It’s a family thing

For many businesses, the sense of working as a team or extended family is an important core value. For all of us at Tributes, this concept transcends all of our operations, and we’re extremely proud to be able to accurately describe ourselves as a true family business. Here we take a look at what makes us an authentic family firm.  

The one thing that links all aspects of what we do is family. We are a family business. Many of our coffins are made by small family enterprises. A number of Funeral Directors we work with are family businesses or were established in this way. And we are ultimately supporting families in grief.  

Our origins

Tributes was established in 1994 by Richard Bush (known as Bushy) who created the business at home, out of his garage. At the outset, he was supported by his wife and three daughters in fulfilling those early orders and building up a network of contacts. As the business grew, Bushy stepped into the role of Chairman and his wife Nessa joined the Board to help oversee the company’s direction and purpose. Through the years all three of Bushy’s daughters have worked in the business, and in 2018 Tori Bush joined the family firm as Sales Manager. Her dedication in growing operations across the UK, and globally, saw her promoted to Sales Director and a member of the Board in 2022. 

Our suppliers

Many of the trusted suppliers which Tributes has recruited over the years have been family firms. Despite the perception of the Far East being a powerhouse of factories and large operations, most of the products we source from this area are made by small multi-generational enterprises, each working in their own farms to grow and harvest materials, and making, often by hand, our products. This tends to involve generations of families with skills passed on from parent to child. In the UK we have built up strong relationships with businesses such as Coates, a firm now being guided by the seventh generation of the family!  

Our customers

Independent Funeral Directors make up a significant proportion of our customer base. And many were established as family firms and remain so today. In fact, the origin of the profession is community based – originally most were the local woodworker or carpenter helping a member of the parish. Against this backdrop, many Funeral Directors can trace their roots back to long-standing family businesses. We are very proud of our relationships with our customers and really do view them as part of the Tributes family.  

Our sector

The sector in which we work has, at its heart, an individual and their family and friends. We never forget that we work in a sensitive and caring sector, which is there to support families at the most difficult time and in sometimes very upsetting circumstances.  

With all this in mind, it’s no surprise that we do really do consider ourselves a true family firm – a family owned and orientated business working with other family businesses to support families. 

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