Tom O'Toole
Encyclopedia
Tom O'Toole is an Australian inspirational speaker, author and businessman in the bakery industry.
In 1969, at the age of seventeen Tom O’Toole entered the bakers apprentice program and has been involved in the bakery business ever since. In 1974 Tom O’Toole started his career as a bakery business owner by purchasing his first shop in Beechworth
, Victoria. In 1977, he sold the business and moved to Augusta
in Western Australia
, where Tom O’Toole made his mark as a leading country baker. In 1984 Tom O’Toole returned to Beechworth, Victoria, and purchased the badly run-down bakery again, this time including an attached building for expansion, and has been in business ever since.
The Beechworth Bakery retail outlets created by Tom O’Toole today serve over 1 million customers with a net intake of more than 12 million dollars annually. There are now five other bakeries located across Victoria
and New South Wales
, Australia
in the towns of - Echuca, Albury
, Healesville, Bendigo and Ballarat.
business which offers a family friendly atmosphere and well-being for all concerned.
Tom O'Toole's father was originally from Ireland
, where he had spent his childhood before coming to Australia. His mother was a native Australian and together they had five children, of which Tom was the second youngest, followed by his brother James. (He has a sister named Betty and three brothers, Terry, Mickey and James.) While his father worked fulltime at providing for the family and his mother took care of the kids and the house, economic times limited the extent of their lifestyle. As it turned out, this might have been the exact type of deprivation Tom O'Toole needed to set the goals he has since achieved in life. There are times when the hard parts of life are what give us the energy and drive to bring forth our greater achievements.
O'Toole still sets task and plans and dreams for himself and his family. One of his inspirational quips is: "I've got to keep away from the energy suckers, the dream takers. While I'm alive I want to live, not just exist. Live! I don't want to go to my grave with my music still in me."
and his wife Leslie.
One area O'Toole constantly works at is delivering excellent customer service to his many customers every time they walk into his bakeries. O'Toole's goal is to have all customers leave with a smile on their face. To achieve this he offers training for all staff members to follow the Beechworth Bakery Customer Service Standard, which is provided by Productivity Increase Group (PIG).
O'Toole participated in a forum on mental health issues in the workforce being held in Albury, because “It's a big issue as there's so much misconception about mental illness out there. Everyone needs a purpose in life, and work can provide that. It’s about giving people a go even if they're a little bit different to us.”
O'Toole also makes regular visits to the local jail in Beechworth to motivate the inmates to set their own – healthier - goals and get back on a positive path. He does this freely on his own time because, as he says tongue in cheek, "A captive audience is one that will listen while there is nothing else to do.” O'Toole realizes that during some of the wilder times in his life his path could easily have changed for the worse, and now offers to help others turn around and get a second chance at their dreams.
In 1969, at the age of seventeen Tom O’Toole entered the bakers apprentice program and has been involved in the bakery business ever since. In 1974 Tom O’Toole started his career as a bakery business owner by purchasing his first shop in Beechworth
Beechworth, Victoria
Beechworth is a well-preserved historical town located in the north-east of Victoria, Australia, famous for its major growth during the gold rush days of the mid-1850s...
, Victoria. In 1977, he sold the business and moved to Augusta
Augusta, Western Australia
Augusta is a town on the south-west coast of Western Australia, where the Blackwood River emerges into Flinders Bay. It is the nearest town to Cape Leeuwin, on the farthest south-west corner of the Australian continent. In the 2001 census it had a population of 1,694; by 2006 the population of...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, where Tom O’Toole made his mark as a leading country baker. In 1984 Tom O’Toole returned to Beechworth, Victoria, and purchased the badly run-down bakery again, this time including an attached building for expansion, and has been in business ever since.
The Beechworth Bakery retail outlets created by Tom O’Toole today serve over 1 million customers with a net intake of more than 12 million dollars annually. There are now five other bakeries located across Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the towns of - Echuca, Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
, Healesville, Bendigo and Ballarat.
History
Born in the small rural town of Tocumwal, NSW, Australia in 1952, to an Irish father and an Australian mother (mum), Tom O’Toole was one of five siblings (four boys and one girl). O'Toole's childhood home was a primitive two-room house consisting of a kitchen and a bedroom. Throughout his school years O'Toole was more of a dreamer than a student, and neither mathematics nor reading and writing had much of an impact on him. He finally dropped out of school at the age of 14. While he is a self-proclaimed kindergarten dropout, O'Toole has learned and taught himself many creative ways of planning his dreams and ideas over the last 50+ years using whatever limited means he did have.Family
Tom O’Toole and his wife Christine have four children, two daughters who are married and now have families of their own, and two sons who currently attend universities in Australia. O'Toole's family is one of the most important things in his life, inspiring him to bring his children in and let them help run the family business, even though he does not wish them to become totally involved with the business. He would rather they live out their youth and enjoy life. O'Toole also supports his employees and staff in incorporating their family members into the bakeryBakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
business which offers a family friendly atmosphere and well-being for all concerned.
Tom O'Toole's father was originally from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where he had spent his childhood before coming to Australia. His mother was a native Australian and together they had five children, of which Tom was the second youngest, followed by his brother James. (He has a sister named Betty and three brothers, Terry, Mickey and James.) While his father worked fulltime at providing for the family and his mother took care of the kids and the house, economic times limited the extent of their lifestyle. As it turned out, this might have been the exact type of deprivation Tom O'Toole needed to set the goals he has since achieved in life. There are times when the hard parts of life are what give us the energy and drive to bring forth our greater achievements.
Personal life
O'Toole still works at furthering his education and has made it a habit to read a new book every week or so. O'Toole believes in staying up to date with today's culture and continually seeking ways to grow and expand. He regularly gives talks and seminars, and also attends seminars given by other speakers or training organizations to keep on learning. O'Toole is adamant that people have to believe in themselves, in their business and in their community to achieve their dreams. O'Toole also believes the best is yet to come, and that helps him maintain his inner comfort giving him energy to go forward.O'Toole still sets task and plans and dreams for himself and his family. One of his inspirational quips is: "I've got to keep away from the energy suckers, the dream takers. While I'm alive I want to live, not just exist. Live! I don't want to go to my grave with my music still in me."
Career
O'Toole and the Beechworth Bakery were awarded ‘The most significant regional attraction’ in the Victorian Tourism Awards for 1994, 1995 and 1998, presented each time by the Governor of Victoria, Richard McGarvieRichard McGarvie
Richard Elgin McGarvie, AC, KStJ, QC was a judge in the Supreme Court of Victoria and Governor of Victoria from 1992 to 1997.-Early life:...
and his wife Leslie.
One area O'Toole constantly works at is delivering excellent customer service to his many customers every time they walk into his bakeries. O'Toole's goal is to have all customers leave with a smile on their face. To achieve this he offers training for all staff members to follow the Beechworth Bakery Customer Service Standard, which is provided by Productivity Increase Group (PIG).
Volunteer work
Ever since they played a big part in turning O’Toole’s life around when he found himself deep in depression, Tom O’Toole has been a big supporter of Lifeline, and donates his time giving talks for them on a regular basis, to help promote “Stress Down Day.”O'Toole participated in a forum on mental health issues in the workforce being held in Albury, because “It's a big issue as there's so much misconception about mental illness out there. Everyone needs a purpose in life, and work can provide that. It’s about giving people a go even if they're a little bit different to us.”
O'Toole also makes regular visits to the local jail in Beechworth to motivate the inmates to set their own – healthier - goals and get back on a positive path. He does this freely on his own time because, as he says tongue in cheek, "A captive audience is one that will listen while there is nothing else to do.” O'Toole realizes that during some of the wilder times in his life his path could easily have changed for the worse, and now offers to help others turn around and get a second chance at their dreams.