to do is good for us, so we will help them do it.
Tony McManus
The sentiment that is obviously part of any loss as you well know, is never easy to navigate. Do you take that to work? Do people in the industry take that to work and then take it home? How do you make that distinction?
Brydie Hull
Yeah, it is really difficult when our staff are dealing with grieving people a lot of the time, and we really are conscious of things like emotional fatigue and making sure our staff members are well supported because we aren't going and doing a regular job where you might have some exposure to people grieving but this is day in, day out with families that are going through a really hard time, probably one of the hardest times in their lives. So, making sure our staff members are well taken care of is something that's really important because it can get taxing but most of our staff are pretty special individuals. I think you have to be to work in the industry and they take it as a real privilege to be able to help people during that time.
Tony McManus
With Family Business Association, and that's the reason we're talking to you this morning, is one of the many people that we've spoken to right throughout the year involved in family businesses. It's such an important sector for business in Australia, isn't it?
Brydie Hull
Yeah, it really is. Family businesses are so important to the fabric of Australia. I think we represent around 70% of the Australian economy, and that's such a significant amount they contribute, so making sure people foster and support family business is so important. And the Family Business Association is just fantastic in doing that and recognising all businesses, large and small, in the family.
Tony McManus
Is it a challenge ongoing? I know you're not necessarily at Board level, but a challenge of running a family business, it comes with certain challenges obviously, but how is that managed and how, as the business expands, which it continues to do, I mean you're looking at Sydney, you're looking at Adelaide, and certainly in Melbourne.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, it is tricky. Having a multi-generational family and we do have such a vast, we've got second generation, third generation, and fourth generation all working in the business, some that’s a descendant from the original, all from all four original brothers that started. So, we are very lucky that a number of years ago, through Family Business Association, we were able to establish a constitution in our family, which makes it really clear about the expectations of family and when we join Tobin Brothers, that we have family always at the forefront in what we're doing.
Tony McManus
Do you remember where the first office was?
Brydie Hull
It was in North Melbourne. It's actually just across the road from where our Head Office is right now, so we haven't moved too far. But yeah, the four brothers put in 50 pounds each to help pay for that original rent of that premises, and the secondhand hearse, and our Head Office is just across the road from it now.
Tony McManus
There was a very well-known Tobin who I notice is actually, I think, giving an address - or if it's not him, it's named in his honour - giving an address, coming up at Eureka Stockade Celebrations in the next week or so. I mean the brand and the name is so well known, it's got to be great for, I guess, the industry, and certainly good for the business because it is a loved name too. Not all of them are, by the way, but it is a much loved name.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, it is a much loved name and I think that is because maybe we were, our family were, a really large Irish Catholic family that were spread across Melbourne and so, people growing up often knew a Tobin or you knew of a Tobin, and so, it just had that real family feel about it and it still does, and a lot of people still call in and say, I went to school with this Tobin or I know that Tobin and I think that's why it is such a much loved brand because people often know a Tobin.
Tony McManus
We did. There was a teacher in Kanoola de la Cella. Think her name was, I'm going to say Paula Tobin, and that goes back to the late 60s, early 70s. Oh, she's a Tobin. Was a bit like that.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, and I think maybe that's why it is such an important part of sort of the fabric of Melbourne and I think it's because everyone knew a Tobin.
Tony McManus
I mentioned Adelaide, which is also very important, and doing a lot of things in South Australia.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, we're actually not in South Australia anymore.
Tony McManus
Oh, I beg your pardon. I misspoke.
Brydie Hull
We were there in the 80s and 90s, but we then decided to, I think in about 95, we sold our operations in South Australia, and really just tried to focus on Victoria, and we are in the southern New South Wales area as well.
Tony McManus
Brydie, it's a thrill, it's a delight to talk to you, and your role, I know certainly with Tobins, and with Family Business Association, it is just a wonderful relationship that you have.
Thank you for spending a little time with us and I hope we talk again soon.
Brydie Hull
Yeah, no, great. Thanks for having me.
Tony McManus
Brydie Hull, Tobin Brothers Funerals, all part of Family Business Association.
