THERE'S nothing small about Leyton Paul's office.
The huge desk he sits at, made of timber from the original family homestead, occupies a place in an overly large office, within one of the tallest buildings in downtown Brisbane.
The rent isn't costing him anything though; he owns the building.
The building itself, Legend Towers (despite it being a single building), is taken from his own self-allocated nickname, "Legend".
It's rare to hear someone call him that, but the fact it is part of the engraved name on his office door, including the inverted commas, means it holds some weight.
Around the office are artifacts and tributes to a man who has taken some bold steps to get where he is.
Then there are the photographs; a black and white one of him with his arm around John Laws; a colour one of Anthony Mundine shaking his hand; and one in a leather frame where it seems Eddie Maguire is licking Leyton's ear.
"Anybody who's anybody has had their ear licked by Eddie," Leyton said. "And I don't need to tell you that I'm a bit more than just an 'anybody'."
The well-known beef industry identity is about to take another bold step in an already bold career, with the launch of yet another bold brand; Bushman's Best Beef.
Hailed as a break-through in beef marketing, early signs indicate that Bushman's Best Beef is set to add more coin to the coffers of this already well-established beef juggernaut.
The brand sees familiar beef cuts on offer, but served with an astute twist: on a fluorescent green tray.
"You see what we've done is take high quality beef and package it on a bright green Styrofoam tray," Leyton said.
"That's never been done before. And indicators show the supermarkets are having trouble keeping up with the demand, and we only just launched it prior to Christmas.
"It's bright, it's fun, it's nutritious, it's carbon friendly, climate smart, organic, gluten free, low GI, full of antioxidants, it's Australian made- it's all of those things."
Bushman's Best Beef will take its place alongside Leyton's long line of branded products including:
- Leyton's Choice (cuts served on a bright pink tray)
- Ultra Beef (cuts served on a blue tray)
- Super AAA Gold Label (cuts served on a gold tray)
- Premium Goodness Certified (cuts served on an orange tray)
- Fleshmaster (cuts served on trays featuring scantly clad women).
What makes the success of the various product ranges astounding is the fact that Leyton has not changed his beef production procedures since first entering the industry in 1991.
In fact, there is no property or herd distinction for meat being produced for, say, Super AAA Gold Label, and for the new brand, Bushman's Best Beef.
But Leyton insists there are key differences to the brands.
"The colour of the trays for instance, is one key difference," he said.
"But there's strength in commonality to. Each of my brands is officially Australian Beef Cattle Quality Standard Endorsed (ABCQSE) to the highest level."
The ABCQSE system was established in 1994 with funding donated by the Paul family.
Leyton is the sole director and board member of the ABCQSE committee.
The public's willingness to snap up a new line from the Paul empire has rocketed this young entrepreneur's career along.
He is worth an estimated $120 million.
The backbone of the operation is his network of three gigantic properties; Stormwater, outside the north western town of Buffaroo, Qld; Calico Plains, 50km west of South Chesterbrook, Qld; and the Northern Territory jewel, Cauldwell, at Trum-Trum.
The Leyton Paul story is now a very well known one, thanks in no small part to his own promotion of it through self-published memoirs (also available in audio-book format), a television mini-series and a major motion picture featuring Hugh Jackman who was reportedly "hand picked" by Leyton for the lead role, following a $12 million agreement.
The only child of Victorian cabbage-farming parents, Leyton set his sights on a bigger stage after selling the family vegetable property from underneath his parents to purchase a small real estate agency in East Bauble at just 18 years old.
His gift for marketing and salesmanship blossomed and before long he'd established the now famous, Leyton Paul's Real Estate with the catchphrase: "If we can't sell it, it's not worth selling."
From there he ventured into used car dealerships (Leyton Paul's Used Cars), pawn shops (Leyton Paul's Born to Pawn) and mobile phone stores (Leyton Paul's Calls).
His ability to think outside the box and infiltrate difficult markets is exhibited nowhere better than with the launch of his own men's fragrance, "Leyton Paul's Leyton Paul by Leyton Paul", which was quickly followed by a female version, "Leyton Paul's Humility (by Leyton Paul)" and a now defunct children's fragrance, "Uncle Leyton Paul's Invincible".
According to Volume II of his five-part autobiography, Leyton awoke one morning having been approached by John Wayne in a dream who encouraged him to enter rural industry, in particular the beef industry.
The same dream also saw him enter his "eye-patch period", where he insisted on wearing the Rooster Cogburn-style adornment for 12 months.
A series of strategic property purchases eventually led him to his current sprawling total of 4.3 million hectares of land.
While the beef industry has served Leyton well, he has concerns about the trends developing within some of the larger players.
"I think there's a lot of arrogance within beef these days," he said.
"It's a shame because there are some hurdles that the industry just isn't getting over, because of it.
"I know what and who they are, and I'd be happy to point them out for those concerned."
As for advice for those younger producers wanting make their mark on the sector, Leyton doesn't pull any punches.
"The easiest way to be successful in this industry is to be me. If you're not, good luck to you," he said.
In his own words...
SOME have questioned the authenticity of it; others live by its no-nonsense philosophy.
One thing is for sure though; it's hard to ignore an autobiography that stretches over five volumes and has attracted 36 individual lawsuits.
Here's an extract from "Volume III - Mountains I've Conquered and Giants I've Slain", of Leyton Paul's autobiography: Me- A Glorious Recount of Leyton J. Paul (RRP $89.95, Paul Publishing Pty Ltd.):
"Wombat Creek- was there ever a more dismal body of water in this country? I thought not at the time, and I think not now either.
"It was good fortune that years later I would purchase the rights to the creek itself and re-name it: Leyton's Misery Creek.
"For the time being though, we'd reached this forsaken part of the journey after 12 straight days of riding, pushing a mob of about 60,000 steers from Cullnoorie Station.
"As luck would have it, one of our young ringers had taken ill about four days back so I naturally let him on my horse while I walked alongside for the remaining eight days, forgoing my water so the young lad could stay hydrated.
"Though I don't recall his name, I heard years later, so thankful was he for my act he named his first born 'Leyton'.
"Should I ever come across him again, I shan't have the heart to tell him the trend is not a new one, though I would duly note his son as my namesake number 63.
"We camped beside Wombat Creek, and although weak, I was determined to lead my cattle and group of four men to safety.
"I'd just finished fixing the usual five-course meal for my droving team from what rations we had and bush tucker I could find (Sidenote: Old Johnny Gumboot used to wonder if I were presented with five loaves and two fishes would I be able to feed an even larger group- though I've never tried, I don't doubt I could), when an equine groan of pain reminded me that we had a lame horse.
"My knowledge of bush remedies kicked in and using a special mixture of sap, berry juices, saliva and a paperbark bandage, the beast was soon on the mend.
"A letter from her owner, old Percy Cummins, confirmed some time later the horse's full recovery as she won the Cox Plate.
"I wasn't at all surprised; after all, I'd taught her to gallop."
- This article is of a fictious nature and done with the intention of humour. Happy April Fool's Day.