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Paint to Prosperity Trade Show & Conference
2 & 3rd September. Get on board!!
Run a successful Contracting Business And have a life too!!!
www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORS • Caroline Miall • Dan Buzer • Daniel Wurm • Jack Josephsen • Jennie Gorman • Jim Baker • Leo Babauta • Monroe Porter • Nigel Gorman • Robert Bauman • Rob Erich
From the Editor Hi Everyone, Thats another financial year done and dusted! Heres hoping you had a profitable one.We are now focusing all our efforts on the Paint to Prosperity Painters Trade Expo and Conference, being held at Eagle Farm Race Course on the 2nd & 3rd September. Interest in the Painters Expo is growing at a rapid rate. With 9 weeks still to go before the event we have secured the commitment of 16 organisations to host stands at the Expo. Its an impressive line up from our Industry! You can see a full list of those that have committed inside this edition. We have also finalised our list of speakers for Fridays free talks that will run in conjunction with the Painters Expo. Monroe Porter (Proof Management Consultants), Tas Moulis (QPaint), Jim Baker (Not Just a Painter), Chris Munday (Get a Painter), Daniel Wurm (National Institute of Painting & Decorating) and some government representatives talking about the industry. Anyone can attend these talks and we will be releasing the program closer to the day. The busy Friday trade expo will be followed up by Saturdays Paint to Prosperity conference. This is a fully catered, ticketed event with sales to finish a week prior to the conference. Ticket sales are gathering momentum as we near the date, and were expecting a large turnout for this event so dont miss out. We will keep you updated with more details as the weekend draws nearer. Less than nine weeks to go!
Till next month. Happy painting,
• Sandra Price
GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado
Nigel Gorman
nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
07 3555 8010
Contents 6
“… Do Not Start Your Day, Until You Finish It …” -Jim Rohn How the 5 fingers got their names
9
How to ramp up your Business Success $100 MILLION Regional Job Package
18 21
How to start a blog in 20 minutes
Alex Madden
supports SME’s in regional QLD
12
Is Your Business Climbing the LADDER OF SUCCESS?
14
How to Run a CONTRACTING BUSINESS and Have a Life Too
17
The Main Ingredients to Building Strong Relationships in Business
What productivity system won’t solve
36 39
26
Industry Idiots
40
29
Important Contacts
41
Why Oils ain’t Oils in Resin Flooring Specification SHIP PAINTING in the 1600’s
32
Opinions and viewpoints expressed in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher or any Aussie Painters Network’s staff or related parties. The publisher, Aussie Painters Network and Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine personnel are not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. Information contained in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as financial, legal or accounting advice. You should seek professional advice before making business related decisions. We are not liable for any losses you may incur directly or indirectly as a result of reading Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. Reproduction of any material or contents of the magazine without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
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“… Do Not Start Your Day, Until You Finish It …” -Jim Rohn This article is being written at the beginning of the year. A notorious time for giving ourselves plenty of stick for not achieving enough last year, so we scribble down our plans and goals, hoping that they will be ticked off at the end of the new year that has just begun. This is also a time of year to get worldly advice from all the experts out there, who if you were to see behind the curtain shutters would probably learn they don’t get the same results for themselves that they declare. A rule that seems to make sense is … • Find someone who is getting the results you want • Learn what actions they take to get those results • Apply those actions to what you’re doing. This process seems to work well for many people, because it’s based on actual and real outcomes. There is also room for customising the actions to fit your personal style, goals and situation. The key to making this simple and common sense strategy work is the difference between success and failure … “What we measure we manage and what we manage improves” It really is that simple. Successful people tend to be very aware of what results they’re aiming for, what results they are getting and what strategies get the results they want, for other people. Think about
6 | Aussie Painters Network
something you are good at. Odds are, you have context that helps you see these 3 measuring criteria. Here are 3 simple ideas for you to consider applying to your list of wants for the New Year … 1. Put next to each goal a way of measuring how close you are to achieving it. 2. Write a brief description of your strategy to achieve the goal. 3. Write a list of people who you can learn from or collaborate with to achieve the goal. One of the most successful educators on the subject of self-improvement is Jim Rohn. One of his most famous quotes was a part of his philosophy on getting results. He asked some common sense questions and gave the following answers … When should you start your day? Not until you have finished it. When should you start your week? Not until you have finished it. When should you start your year? Not until you have finished it. When should you start your life? Not until you have finished it. Jim goes on to say that people who take some time to plan their activities tend to pick up the prizes of success. Having the discipline to get clear on long term outcomes and short term outcomes takes some effort, but the results you desire are probably achievable if you would only take the time to follow a plan to get them.
The Profit Mechanics Business Development System has a Personal Management System. This suite of easy to customise and implement ‘paper based’ tools help people to get clarity on what they’re aiming for, were they are now and what activity they have planned to get the results they want. If you would like a copy of a few of these tools to experiment with, just give us a call and we will email you something to get you started. Mention this article and you can also have a copy of the Profit Mechanics Sales & Marketing Diagnostic Questionnaire along with a 30 minute phone chat to help guide you through the tool and apply your business objectives to it.
Remember … Business is More Fun, When There’s Profit!
Dan Buzer
Profit Mechanics
Business Development Manager 0414 567 188
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How the 5 fingers got their names You use your hands every day to do thousands of things, but have you ever wondered why you refer to your fingers by names like ‘thumb’ and ‘pinky? The origins of body part names can be hard to pin down because of the way language evolves, but here’s what we know about why thumbs are thumbs and why little fingers are pinkies.
as the first finger which explains why ‘forefinger’ is also sometimes used.
1. THUMB Different from the other four digits in that it is shorter and wider and only has two phalanges instead of three, the thumb earned its name from a description of its physical characteristics in relation to its neighbours. In medical terminology, the word for thumb is pollex. The term ‘thumb’ was first used before the 12th century and is believed to have come from the ProtoIndo-European term tum, meaning ‘to swell’ which makes the thumb ‘the swollen one’. There is some debate as to whether the thumb can rightfully be called a finger but classification aside, the name fits.
3. MIDDLE FINGER The second finger (third digit) has the most literal meaning of all. Less commonly referred to as the ‘long or tall finger’, the digitus medius manus sits in the centre of the hand, right between the digitus secondus manus and the ring finger. How the middle finger became an offensive gesture is another story altogether.
2. INDEX/POINTER FINGER Next in line after the pollex is the digitus secundus manus. Index comes from the Latin indicō, which means ‘to point out’ which is also where the term ‘pointer’ comes into play. Although it is the second digit (after the thumb) the index is recognized
4. RING FINGER Known medically as the digitus medicinalis, digitus quartus manus, or digitus annularis manus, the origin of the term ‘ring finger’ dates back to second century Egypt and has to do with the heart. Egyptians believed that there was a vein in the fourth finger known as the lover’s vein that was connected to the heart, an untrue theory that Romans also came to believe many years later. To signify that a man had a hold of a woman’s heart he would follow the gospel of Beyoncé and put a ring on it, a practice that lives on today.
5. PINKY FINGER The fifth digit and smallest of the fingers is the digitus minimus manus. According to World Wide Words, ‘pinkie’ was used by Scots to refer to something small, as explained in An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language by John Jamieson, published in 1808. The term comes from the Dutch pink, meaning ‘small’. Jamieson writes that to ‘pink’ means to ‘contract the eye’ and the adjective pinkie is ‘applied to the eye, when small, or contracted’. The Collins Dictionary lists the origin of a related word, ‘pinkeye’ to the Dutch pinck oogen, which also appears in Jamieson’s dictionary entry for pink and translates to ‘small eyes’.
So the next time you are giving the thumbs up, picking your nose, giving the bird, getting married or having a cup of tea the English ‘toffee’ way, you will know where the names originated from.
Jim Baker www.mytools4business.com 2016 July Issue | 9
10 | Aussie Painters Network
Do you have an apprentice?
What does your apprentice do on rained out days, or down-time between jobs when you’re paying them?
2016 July Issue | 11
Is Your Business Climbing the
LADDER OF SUCCESS?
The beginning of a financial year is like a new page you can open to start writing a new story for your business. This is your opportunity to take stock and review what went well in your business last financial year and where you can see opportunities for improvement. It’s a great time to get your mind-set ready for the new year and not just make plans, but also set your intentions to climb the ladder of success. Business practices evolve all the time as more technology solutions come on the market that help business owners become more effective. So a good place to start is to look at your current processes and procedures you have in place to manage your business. Are they serving you well or leaving you stranded sometimes? A successful business owner is always on the lookout for opportunities to improve their practices and adopt new ways of doing things. First up though, you need to make sure you get the basics right. Ask yourself some critical questions and be honest with your answers. Here’s what you need to consider: 1. Are your administration and management systems still meeting your business needs? Streamlining your financial administration processes and management systems can help you save a lot of time. Time you could be spending on delivering your core services or developing new products and services.
12 | Aussie Painters Network
Choosing the right accounting package for your business can be a little overwhelming, I know, but we can help you with that. Not only that, we can also teach you how to use them. Once you’ve got them set up and integrated with other processes like stock control, payroll etc, you’ll never look back. 2. Do you have timely and efficient communication processes with your prospects and clients, or could they be improved? Who hasn’t been there? You’re up on a ladder somewhere with a dripping
paint brush and the phone rings. You know it’s going to voice mail, but when you finally get down from the ladder, there is a major issue that’s just emerged on the job and you have to attend to it immediately, and on it goes. By the time you remember that there was a phone call and you check your messages, it’s getting late. You return the call while you’re driving home and you don’t get an answer. If it was a new enquiry, you may have already lost the opportunity, because the caller might have called one of your competitors in the meantime.
What you do need, however, is to think about how you want to handle those times when you are “on the ladder”. Using virtual receptionists are just one way how small business owners can manage incoming calls effectively and provide excellent customer service. Talking to a ‘real person’ cannot be matched by any voice mail greeting, no matter how friendly it is. 3. Do you and your team have the necessary skills and knowledge to serve your business better? Big companies with huge staff numbers generally have a learning and development budget. The company benefits when employees are provided with opportunities to improve their skills, if they want them to stay at the cutting edge of their fields. As a small business owner you need to do the same for yourself and your staff. It can be difficult and time consuming though to find out where to turn to for affordable and recognised skills development programs. One of the best ways to scan the environment and find out what’s hot in your industry is to attend the Aussie Painters Network Trade Expo and/ or Paint to Prosperity Conference
in September 2016. You’ll meet presenters of leading manufacturers, accessories companies and other organizations that have an interest or stake hold in the painting industry. There will also be guest speakers (including me) who’ll be talking about their area of expertise. 4. Have you made the right decisions to invest in your business? In an ever changing tax environment you can often find great opportunities. For example, you can upgrade or purchase new machinery or equipment right now and claim it as an instant tax write off to the value of $20,000. Investing in your staff is another area that can pay great dividends in the future and is eligible for tax deduction. If you have too much going on yourself in the business or in your private life in September, why not send your trusted staff member to the Trade Expo or Conference
and empower them to bring back the knowledge they gain. 5. Are your margins big enough to ensure continuous cashflow and boost your profits? Reviewing your critical business numbers is important to stay profitable. If you find that you are working hard for not much gain, it can crush your motivation and ultimately lead to burn-out and the demise of your business. Ask your accountant to help you analyse your financials and identify the areas where you can increase your margins. There’s nothing like an informal chat to give you further input into your thinking. I will definitely be at the Trade Expo and Conference and look forward to meeting you there and talking about the issues you currently face. Arrange a No-Obligation Meeting with me.Visit our new website at www.straighttalkat.com.au and complete your details on our Home page to for an appointment.
Call Us: (07) 3399 8844
2016 July Issue | 13
How to Run a
CONTRACTING BUSINESS
and Have a Life Too Time management is a real challenge and today’s instant communication world has not made things any easier. How can you really save time? Where are you going to put it; how long will it last? In reality, when people talk about time management what they are really talking about is how to become efficient. Hopefully, some of the tips provided in this article will help make your business and life run more efficiently. Let’s start with some philosophical wisdom. Pogo the famous cartoon strip philosopher said it all, on April 22nd, 1970, “WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US.” Efficiency starts by your looking in the mirror and admitting you have a problem and only you can fix it. It’s not your customers fault, your employees fault, or societies fault. It is your fault. It is going to require you to learn some new habits, tell people no and not be such a control freak. And guess what, it is not going to be easy. My quote in this regard is “successful people get done what is important”. This requires two things, to determine what is important and next, not to be distracted from getting it done. While this seems trite
14 | Aussie Painters Network
and somewhat easy, in reality such focus takes discipline. Start by analyzing your own time. Keep a time clock on yourself for 3 days. Set your phone to beep every 30 minutes and record what you have been doing. Once you have done this, write a value by each item such as what you would be willing to pay someone else to perform the task. Changing your own oil is a $15 dollar an hour task, you can’t make 100k a year doing tasks worth $15 an hour. It is a hard lesson to learn but such thriftiness is actually costing you money. Next, note which items can be delegated to someone else. Next, denote which items are most important and focus on getting those done. Don’t confuse urgency with importance. The squeaky wheel may get the oil but if you did proper maintenance, the wheel may not have squeaked. Next, get admin help, and I mean good admin help. Most contractors are awful at paperwork and they hate doing it. Many are disorganized. You can buy all the day planners, software programs and other time management tools in the world but you probably won’t use
them. Disorganized people need someone to organize them and keep them pointed. If you are a residential contractor, give up your appointment calendar and let your office person set your appointments. Numerous cloud based calendars such as Google calendar are out there. Let the strong office person figure that out. Obtain a new cell phone number and don’t give your customers your new cell number. Have them call the office and have the admin person help them. Contrary to what many road warriors think, you can’t efficiently run a business while zooming down the road on your cell phone. Yeah, I know the customer wants to talk to you. Customers want their problems solved. The office manager can text you if there is a problem. They can also help manage the work schedule and help with color selection and material ordering. A good admin person will tell you what to do, rather than you tell them. The right personality will simply take things away from you and get things done. A strong admin is going to cost you anywhere from $20 to $30 an hour depending on the area of the country you live in.
They should cost you 3-6% of sales. You are better off to have a smart $30 an hour person 5 hours a day than a $15 weak person for 40 hours a week. A good person will quickly pay for his or herself. Whenever possible sell on the spot. It’s great if you can use an IPad but if not use a handwritten form, if necessary. You can have almost any form you have in word or excel plugged into an electronic format. Keep it really simple. Hire a college intern or someone to help you set it up. Put a printer in your truck. Suppliers will hook everything up for you. The most important thing to do is not the software or form but rather to continue the estimate while you are already in slow brain. All estimating, math and problem solving happens in slow brain. Fast brain is memory recall. Since you have already measured the job and taken time to think it through in slow brain, simply continue the
process. Having to rethink the estimate later and get the logic back into your head, wastes time. Selling on the spot is the single greatest thing you can do to reduce stress. Learn to perform tasks as they occur. Don’t let estimates and paperwork pile up. Take an extra 15 minutes while you are there. Finish it first and then move on.
If you want to be more efficient as a business owner, the solution is pretty simple. Spend less time on admin duties. Develop a more efficient estimating process. Communicate your jobs to your crews more effectively. You make money selling and producing jobs, not processing paper, ordering material or scheduling jobs.
Stop writing directions for your field crew and use photos. Use a tablet or phone to take pictures of the job. Then use an app to write on the photo and then give to the crew. You can do this. There are numerous simple programs that 5 year olds use to draw funny faces on photos.
Discipline is your friend. Discipline by its nature seems like it is our enemy but in reality it is our friend. Being more efficient is about selfdiscipline and better work habits. Only you can change yourself.
Develop good work habits. Don’t stay up late at night and pretend you are working when in reality you are just shuffling paper. Get up and hour earlier and do that work in the morning. Spend evening time with your family and friends.
Management Consultants.
Monroe Porter
is president of a PROOF Call at 804 267-1688
monroe@proofman.com
www.proofman.com 2016 July Issue | 15
16 | Aussie Painters Network
The Main Ingredients to Building Strong Relationships in Business Business is changing faster than ever. Gone are the days when you wanted a service or product that you just went out and purchased the first available on offer. People are now more savvy shoppers and want more than the widget or service that is being offered. More often now I find that price has nothing to do with someone not purchasing what is for sale. A purchaser wants to know that the person they are buying from has other attributes too. Knowing who they are purchasing from, what sort of customer service they will get now and in the future, are they getting the best from the best and where is the social proof of that belief? These are all of great importance to the consumer. The internet has changed business totally and continues to do so daily. Social media gives people the opportunity to talk about others, to recommend services and products, or to tell others not to go there. This is very powerful, especially if you are have negative statements being publicised on the internet. Why do you think large organisations have rooms of people scouring the net for any negative comments that are being made about them or their products? Airlines, car manufacturers and utility companies, along with many others, have this down to perfection. If you put something negative out there, you will be contacted in the hope that it can be rectified before it does any damage
to the company. Do a Google search and you will find some remarkable stories and videos from people who have boycott big companies and been very vocal about it. As a small business person, this is just as important to you as it is to large companies. People network in groups and talk about who is out there, what they are offering and who is the best person to engage for services and products. A negative comment can do untold damage to one’s business that can get out of control if not rectified very fast. So, do you want to be one of those businesses that people rave about or someone who provides second
rate services/products? Do you want to have people discussing you in a negative way in social media? It is important to be seen and perceived as providing the best service/product, be squeaky clean, to portray the image that people are seeking and to give the very best that is available to your clients. I believe that people buy from people firstly on authenticity and trust, social proof and integrity. Stand out by proving that you have these qualities and your raving fans will support you and your business.
Jennie Gorman
www.connexionsunlimited.com.au
2016 July Issue | 17
HOW TO RAMP UP YOUR
Business Success Now is one of the best times to start ramping up your business success! Why now? you may ask...The simple answer is that you’ve got enough months of business data now from the current financial year to look back on, which can help you work out what did and didn’t work. You can see trends and identify business areas that are performing poorly and require more attention. This is extremely valuable information that can help you create a plan for the next year.
WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? Every small business owner has a different understanding of what success means to them. It very much depends on the reasons why you went into business in the first place that will shape your own definition of success. Some business owners are out to create financial freedom,and nothing short of that would be regarded as success. Others might have idealistic goals of making a difference in other people’s lives through their business. High business profits may not be the greatest measure of success for them. Then again, for some, business success could be measured by always being able to pay their bills and enjoy life along the way. Defining what success means to you will also shape your vision and
18 | Aussie Painters Network
how you plan to achieve your vision in the next year. Sit down and think about this first before you go on making plans. It is one of the most important steps in creating a plan, if you really want to stick to it.
Create a vision board
Now that you’re really clear about what success means to you, you are ready to create your vision for the next year, what you want to go for and what you want to achieve. One of the best ways to bring your vision to life is by creating a vision board. Use images or expressions that illustrate and really encapsulate your vision. Be as detailed as you want to be, and if you want that new metallic blue Holden Ute, put a picture of it on your vision board. Yes, it’s that simple. For maximum effect, print the vision board out in full colour, and look at it every day. It will keep you motivated when you need it.
Create your plan
Making a plan is the next step in bringing your vision to fruition.
Look at your vision and work out the steps that you need to take to achieve it. There is often more than one goal you need to reach before you’ll have achieved your vision. Think about the WHAT, WHEN and HOW you will be measuring your achievements. Put as much detail into the plan as possible.
Get some advice
Finally, it pays to have someone have a look at your plan and give you a reality check. Setting goals that are not achievable in a given set of circumstances are only going to frustrate you along the way. Someone who is looking at your plan with a fresh perspective can help you spot any weaknesses in the plan. If you have a business coach or mentor, talk to them and ask them for their feedback. They know your strengths and weaknesses and are in an excellent position to help you in the planning phase as well. You could also talk to a business colleague in your trusted circle instead. Your
accountant or bookkeeper could give you current business figures and help you create a budget that will help underpin your plan.
to them, or indeed, if you are still giving them the services or products they want. All customer feedback will give you a unique insight into your market and can help you create a plan that will be relevant and achieve your vision.
Talk to your employees
Your employees will be helping you to achieve your vision. Why not ask them for ideas on how to make your vision a reality and invite them to contribute to your plan. Employees often have insights into current areas of business operations which need to be improved that you couldn’t easily see from your perspective. Let them help you see your blind spots and shed some light on it. Your plan will be so much better for it.
Talk to your customers
business will run off the rails eventually. The easiest way to get into your customers’ heads is to ask them relevant questions. For example, you could create a survey, or have a permanent “Suggestions” box at the counter.
Finally, you can plan all you want, The important thing is to get feedbut if the plan isn’t meeting your back from your customers about the services or products you deliver customers’ needs and wants, your
Phone: +07 3372 4554 Email: admin@pbks.com.au
www. pbks.com.au
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Researched & professionally written employee handbook templates by Australian HR experts 2016 July Issue | 19
Maintain Your Family’s Living Standard
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$100 MILLION Regional Job Package supports SME’s in regional Queensland If your business is in regional Queensland and you are wanting to employ new staff including apprentices, the recent state budget announcement will be welcome news. Small to medium size employers (SME’s) in regional Queensland will now receive an incentive to increase their workforce through the Back to Work Regional Jobs Package. From 1 July 2016 SME’s employing a job seeker in a role located outside South East Queensland, may be eligible for payments of up to $15,000 through the program. Back to Work is a two year $100 million package to give businesses the confidence to employ regional job seekers while providing an economic boost to the regions in challenging times. BUSY At Work CEO, Paul Miles welcomed the announcement. “This is great news for employers in regions that are doing it tough, as it will provide them with support to help build their skills base and up skill and retrain people for jobs”.
“Apprentices and trainees are also regarded as eligible employees, provided their employer is not eligible for the Queensland’s Apprentice Trainee rebate for payroll tax,” Mr Miles said. The program is aimed to encourage employers to provide up to 8,000 real jobs to eligible job seekers in regional areas of Queensland. Back to Work includes a focus on the long term unemployed, young people, older Queenslanders, Queenslanders with a disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. All eligible employees attract a payment of up to $10,000 paid to the employer. This increases to $15,000 for employees who have been unemployed for 52 weeks or more. Eligible part-time jobs between 20 and 34 hours per week on average attract 75% of the full support payment.
Who is an eligible employer? All employers who hire an eligible employee in a regional Queensland
job are eligible except for Government entities including local, state and federal government, government owned corporations and statutory bodies. Employers will be asked to certify they: • have a good workplace safety or industrial relations record; and • are committed to ongoing employment of the employee.
Who is an eligible employee? An eligible employee is a person who: • is a resident of Queensland • was unemployed for at least four weeks directly prior to commencing employment with the eligible employer • long term unemployed is defined as unemployed for 52 weeks or more • have not worked for the employer in the previous 12 months • commenced work with the eligible employer on, or after, 1 July 2016 and has worked for at least four weeks prior to application
2016 July Issue | 21
What is an eligible job?
An eligible job must:be mainly located in regional Queensland, that is outside of the following local government areas: Brisbane, Redlands, Logan, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Toowoomba. • not be a job on contract with a third party, such as a labour hire company or group training organisation • be paid work full-time or parttime (not casual) • be at least 20 hours per week on average; and • not offer full-time salary or wages above $120,000 per annum (or pro rata for part-time). Back to Work officers will work across the following regions: Outback, Far North, Townsville, Wide Bay, Fitzroy, Mackay, and South West Queensland.
Job readiness support Eligible employees will also have access to job readiness support to help them start their new job. This may include training, purchasing new equipment and uniforms or gaining or renewing trade licenses.
Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) Incentives Did you know as a business working in the Painting Industry you may also be eligible for up to a further $9,000 by employing an apprentice? There is a range of support and incentives available for businesses in the Painting Industry depending on the eligibility of the employer and the employee.
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Currently there are more than 600 qualifications available for apprenticeships or traineeships. Certificate III in Painting and Decorating is listed as an occupation on the National Skills List.
Getting the right person in the right job As an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) provider, BUSY At Work delivers Gateway Services which can assess a participant’s commitment and suitability to an apprenticeship before they start. This ensures the right people are matched with the right job from the very start. BUSY also provides FREE recruitment of all Apprenticeship and Traineeship vacancies. BUSY’s Career and Placement Advisors will discuss your vacancy specifics and suggest suitable options for recruitment. Through the utilisation of BUSY’s highly successful website ApprenticeshipCentral.com.au your vacancy
will be placed free of charge where thousands of prospective job seekers across Australia can view and apply for your role. The BUSY At Work team will then manage the application process and assess suitable candidates against your specific selection criteria and provide you with a shortlist for interview. The end to end support of the team at BUSY ensures a streamlined process from vacancy to commencement of your new Apprentice or Trainee. For further information regarding apprenticeships please contact BUSY’s Career and Placement Advisors on 13 28 79 or visit www.busyatwork.com.au or to list a job go to BUSY’s job matching site www.apprenticeshipcentral.com.au For more information about the Back to Work – Regional Employment Package, go to qld.gov.au/backtowork or phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
The portable, inexpensive method to prevent paint waste-water polluting the environment.
2016 July Issue | 23
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2016 July Issue | 25
What PRODUCTIVITY SYSTEMS won’t solve If you’re like me, you’re always looking for the perfect productivity system. Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist. The problem isn’t with the productivity system — the problem is that none of them can solve a few really important (and related) problems: 1. Procrastination 2. Fear of uncertainty 3. Fear of discomfort For example, at the top of my to-do list today is “write Zen Habits post” and “write intro to declutter course” … pretty simple, right? Two fairly straightforward tasks. But as I started this post, I went to check and respond to email, sent a message to my wife, checked on my finances, cleaned the kitchen a little. I’m super productive at the little things when I’m putting off the big tasks!
No matter how good the productivity system is, it falls apart when I start procrastinating. When a task is uncomfortable, I procrastinate, just like most people. When I’m facing a lot of uncertainty with a task, I procrastinate. Like most of us. Often, we’ll work on a new productivity system, try out a new to-do list app, start organizing, or start
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getting our email inbox to zero, or start reading about a new way to be productive (like you are now) … all as a way to procrastinate on uncertain or uncomfortable tasks. And it’s so much easier to follow the path of distractions and little tasks, than to face a big important but scary task. It’s easy to go to your bank’s website to check your balance, check on your favorite blogs and news sites, pop open your favorite social media network, and so on. These have no barrier to entry, and always give you some reward, while difficult tasks give you negative feedback and have obstacles to getting started. Not a fair fight, huh? So how do we deal with this? A few important methods: 1. Take a step back. You have to get away from the distractions and little tasks. Step away from the computer, and go outside, go for a walk, take a shower, meditate, or just sit doing nothing for one minute. That’s all it takes. Step back and think about what you should be doing right
now, rather than what’s easiest and most tempting. 2. Remember who you’re doing this for. As you step back, think about the person who will benefit from you doing this important task. Is it a co-worker, client, customer, loved one? Is it you? How will it make their life better? Maybe it’ll make something easier for them, but maybe it’ll solve a real pain point or meet an important need. I’ve found that I procrastinate when I’m focused on my own comfort, but push through procrastination when I’m focused on helping others. 3. Let yourself dive into the discomfort. Clear away distractions, just have what you need to do this one task, and allow yourself to be uncomfortable for a few minutes. Yes, it sucks, but it’s actually not that bad once you get started. It’s like diving into cold water — just dive in, don’t think about it. Once you’re in, relax into the discomfort, and see that it’s not as bad as you feared.
4. Embrace the uncertainty. A lot of time it’s a fear of uncertainty that holds us back. We don’t know how to do something, or how things will turn out, and that freaks us out a bit. We don’t want to work on something like that, or even think about it. We avoid and procrastinate and rationalize. Instead, see uncertainty as a necessary part of life (who wants a life where you know how everything would turn out? super boring) … and see it as an exciting part of life, one that is filled with wonder, curiosity, learning, exploration and adventure. Instead of looking at uncertainty as a bad thing, embrace it and see if you can get good at exploring it. Like discomfort, dive in and relax into it. 5. Do it in little bits. Yes, uncertainty and discomfort can be difficult. So don’t kill yourself trying to master them … just do it in small doses. Work on the task for just a few minutes, then walk around and take a break. Then sit down and focus again, relaxing into the discomfort and uncertainty. Repeat. With this kind of mindful practice, you’re training yourself to get good at discomfort and uncertainty. This is a wonderful skill to get good at!
And in the end, not only will you be facing down the most difficult aspect of productivity, you’ll be doing something good for others in the process.
Leo Babauta, a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger &
author from California, the creator of top 25 Blog, Zen Habits, chronicling his insights from acting significant changes in his personal and working life.
www.zenhabits.net
PAINT EXPO
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MARKETING AWARENESS Why Oils ain’t Oils in Resin Flooring Specification If you know what type of resin flooring technology you need there are a few points I’d like to tag on about on marketing that can save you some big headaches. “Oils aint oils” when it comes to resin flooring Firstly, we might be talking about resin flooring here, but the famous “oils aint oils” line could never be more appropriate. Many are lured by the charms of a cheaper price, but in the world of resin flooring there’s generally good reason why some products cost a fraction of others in the market. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing something that costs 50% more, but lasts four times longer, as “too expensive”. Test results can be seductive Secondly, you can be swamped with confusing numbers based on all sorts of test results. While these help paint the picture of what certain products are capable of, don’t let them blind you to what you really need. For example, a resin floor with 95MPa compression strength may sound mighty impressive, but is it really necessary for a department store? In reality it’s a big overkill considering most concrete compression strengths are less than 45MPa anyway. Don’t fall into the trap of making decisions based only
on a set of theoretical numbers and always try to balance out the selection process by seeking examples of the product in service. Bold claims need to be qualified Finally, spread your research across a number of suppliers for a balanced view. Unfortunately you can run into some big promises and empty marketing ploys every so often. Once again, keeping your
needs in mind as a fixed reference point will help avoid being swept away by such tactics. To illustrate my point, I saw one company promoting their resin flooring technology as “10 times stronger” than any other. While this sort of thing sounds fantastic on the surface, I’d recommend asking the suppliers to qualify these claims and having a think about what they actually mean for the success of your project.
Jack Josephsen 0408 877 256 2016 July Issue | 29
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2016 July Issue | 31
SHIP PAINTING
in the 1600’s One of the most interesting museums I have ever been to is located in Stockholme. It houses the Swedish Warship called the Vasa (or Wasa). The ship foundered and sank after sailing about 1,300 metres into her maiden voyage on 10th August 1628. She fell into obscurity after most of her valuable bronze cannons were salvaged in the 17th century until she was located again in the late 1950s in a busy shipping lane just outside the Stockholm harbour.
worked for a minimum of two years on the sculptures, most likely with the assistance of an unknown number of apprentices and assistants. Many of the figures are in Dutch grotesque style, depicting fantastic and frightening creatures, including mermaids, wild men, sea monsters and tritons. The decoration inside the ship is much sparser and is largely confined to the steerage and the great cabin at the after end of the upper gun-deck.
The museum attracts over 1,000,000 visitors a year and I can understand why. The sheer size of the complex is amazing as the ship is completely enclosed inside the building. This is for climate control and to help reduce future decaying of the timber. It can be viewed at six levels from her keel to the very top of the stern castle. There are also numerous exhibits and models portraying the construction, sinking, location and recovery of the ship.
Residues of paint had been found on many sculptures and on other parts of the ship. The entire ornamentation was once painted in vivid colors which consisted of around 20 different pigments. The sides of the beakhead (the protruding structure below the bowsprit), the bulwarks (the protective railing around the weather deck), the roofs of the quarter galleries and the background of the transom (the flat surface at the stern of the ship) were all painted red, while the sculptures were decorated in bright colors and the dazzling effect of these was in some places emphasized with gold leaf.
What amazed me mostly was how brightly coloured the ship was painted. As was the custom with warships at the time, Vasa was decorated with around 500 sculptures intended to glorify the authority, wisdom and martial prowess of the monarch and also to deride, taunt and intimidate the enemy. The sculptures made up a considerable part of the effort and cost of building the ship. It took a team of at least six expert sculptors who
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The history and the sad ending The Vasa was built on the orders of the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus as part of the military expansion he initiated in a war with
Poland-Lithuania (1621–1629). She was constructed at the navy yard in Stockholm under a contract with private entrepreneurs in 1626–1627 and armed primarily with bronze cannons cast in Stockholm specifically for the ship. Richly decorated as a symbol of the king’s ambitions for Sweden and himself, upon completion she was one of the most powerfully armed vessels in the world. However, Vasa was dangerously unstable and top-heavy with too much weight in the upper structure of the hull. When put into the water for the first time, the Vasa set sail under the lee of the bluffs to the south.
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Aussie App Store will develop a state of the art mobile app/website to grow your business using our integrated social networking applications. 34 | Aussie Painters Network
A gust of wind filled her canvas sails and she heeled suddenly to port. The sheets were cast off and the ship slowly righted herself as the gust passed. At another gap in the bluffs an even stronger gust again forced the ship onto its port side, this time pushing the open lower gun-ports under the surface and allowing water to rush into the lower gun-deck. The water quickly built up on the deck which exceeded the ship’s minimal ability to right itself and water continued to pour in until it ran down into the hold. Within a short time the ship sank to a depth of 32 metres and only 120 metres from shore. Survivors clung to debris or the upper masts which were still above the surface to save themselves and many nearby boats rushed to their aid. Despite these efforts and the short distance to land, 30 people perished with the ship (according to reports). Vasa sank in full view of a crowd of hundreds, if not thousands of mostly ordinary Stockholmers who had come to see the great ship set sail. The order to sail was the result of a combination of factors. The king, who was leading the army in Poland at the time of her maiden voyage, was impatient to see her take up her station as flagship in the Stockholm Archipelago. At the same time the king’s subordinates lacked the political courage to openly discuss the ship’s structural problems or to have the maiden voyage postponed.
The inquest A letter to the king was sent the day after the loss telling him of the sinking but it took over two weeks to reach him in Poland. ‘Imprudence and negligence must have been the cause!’ he wrote angrily in his reply, demanding in no uncertain terms
that the guilty parties be punished. The Captain, who survived the disaster, was immediately taken for questioning. Under initial interrogation he swore that the guns had been properly secured. A full inquest before a tribunal of members took place. Each of the surviving officers was questioned as was the supervising shipwright and a number of expert witnesses. The object of the inquest was as much or more to find a scapegoat as to find out why the ship had sunk. Whoever the committee might find guilty for the fiasco would face a severe penalty. Surviving crew members were questioned one by one about the handling of the ship at the time of the disaster. Was it rigged properly for the wind? Were the crew sober? Was the ballast properly stowed? Were the guns properly secured? However no one was prepared to take the blame. Crewmen and contractors formed two camps; each tried to blame the other and everyone swore he had done his duty without fault and it was during the inquest that the details of the stability demonstration were revealed. Next, attention was directed to the shipbuilders. ‘Why did you build the ship so narrow, so badly and
without enough bottom that it capsized?’ The prosecutor asked the shipwright that he built the ship as directed by the original ship-builder, Henrik Hybertsson (long since dead and buried), who in turn had followed the specification approved by the king. It was in fact widened by 1 foot 5 inches after taking over responsibility of the construction, but it was too far advanced to allow any further widening. In the end, no guilty party could be found. The answer given to the court why the ship sank was, ‘Only God knows’. Gustavus Adolphus had approved all measurements and armaments and the ship was built according to the instructions and loaded with the number of guns specified. In the end, no one was punished or found guilty for negligence and the blame effectively fell on Henrik Hybertsson. So if you’re ever visiting Stockholme in the future, make sure the ‘Vasa Museum’ is on the list of places to see. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Jim Baker www.mytools4business.com 2016 July Issue | 35
Starting a blog is one of the best decisions you can make. Not only is a personal website an exceptional way to express yourself, but a well thought-out blog can help grow your career, kick start your business, and even earn a few dollars on the side. From my first pitiful blog in college, to Money Nomad, I have launched dozens of websites over the years – and I have absolutely zero technical knowledge. Thanks to some great tools online today, building a website is a bit like playing with Legos – simply add and remove a few pieces and voila! you have an awesome website. And it’s cheap! Today, it’s not only possible to start a blog in under 20 minutes, but it can cost you less than $30! If you’ve been thinking about starting your own website, it’s time to stop daydreaming and act – now! Spend 20 minutes to complete the following four steps – and have
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your blog up in the amount of time it takes to watch a show on Netflix. Sign up for a hosting account and choose a domain name (8 minutes) The first step to launching a website of any kind is to find a host (someone to store your website and keep it online) and choose a domain name (the site link where you’ll send people to find you, i.e. “MoneyNomad.com”). Choosing a host for your website This is the only item that needs to cost a little bit of money. Although there are some “free” hosting services – if you want to be taken seriously, avoid these. Not only are you limited in what you can do, but if you decide to make your website more professional later on, it will cost you far more money and time. After trying several different hosting services, the one I am most happy with is iPage.com. Not only can you purchasing hosting for under $30/year – but the service includes
a FREE domain name ($10-15 value) and $100+ in free advertising credits across Google, MSN, and Facebook – a great way to get the word out on your new site! Finally, you can host unlimited domains. Which means, if you decide to setup another website later, all you have to pay for is the domain name.
Choosing a domain name During the process of signing up for a hosting account, you will be asked what domain name you would like to register for free. Finding an available domain name can be a lot of work – and if there is one area that could keep you from completing this entire process in 20 minutes, this is it. There are millions upon millions of websites already online – so finding a name that isn’t taken can be difficult. But it’s not impossible!
If you’re desired name is taken, you have two options: 1. Make the domain longer - If you wanted to use the domain name MoneyNomad.com, you would be out of luck – because that’s my site! However, at the time of this writing you could create a website called “MoneyNomadsInEurope.com” because that name is available. It’s unfortunate when your dream name is taken, but sometimes just adding another short word, a few initials, etc., can solve the problem. For example, if you’re a CPA and YourName.com is taken, you may be able to use the domain YourNameCPA.com.
jury is mixed on whether or not it’s better to seek out a .com or accept using another domain ending. My opinion is that, although a .com is preferred, if you create great content that people enjoy reading and sharing, your website will succeed regardless of the domain ending. What are your thoughts?
Install WordPress on your hosting account – (7 minutes) Remember when I said making websites is like playing with Legos? That’s all thanks to WordPress – a completely free software that allows you to do anything with your website. Do you want to start a blog?
Write your first blog post! (5 minutes) Congratulations – you have your own website up and ready to go. And now that you know the basics of how WordPress works, you can always make changes to your website – as most bloggers do. So don’t get caught up on perfecting your design, voice, etc. Just start writing!
The best blog post is the one that you’ve already published. Add a title, maybe a featured image if you feel like it, and get to writing. Although different than Microsoft Office, the basics of typing in WordPress are easy – and you should be able to quickly discover how to change the header, use italics, bold, underline, and quotes. Once you complete your first post, let the people at Aussie Painters Network know. Maybe we can share your ideas here in the Aussie Painting Contractor!
2. Use another domain ending besides for “.com” - The most popular domain ending is .com. And, if you can get the .com for your website – do it! However, if the .com isn’t available, and you really want to use that name, there are hundreds of other domain endings you can use. From the well known .org, .me, and .us, to newer domain endings like .guru, .tips, and .lawyer. The
Do you want to make a website like YouTube, Facebook, Groupon, or Amazon? You can use WordPress. This software is amazing! And fortunately, you can install it with just a few clicks from your host. If you’re seeking guidance on installing WordPress, and choosing a “Theme” check out my blog at http:// moneynomad.com/how-to-start-your-ownblog-in-20-minutes-the-ultimate-guide/
Rob Erich MoneyNomad.com was created to share strategies for making money and growing your net worth – all from your laptop. If you’re interested in living a financially independent, location free lifestyle, visit
www.moneynomad.com
2016 July Issue | 37
Alex Madden The NSW Training Awards recognise employers, apprentices and training providers who achieve excellence in skills training. This month painting apprentice Alex Madden from Moree in north-west NSW became a finalist in recognition of his commitment to learning his trade. Alex works for Wayne Tucker Painting and specialises in restoration and maintenance of heritage buildings and remote homesteads. Alex had experience but had not considered doing an apprenticeship because he lives 5 hours from the nearest TAFE.
During this time he also became a Dad, which tested his commitment to finishing the apprenticeship. Alex’s trainer Daniel Wurm says that ‘It showed me that Alex was determined to learn everything about his trade, despite obstacles life put in his way. Not only is he a good tradesman, hes also a great bloke who gives back to his family and community’.
Congratulations Alex on achieving your goal of becoming a fully qualified painter, and being a The Painters Institute’s on-site and on-line learning role model to other young painters. system allowed him to study at home without having to travel much. He was able to complete all the theory in 14 months and focus on applying and learning the practical on-site with his employer and his trainer.
Daniel Wurm www.painters.edu.au
Developed by Jim Baker 2013
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Find out if the things around you are SAFE for humans and pets
2016 July Issue | 39
The Industry
Idiots
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Important Contacts Aussie Painters Network www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
Ph. 0430 399 800
National Institute for Painting and Decorating www.painters.edu.au
Ph. 1300 319 790
Australian Tax Office www.ato.gov.au
Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65
Award Rates www.fairwork.gov.au
Ph. 13 13 94
Fair Work Building & Construction www.fwbc.gov.au
Ph. 1800 003 338
Mates In Construction www.matesinconstruction.com.au
Ph. 1300 642 111
Workplace Health and Safety Contacts Comcare WorkSafe ACT Workplace Health and Safety QLD Victorian WorkCover Authority WorkCover NSW SafeWork SA WorkSafe WA NT WorkSafe WorkSafe Tasmania
www.comcare.gov.au www.worksafe.act.gov.au www.worksafe.qld.gov.au www.vwa.vic.gov.au www.workcover.nsw.gov.au www.safework.sa.gov.au www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ www.worksafe.nt.gov.au www.worksafe.tas.gov.au
1300 366 979 02 6207 3000 1300 362 128 1800 136 089 13 10 50 1300 365 255 1300 307 877 1800 019 115 1300 366 322
www.actcancer.org www.cancercouncil.com.au www.cancercouncilnt.com.au www.cancerqld.org.au www.cancersa.org.au www.cancervic.org.au www.cancerwa.asn.au
(02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334 1900 (08) 8927 4888 (07) 3634 5100 (08) 8291 4111 (03) 9635 5000 (08) 9212 4333
Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA
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Standard Membership • Five postcode listings in our online directory • Work, Health and Safety Plan • Risk Assessment and Safe Work Method Statements • Incident Investigation Forms and Incident Investigation Form Register • Instant access to our pricing and estimating guides • Quotation guide to assist you when quoting • Personal service and phone advice • Web Listing for prospective customers to find you easily • Free targeted online marketing & advertising • Back-links to assist you in SEO rankings • Assistance with Debt Collection and Discounted Terms of Trade • Discounts on Courses • Painter Help section if you are looking for work or looking for painters to help