Aussie Painting Contractor November 2015

We’re celebrating

Aussie Painting Contractor’s 50th edition!

APN launches the latest in training innovation

Painters Training Wheels

NSW Government Responds...

To questions about licensing changes

www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

From the Editor Hi Everyone, This month has flown at a rate of knots and had our heads spinning!

This issue is number 50 for us which is a major milestone for the Aussie Painting Contractor. Aussie Painters Network’s membership numbers have grown this month to bring our numbers to 600, and our website is just shy of reaching the milestone of 100,000 visitors since it was launched 17 months ago. That is probably why we are ranked well inside the top 10,000 most visited sites in Australia! (according to Alexa Rankings).

The last couple of months APN has been quietly developing more Members resources and this month we have added a full set of JSEA’s to our Members area.

But our biggest innovation is undoubtedly the ‘Painters Training Wheels’ which was launched last week. What we hadn’t anticipated is the opportunity to be filmed by the 60 Minutes team just as we launched! As far as we know this is a world first in training, we have even been contacted by industry people in both United States and United Kingdom.

Who would have thought such a simple idea would attract so much attention! Though, we are fairly chuffed with our new Painters Training Wheels, so we can see why all the interest. In a time when mobility and convenience is critical, innovation is the necessary response. If you haven’t caught up and seen our latest project to get the painting industry moving, check out the launch of Painters Training Wheels inside.

We would like to thank Taubmans, Australian Brushware Corporation and Signs and Designs who did the signwriting on the truck with very a limited time frame.

In other news, this month’s issue we publish the controversial response from the NSW Government, following questions put to them about changing of painters licensing in the state. We have printed their reply to each query in full, and think that some of the answers information might surprise a few members of the industry, and perhaps help to explain how we got here. Take a look, we think you’ll be fascinated too.

Nigel Gorman

nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

07 3555 8010

EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORS • Anne-Maree Russell • Caroline Miall • Daniel Wurm • Jack Josephsen • Jennie Gorman • Jim Baker • Justin Barlow • Leo Babauta • Mike Feizpour • Monroe Porter • Nigel Gorman • Robert Bauman • Sandra Price

GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado

Contents Aussie Painters Network Unveils a First in Innovative Training NSW Government Responds Standing out from the Crowd Too Much Work, Too Few people

6

10 13 14

Health and Safety

17

No Room for a Tree?

20

What’s the big deal about solvents?

Redesigning Your Life’s Interface Winners in Bathurst

24 28 30

A Story of an Immigrant and his Journey into Business

33

How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Working in the Construction Industry How Many Quotes are Enough?

34

Net Profit is King!

NOT CASHFLOW

37 41

What Does TRUST Mean in Small Business?

45

Tips for Making a Dark Room Feel Brighter

46

Reforming Training for the Painting Industry The Industry Idiots

48

Important Contacts

49

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.

Just-In Hi Good People, What an exciting month for Aussie Painters Network with the launch of the “Painters Training Wheels”. I would like to make a special thanks to Taubmans and ABC Brushware for supporting a training innovation which we believe is a first for construction training in the country. Personally, I welcome and look forward to working with both companies to enhance positive industry outcomes.

“Painters Training Wheels” has been possible with the assistance and input of all of our dedicated team. This is an innovation that arose from listening to the Painting and Decorating industry and responding to the needs of employers and apprentices alike. Congratulations to all at Aussie Painters Network on another successful industry project.

Another project recently completed at Aussie Painters Network, has been the upgrade of our Job Safety and Environmental Analysis (JSEA). This document is very comprehensive, identifying a huge scope of hazards and safe work methods to the tune of 30 plus pages in detail for tasks associated with the painting and decorating trade. This is a document is available for members at no extra cost.

Members can access and implement the document as many times as they like.

I would also like to thank the team from 60 minutes and Channel 9 for approaching Aussie Painters Network in search of a positive training industry story. The 60 minutes team loved the innovation and viewed the “Painters Trainers Wheels” as a quality tool for onsite training.

And in training this month, I completed on-site instruction with an employer and apprentice, in applying wallpaper. The only time the employer had applied wallpaper was as an apprentice at TAFE. Our ability to conduct training in the workplace in a situation like this one allowed the apprentice to learn critical skills of their trade whilst the employer could also garner professional development, upgrading their own skills! Most importantly, the employer is still generating income for their business and being productive, without losing the apprentice and the related costs to being short staffed. Its win-win all round.

Justin Barlow 07 3555 8010 / 0433 724 794 justin@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

6 | Aussie Painters Network

Aussie Painters Network Unveils a First in

Innovative Training After much anticipation and a great deal of hard slog, last month Aussie Painters Network launched our first mobile training facility, Painters Training Wheels. A lot of consultation and consideration has gone into the creation of a practical, simulated workplace design that could be built within a Pantech, enabling the training and assessment of most of the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating.

This is the first of its kind, providing anywhere-anytime training for painting apprentices. Partnering with Australian Consolidated Training (RTO no.31731), Certificate III in Painting and Decorating, and with the support of Taubmans and Australian Brushware Corporation.

Aussie Painters Network has designed the training facility to complement the full online study for all of the theoretical work in the Certificate III in Painting. With addition of our fully fitted out truck, any required practical training and assessment, for almost all competencies, can be done anywhere the truck goes.

It’s a win-win for apprentices and employers. All theoretical, underpinning knowledge for painting can be accessed online with the latest and most up to date video resources, available where ever you can get internet access - No more losing workbooks for apprentices, and a distinct advantage for employers when they have down days for inclement weather, waiting for job progression or time between projects. The ‘Painters Training Wheels’ then provides practical, hands-on training in almost all units in the ‘Certificate III in Painting and Decorating.

This system of training will make taking on an apprentice more practical and affordable for all painting businesses, especially the smaller companies.

Painters Training Wheels can streamline the whole process to greatly reduce hours of ‘off the job’ training, without devaluing the integrity of the experience.

60 Minutes of Fame

A number of people had suggested to 60 Minutes that APN would be a good candidate for questioning on good, ethical and effective training practices, as a part of an in-depth investigation into training practices in Australia The producer of 60 Minutes approached us to ask some questions on training standards and to discuss best practice training in an environment where many are being found guilty of rorting the government funds. The package opens with, “Justin Barlow is a proud career trainer who works for a reputable training company, Aussie Painters Network, who plays by the government rules.”

2015 November Issue | 7

You’ll see Justin at work training a couple of our enthusiastic young apprentices, Liam and Corey, in the brand new mobile facility.

It was an exciting day in the office when we set our truck up for the very first time in our office carpark; as it was also the day that Ross Coulthart and his crew came to film the new training truck, and interview our very own Trainer, Justin Barlow.

Watch Justin’s TV debut, CLICK HERE... Justin Barlow on the importance of enforcing legitimate training protocols. 25 Oct 2015 We couldn’t have asked for a better way to follow up the launch of the newest addition to the Network. The video online on 60 Minutes “Extra Minutes” has been watched thousands of times and clearly shows our truck all set up and training. The reaction has been fantastic.

8 | Aussie Painters Network

Looking for improvements in your business? “How To Become AReally Successful Painter� can really help you.

A copy of my book is available online jimbaker@notjustapainter.com.au

Watch Business Management for Painters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OczJfZH8M4I

2015 November Issue | 9

NSW Government

RESPONDS

Well, the results are in folks. Shadow Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Mr Peter Primrose put a series of questions to the Minister representing the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, in relation to the Government’s decision to remove the requirement for a licensed painter to undertake stand-alone internal paintwork. The NSW government has responded as follows:

0469—Innovation and Better Regulation—REQUIREMENTS OF LICENSED PAINTERS Mr Primrose to the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism representing the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation— In relation to the Government’s decision to remove the requirement for a licensed painter to undertake stand-alone internal paintwork: 1. Why is the identification, preparation and painting of deadly asbestos and lead paint surfaces left to unlicensed persons?

2. What are the health risks of lead paint and asbestos exposure faced by New South Wales residents having paintwork done in their homes?

3. a. Is it still a requirement that New South Wales licensed painters

10 | Aussie Painters Network

receive training in lead paint and asbestos management as part of their training to receive their licence? b. If so, on what basis is this justified?

4. On what basis was the proposal to remove this requirement omitted from NSW Fair Trading’s Public consultation draft—Home Building Regulation 2014, or its Regulatory Impact Statement—Home Building Regulation 2014?

5. What consultation was undertaken, and what feedback was received by NSW Fair Trading from industry bodies including Master Painters Australia NSW Association Inc., the National Institute of Painting and Decorating and Aussie Painters Network, prior to the implementation of this measure?

Answer—

1. Obligations to ensure safe work practices (including managing risks of exposure to hazardous substances) exist under Work Health and Safety Act 2011. The Home Building Act 1989 does not deal with matters relating to Work Health and Safety.

2. Advice from SafeWork NSW states that the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 includes specific provisions concerning the management of lead and asbes-

tos risks. Under the Regulation, asbestos training is mandatory for anyone whose normal work duties present a reasonable likelihood of disturbing or coming into contact with asbestos.

3. Yes. The required qualification for a painting licence is a Certificate III in Painting and Decorating which is a national training package. The contents of the qualification are developed by industry through the relevant industry skills body. These requirements have no changed following reforms to the Home Building Act. 4. The Home Building Regulation 2014 does not contain any provisions about internal paintwork. The previous requirement for a licensed painter to undertake standalone internal paintwork was contained in the Home Building Act 1989.

5. The Review of the Home Building Act 1989 was widely publicised during 2012 to 2014 by means of media releases, social media, the NSW Fair Trading website, letters from the then Minister and Commissioner for Fair Trading to identified stakeholders including to the peak body for the NSW painting industry (Master Painters Australia Association of NSW), and via Fair Trading’s e-newsletter for the residential building industry (Foundations).

The Master Painters Australia Association of NSW participated in elements of the consultation process, including responding to an industry survey in 2012.

Their response is published on the Fair Trading website. They also nominated painting industry members to participate in a roundtable in 2012.

Other forms of consultation included: • Email alerts about the review were also sent to Foundations subscribers on 4 July 2012 (for the Issues Paper launch) • Information about the review was published in issues of the Foundations e-newsletter on 6 September 2012 • Information about the review was published in issues of the Foundations e-newsletter on 19 December 2012 • Information about the review was published in issues of the Foundations e-newsletter on 4 September 2013 • The NSW Government announcing its intention to exclude stand-alone contracts for internal paintwork from the Home Building Act in the review’s Position Paper on 24 September 2013.

• Email alerts about the review were also sent to Foundations subscribers on 2 July 2013 (for the Position Paper launch).

• The reform was introduced into the NSW Parliament on 6 May 2014 as part of the Home Building Amendment Bill 2014, and was specifically noted in the then Minister’s second reading speech.

• The Home Building Amendment Bill 2014 was passed by the NSW Parliament on 28 May 2014.

• Information about the review was published in issues of the Foundations e-newsletter on 18 June 2014 • Email alerts about the review were also sent to Foundations subscribers on 25 July 2014 (about consultation on the Home Building Regulation).

• Information about the review was published in issues of the Foundations e-newsletter on 29 September 2014 • Information about the review was published in issues of the Foundations e-newsletter on 18 December 2014. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/lc/qalc.nsf/18101dc36b638 302ca257146007ee41a/46bb4f2e9df44bc2ca257ebb001b4986?Open Document

Advertisements are placed for free!

12 | Aussie Painters Network

Standing out

FROM THE CROWD –

Young apprentice shows being creative in search for work, works!

In the modern job market, I have to say I often feel like I’m really up against it when searching for work.

Most of us have perfectly marketable skills but even then somehow it feels tough to come up with a really bolstered self confidence and belief to get that job, or even just to draft up a half decent CV! Written applications, demonstrated abilities, shorts lists, interviews…

And don’t some of us just fall apart under the sort of pressure all this brings, despite maybe being more than qualified to carry out the work. Many of the standard ways of bringing yourself to the attention of an employer, like written applications, do not have any correlation with the skills of the work. Of course a lot of Tradespeople aren’t comfortable writing long winded, detailed descriptions of their experience, or addressing criteria; and perhaps a different demonstration of enthusiasm, and willingness to work would be a better way to get their attention.

We were very inspired by the recent initiative of a young painter who was seeking work with a Painting company. He clearly knew where he wanted to be, and targeted the business with a rather brilliant, stand-out, application technique. Yes, Ezra, seeking an apprenticeship with Blue Dog Painters, cleverly labelled up a paint tin with the essentials of his CV, and his application to Clayton Coughlan, owner of the company.

“I am honest, loyal, and a hard worker who is keen to learn” What more do you need to know really?

He got the position. Nice one Ezra!

Caroline Miall caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au 2015 November Issue | 13

Too Much Work,

TOO FEW PEOPLE

Having a lot of work but not having enough people to get it done creates mixed emotions. It is a little like watching your ex-wife or ex-husband total your favorite car you had to give up during the divorce. To succeed, you have to rethink your strategy and adapt to the market place.

First, calculate how much work you can get done per day or week with your current crew and work backwards. Determine how much a crew can bill per day, multiply it by the number of crews and then see how much income you can produce.

There is an old joke about the two butcher shops on the same street.

One butcher shop has hamburger for $2.99 a kg but it is out of hamburger. Needing hamburger, a buyer walks into the other butcher shop to buy hamburger but notes it is $2.99 a metreage. The buyer complains about it being more. The butcher replies, “Well, my hamburger is also $1.99 when I don’t have any.” Supply and demand drives capitalism. If you can’t get the work done because there is a shortage of good craftsman, it is time to rethink prices.

This brings up the whole concept of when should a contractor reevaluate prices and pricing strategy. The honest truth is that too many contractors are so busy working they don’t take the time to reevaluate pricing. Prices tend to be low in the spring when many contractors are starving from a slow winter. As the cheap springers fill their belly with work, you should

14 | Aussie Painters Network

begin to get work and adjust prices accordingly. Prices should also be adjusted to reflect the complexity of work, the overall risk, proximity to your shop, experience in this type of work and other production factors.

Prices should never be a factor of simple broad square meterage average. If I had one foot on a hot stove and one foot in a bucket of ice water, on average I would feel ok. When your backlog reaches a certain point, you should raise prices. Remember, production will drop as you add more and more people who are less qualified as your current workforce. You will probably find it necessary to have gross profit in the job to offset production decreases.

Next, rethink your concept of training and developing people. All contractors want to hire readymade employees that are plug and play but that is unrealistic in today’s economy. Most good employees are employed by someone else and are not looking for a job, if they are, they will probably not be loyal employees and will leave when offered more money.

Understand that much of contracting is repetitive. Yes, to be a master craftsperson or foreman, you have to know lots of complex skills and be good at them. However, if you can’t teach someone in a few hours how to nail a row of shingles or paint a wall with a roller, they are never going to learn how. Hire people who can learn such skills and train them on how to fit into your crew. See a guy working hard behind a fast food restaurant counter; hire and put them to work.

Change your employment culture and outlook towards recruiting. Do you have an application on line on your webpage? Do you constantly advertise with online services? Is your culture one of hiring people who will work hard and teach them a trade?

Doing the same old, same old is likely to get the same results. Always look for potential employees the same way you are always looking for jobs.

Put your production hat on. If you have more work than you can do, maybe it is time for you, as owner, salesperson or project manager to help production. It doesn’t do any good to sell it if you can’t get it done. Work harder at getting jobs set up, minimizing shop, drive time and anything else that will allow you to get more done. Rained this week and with only one day of production? Maybe you can have one large crew. But unless you are willing to help manage the job and coordinate the effort, it is doubtful the job will be productive. Think and be creative.

However, remember that some humans can run a 4 minute mile but you can’t ask them to do it over and over or back to back. There is a limit to how much production you can micro manage and squeeze out of your crews.

Contracting can be a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation.

Without work, you don’t need employees. Without employees, you can’t do the work. Finding balance can be tough. Work harder at solutions rather than just complaining about the problem.

Monroe Porter is president of a PROOF Management Consultants.

For consulting or a seminar, just call 804 267-1688 or email him at monroe@proofman.com

www.proofman.com

2015 November Issue | 15

16 | Aussie Painters Network

Health and Safety

What’s the big deal about solvents?

Being a manufacturer of solventless epoxies means I get asked about solvents a lot, so I thought I’d go over my personal opinion one more time.

While my ties to two-pack, solventless epoxies have a lot to do with their performance, I was definitely drawn to them from a health and safety viewpoint as well.

Right at the start of my coating career I got badly sensitised to MDIs used in polyurethanes, and from that moment I vowed to stay away from “nasties” as much as possible. Besides MDIs, the thing I most wanted to get rid of was solvent!

Solvent risks

There can be plenty of other bad stuff in coatings as we know, however solvents were front of the queue for me because I knew they didn’t have to be there – solventless epoxies were already being used successfully across all the coating fields. The stench was the most obvious turn-off initially, but since then I’ve found solvents have also been known to cause short-term effects such as – • Dermatitis and miscellaneous skin problems (drying, cracking, reddening or blistering).

• Headaches.

• Drowsiness.

• Poor co-ordination.

• Nausea.

• Unconsciousness and even death (in extreme cases).

And have been linked to long-term impacts on – • The brain and nervous system (including memory loss, sleeping disorders and irritability).

• The skin.

• The liver.

• Blood production.

• The kidneys.

• Fertility of both males and females.

• Unborn children.

Solvent risks go beyond contractors

I come across plenty of contractors that blatantly scoff at those concerns – “I’m tough, she’ll be right,” is a common attitude in our industry. Well, my response is the cemeteries are full of macho men, and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your health for work. Others believe they’re safe with organic vapour masks even though solvents are clearly more than just an inhalation issue. You can’t work in full-body suits, so what do you do? The answer for me is simple: get rid of solvents.

The logic behind going solventless, or at least minimising them where possible, only becomes clearer when you consider the people who live or work around coating projects. In my humble opinion, if you’re working indoors with a solvent-borne product then you’re downright negligent. One horrific story told to me by a father always springs to mind here: his son was helping him out on a job and mixing a solvent-borne coating in a 20-litre bucket when the vapour tracked through the building and was ignited by a cigarette smoker. The outcome was third degree burns and other life-changing injuries.

Solvent risks are not only during application or seven days after either. Solvents can slowly be released for years (see the post on out-gassing here) and contribute to medical conditions such as Sick Building Syndrome. This illness has emerged back of modern building practices that aim to conserve energy by sealing up buildings as much as possible. As a result, natural ventilation suffers and, when combined with the release of chemicals in modern materials, creates a dangerously low indoor air quality.

I stumbled across an article published in The Australian Financial Review a few years ago that gave a glimpse into this problem. It claimed people spent 90% of their time indoors, in buildings that “are two to three times more concentrated [with pollutants] than outside.”

Even though this was based on Australian data, I dare say many other developed countries would have similar statistics.

2015 November Issue | 17

It also presented an example of “a woman who moved into a mass-produced project home built with materials that give off significant levels of formaldehyde (a VOC). After living in the house for 6 months, the woman went to a house-warming party in an identical but brand new home in the neighbourhood. On immediate contact with the powerful levels of formaldehyde in the new house, she collapsed. What happened was that her body had become over-sensitised to the chemical through exposure to it in her own home.”

The article concluded by quoting Green Building Council of Australia executive director Maria Atkinson, who says, “The full impact of poor indoor air quality has yet to be recognised...indoor air quality is the most serious environmental issue that has not been addressed in this country.” With solvents playing a starring role in these dramas, it seems the easy fix for everyone is to at least minimise the amount being used in the first place.

Going solventless

If solvents are so bad then why do people still use them?

I think the main reason why contractors, in particular, resist change is because they’re worried they won’t

18 | Aussie Painters Network

get the hang of solventless epoxies. However, having successfully introduced many epoxy users to solventless technology over the years, I’ve found it’s only a matter of time before the confidence kicks in. Yes, the products feel a little sticky to begin with, but over time this perception disappears as they realise these products actually do behave. Importantly, many contractors are astounded at the immediate health benefits they notice. If they work with solventless epoxies for a week and switch back to solvent-borne they really notice the odour, sore eyes, raw throat, headaches and solvent “high”.

As with any product, there are techniques you should learn in order to make a transition as seamless as possible. Speak to the manufacturers about the best ways to apply the product and understand the capabilities/ limitations. Have a play before you take on a job and be thoroughly prepared before you start. If you do all these things then you’ll find switching over to solventless epoxies can be quite painless after all.

Jack Josephsen epoxyschool.com 0408 877 256

2015 November Issue | 19

No Room for a Tree?

We’re getting the jump on Christmas this year… Has your old green acrylic tree had it? Want to simplify and downsize this year? Before you go and fork out for a new one, have a look at Anne-Maree’s selection of artistic alternatives to the traditional fake (or real) pinetree: Our big Christmas tree, that touched the ceiling of our last big house it was so ridiculously tall, remains at the back of the shed this Christmas! It’s just too big for our compact urban dwelling this year, so I have been looking at ways of doing the tree thing without doing a tree as such.

I am rather drawn to rustic twig and foliage arrangements. Maybe it’s my love of all things Scandinavian and the fact that fir and sticks remind me of a cold climate and a white Christmas!

Oh, the simpler the better.

I just love it! And monochromatic too!

A few sticks, some pretty lights and some teeny tiny treasures … and voila!

20 | Aussie Painters Network

Stick or logs. This is so lovely. You can just tell it’s cold outside this one and they have a log pile! Sigh.

How cool is this?!

PVC pipe offcuts! A plumber’s tree perhaps?

Ok, so we have a big box of baubles, decorations and pretties that my boys made in kindy. You know, the ones made out of dough that are at least 14 years old and would be attractive to vermin now if they weren’t hermetically sealed in a bauble box.

Something like this could work.

All you need is an outline of a tree!

6 baubles and some lights!

Scandinavian Lovesong … or just baubles …

Lifehack So easy! Wool, tape and baubles!

… or just tinsel!

Anne-Maree Russell is the Principal/

Owner of Cape Cod Residential a bespoke approach to presentation & marketing of premium properties throughout Brisbane, as well as author of popular home design blog.

Trendhunter I have so many pallets at the shed!

www.thehousethatambuilt.com

2015 November Issue | 21

Do you like working outside? Wouldn’t it be good to be out in an office or not on the same site 48 weeks of the year?!

With today’s apprenticeships you can even do your theory without going into a classroom situation by enrolling in the E-Learning course so you do all your theory part of an apprenticeship in front of a computer.

The videos show how the new method of online learning for the theory component of Painting and Decorating Trade can give employers more flexibility when it comes to training.

Benefits the Painting Industry 22E-learning | Aussie Painters Network

Roll-on Texture Coating Application

2015 November Issue | 23

REDESIGNING Your Life’s Interface If you’ve ever tried to use a smart phone, or a website, you’re using a user interface. If done well, this interface has been designed to help you do what you want: check your messages, read an article, find information, get stuff done.

Our lives have interfaces too. We just don’t often think about it.

And just like with badly designed websites, a bad interface for your life can be frustrating, grating, full of friction and confusion.

The good news is … you’re the interface designer of your life! You can redesign the interface.

Let’s think about a few examples: 1. Life’s popup boxes: When you work, are there a dozen things trying to get your attention? Email, phone messages, social media, blogs, news, other favorite websites … while you’re trying to get an important task done? These are like popup boxes asking you to subscribe, that get in the way of your reading. You can redesign it so that you have only the task in front of you, no popups or distractions.

2. Simplify the steps: If you want to work out regularly, how many steps does it take before you can actually do the first exercise? For many people, they have to get their gym clothes together into a bag, close down a computer, drive to a gym, check into the gym, change, find an available spot in the gym, then do the workout. That’s like if you wanted to send an email message but had to click through seven different pages to get to the send message screen. Instead, think about simplifying it so you can get right to the task — get down on the floor and do some pushups and planks, have a chinup bar near your bathroom so you can do some every time you pass, go outside during a work break and walk quickly for 10 minutes, several times a day.

You can look at other things in your life that take too many steps to accomplish a goal, and remove steps.

24 | Aussie Painters Network

3. Annoying ads or sales pitches. How often have you been on a site with annoying ads, or constant sales pitches from the blogger? You just want to read or get stuff done without all the pitches. The same is true of your regular life — you don’t want people walking into your office giving you sales pitches, nor do you want to hear or see ads in your radio or TV or magazines. Consider “ad-blocking” your life, by finding ways to avoid sales meetings, people who are soliciting, meetings where someone is trying to pitch you. Pay for ad-free music streaming and video, stop buying magazines (just read articles using read-later services that strip out ads), unsubscribe from ads disguised as newsletters in your inbox. Unfriend people who are trying to get you into multi-level marketing and the like.

4. Make your important goals be easy to find. One frustration on websites is when the thing that matters most is buried in a hard-to-find page, not easy to find. With a good user interface, the most important goals are front and center, obvious and easy. But in our lives, we make the least important things easiest to find and do (TV, Facebook, distraction, junk food), while the most important things are hidden behind layers of distraction (your most important project, exercise, eating healthy, spending time with loved ones).

2015 November Issue | 25

50 + buy on white t-shirts with your logo on the left chest embroidered including freight and free logo digitizing

50 + buy on JB’s Hi Vis short sleeve shirts with logo on the left chest embroidered including freight and free logo digitising

$9.99 + GST only!

$13.99 + GST only!

26 | Aussie Painters Network

What if we put these important things in front of the rest?

Bury Facebook and other distractions, and have important project be the only thing that shows when you open your computer. Get rid of junk food and have your healthy options be out in the open for when you get hungry. Put the TV in the closet, and have dumbbells there instead.

To spend time with loved ones, put the activity that you want to do with them just inside the front door when you get home — put the book you want to read with your kids, or the rollerblades you want to use with them, just inside the door. Or put the tea cups you want to use with your wife as you talk and have tea together, in the middle of the living room.

5. Beautiful design. When an app or website looks beautiful, it’s not just for the sake of gloss and glamor. It’s to create a mood, an experience, a feeling of delight or peace. Each action with a good app or website should give you an experience you enjoy, rather than a feeling of clunkiness or frustration. The same can be true of your life — remove distraction and clutter, and find ways to bring peace and delight to your life.

Obviously these are just a few examples, a few abstract ideas. The actual implementation depends on your goals, on the experience you want to create for yourself. But these are good to think about.

In truth, we can never control everything about our experience in life, nor should we try. But spending some time thinking about a smarter, simpler, more lovely interface for your life is about rethinking the unconscious, and living more consciously.

Leo Babauta, a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger & author from California, is the creator of top 25 Blog, Zen Habits, chronicling his insights from acting significant changes in his personal and working life.

www.mytools4business.com/myhourlyratecalculator 2015 November Issue | 27

Winners in Bathurst

From June to August painters on the Taubmans professional programs had the opportunity of entering the Bathurst 1000 promotion with every litre of paint purchased. On the 10-11th October the four lucky painters and their partners experienced the prize of a lifetime. The 2 nights on the town in Sydney, a private jet to and from Bathurst airport and helicopter transfers to the track were just the start. The race passes gave access to the Holden Racing Team corporate box for the race day, along with the team garage, whist Taubmans sponsorship of the BOC racing team ensured pit tours, grid walks and a one on one connections with the team owner.

It was wall to wall action both on and off the track, and a day that will long be remembered by all the painters for its high-octane excitement. See a recap of all action.

28 | Aussie Painters Network

www.taubmans.com.au/professional

A STORY OF AN

Immigrant

and his Journey into Business As we know, there is a growing number of people immigrating to Australia hoping to make a new life for themselves. Many are fleeing their own country because of unstable governments, war or civil unrest, and believe that there is no future for them in staying. Leaving the homeland that they love and grew up in is their only hope.

Originally from Iran, Mike came to Australia on his own in 2009 to help support his once wealthy family, who had encountered grave financial difficulty. With an education in Computer Engineering and the discipline gained from two years of conscripted army service, Mike also gained work experience in construction and IT before leaving Iran.

Obviously there are enormous challenges to starting a new business in a new country, and many assumptions can be made about the failures and stumbling blocks encountered.

It is easy to blame a lot of them on a person’s origins, and biases engrained in the people of their new home. Evidently though, these very assumptions may be what is posing limitations, not the bigotry or xenophobia that it might seem!

Some experience in the painting industry in Iran led to Mike finding work easily in the first month of his arrival in Sydney. His plans were to study computing and software, so he was working full time during the week and attending college in the evening. Despite being alone, broke, homesick and frustrated, he pushed on ahead knowing that basically, failure was not an option.

I have been fortunate enough to meet some painters that have overcome perceived barriers and are now very successful business owners. One person in particular told me of his journey which truly fascinated me and I want to share his story with you. His name is Mike Feizpour from ‘Orange Painters’ in Perth, Western Australia.

30 | Aussie Painters Network

A highly competitive IT job market led Mike to continue in painting, earning his Cert 3 in painting starting a business of his own.

“After working for many companies the decision to start up on my own came on a very hot day in Perth, when I’d been working in the sun for six hours straight. I asked my supervisor if I could swap with a team member who was

working in the shade. He disrespectfully refused, so I packed up my tools and left. I started my journey into the business with a small two door Hyundai Excel and $500 in my pocket. Yet, what I lacked in money was made up with motivation, hope and eagerness.

When I started I had little confidence, one reason was my vehicle! I could only fit a couple of drop-sheets, small ladder and some pots in it. This was very embarrassing, but I solved the problem. I arranged all of my quote appointments for two days in the week and instead of using my own vehicle, I hired a new Toyota Hilux! To solve the problem on the commencement of a job, I hired a fully equipped tradesman (who I paid extra) to help me set up with dropping off material and scaffold, etc.

I had many issues in my mind about the concept of race and racism. I felt people were judgmental based on my race and were thinking low of me because I couldn’t speak English correctly. This false belief was with me while I was quoting and communicating with customers, so it was very challenging at the beginning.”

Then one day when I was talking to a business coach, a turning point in my life happened. I realised it was my limiting beliefs about racism and my thinking that was hurting me with false assumptions. Slowly I became more professional in the business and it showed in my behavior and appearance. Less and less I was experiencing feelings that there was racism in my life. Quotes were being accepted and conversations with my customers were becoming much easier.

Uprooting to another country in a desperate search for a better quality of life is one of the most difficult choices a person could make, and it’s not a decision taken lightly by anyone. Not unlike Mike, it wasn’t all that long ago, in 1962, that my own parents chose to move to Australia in with five children in tow, as “Ten Pound Poms,” leaving England and all the people they had ever known, in search of a better life.

For many years after the war my parents couldn’t see a prosperous future for them in England, so the decision was made to immigrate. As Australia was promoting families and tradespeople at that time it seemed the only choice possible. They came not knowing what was in store for them, but they did it for the good of their

family and the future. Even their expectation of kangaroos bounding down the main street of Perth didn’t deter them! They fitted into the Australian culture, worked hard, made friends and were even involved in raising over $1,000,000 for charity (with Mum winning ‘Charity Queen’ in the ‘Mrs Australia Quest’!).

So, I have great respect for people trying to make a new life for themselves in a foreign country, and feel that it is our responsibility as Australians to try to understand what they are going through and help them resettle.

Thank you again, Mike, for sharing your story and all the best in the future.

Mike is now a very active, valued member of the painting industry. You can even read a contribution from him in this edition of Aussie Painting Contractor on page 45!

Jim Baker www.mytools4business.com info@mytools4business.com

Developed by Jim Baker 2013

For $35.90

it’s money well spent!

‘My Costing Guide’ is a fully automated program where all you have to do is add or change the variables and the total price will appear in an instant. It is simple to use and can be personalised to your own business.

www.mytools4business.com/mycostingguide 2015 November Issue | 31

32 | Aussie Painters Network

How to Avoid the

PITFALLS OF WORKING

in the Construction Industry As a Tradie you have to take advantage of business opportunities when and where they arise to keep your business profitable. When the construction industry is going strong, there are plenty of jobs going around as big companies often need contractors to get through their projects on schedule.

If you’re new to working in the construction industry, you’ll want to make sure that you get started on the right foot, as there are many pitfalls that can see your business undone rather quickly. And when that happens, it will not just affect your business, but also the life of your employees or contractors.

To help you avoid some of these pitfalls of working in the construction industry, here are our tips.

Keeping on top of payments With many construction projects Tradies often hire as sub-contractors to form a big enough team to get the job done. Whether you’ve got staff on your payroll or have a team of contractors, you’ll need to be able to have enough cash-flow to pay them.

The key is to keep a really tight rein on your financial administration. This will allow you to cover the payment time lag you may experience from project to project.

The old way of doing your admin is long gone and has been replaced with powerful new accounting software which is accessible on the go. You can issue invoices and take payments on the spot, when you’ve got the right systems set up.

Get expert help with your financial systems and company set up If you’re not sure how to get started using “cloud-based” software such as XERO, find a team of experts to set it up right to start with. This will put you in good stead to weather any storms that can hit the construction industry due to its unpredictable nature.

Make sure you hire a bookkeeper and accountant who work with the latest online software, so that you can have peace of mind knowing you’ve got a true handle

on your cash-flow, what’s coming in and what’s going out. The biggest advantage of using this type of online software is that everything is happening in real time.

If you enter a payment for wages or payment to the supplier, it will immediately show on your bottom line.

A really important aspect to working in the construction industry is to have the right company structure and insurance set up. You can also protect your company assets by incorporating your business, and your accountant can give you the best advice on what is the suitable for you and your operations.

Get in first and stand out from the crowd When people are looking for a Tradie, they often ask their mates or other people they know for a recommendation. The same applies to companies who are looking for sub-contractors for a large building project.

If the Site Manager has had a particularly positive experience with your company, he will more than likely want to work with you again and refer you on.

Building a good rapport and reputation with the companies you work with is a great way to encourage word-ofmouth referrals. Use mobile job management and quotation systems to get in first with your quotation and it doesn’t hurt to keep a clean shirt in your ute to make a lasting first impression. They might have other people attending as well, and being well presented just adds to a professional image.

Keep updated Last but not least, don’t neglect your knowledge of safety laws and other building regulations. Keep your certifications up to date by going on training courses.

This is important whether you’re a builder, electrician, plumber, carpenter or other worker. Your insurance may also depend on up-to-date certification – and you’ll probably get more work, too.

Price Bookkeeping Solutions www.pbks.com.au sandra@pbks.com.au 2015 November Issue | 33

How Many Quotes are Enough?

Have you ever thought about how much work you need to do in a year? Is it how much do I need to turn over?

Or is it, How many weeks do I want to work a year, at $xxxx per week?

Carrying out quotes cost you money; Advertising, Vehicle running costs (to include leasing payments, rego, insurance, fuel), business insurance and other associated business costs, and most valuably, your time!!

So, how do you bring down your costs? You can try and target the market you want to work in for a start. If you are a 2 man show you probably only need 12-15 good quality painting jobs a year. If you need to do 100 quotes to get those 12-15 projects how much time are you wasting on non-cash productive work. Doing 80+ unaccepted quotes is well over 2 weeks of non-productive work lost if it only takes you an hour per quote. Generally most quotes will take well over an hour of lost productivity.

You should be working to somewhere between 25-35% of quoted work excepted. So if you only need 15 jobs a year you should only need to do 40-60 quotes per year.

If you are doing more than that you need to look at why.

34 | Aussie Painters Network

Ask yourself; Am I too expensive or am I targeting just tyre kickers? Try and ‘pre-qualify’ before you go out and do the quote. By that I mean, delve a little deeper into the job description. Know how far the travel is. Get an idea of what the customer is seeking to pay roughly, and whether their budgets and your job charge are likely to come close to being in the same ballpark. You might be able to quickly work out if this is a job you’ll (a) win, and (b) want to win!

The best time to try to co-ordinate your quotes is on your way home from work, that way you only lose a small time away from the job. If you do them during the day or on the way to work you can lose productive, money-making time. Needless to say this is done with care; Invest in a good hands-free system for your car, and be sure not to dial or text while driving.

And, as always, when quoting, be sure of a few very basic principles; Be professional. Be punctual, or phone by the appointed time! Change your shirt if you’re coming from a job and for god sake, spray on some deodorant.

from $45.00 2015 November Issue | 35

Find out how an App can BENEFIT your business!

Contact Us Phone: 1300 494 188 Email: info@aussieappstore.com.au

www.aussieappstore.com.au 36 | Aussie Painters Network

Net Profit is King!

NOT CASHFLOW

Economic researchers claim that 80% of businesses go out of business in the first 5 years and 50% in the first year. These percentages are staggeringly high. Most business owners think that cashflow is king, but they forget about net margins being equally important.

When you’re running a business your aim is to be successful in your industry and make a profit. If you’re employing staff you want to be able to pay their wages and cover all your overheads and business expenses, including your own salary. You’ll need to make enough sales to cover all of that and more, if you want to put something aside for your nest egg, or have capital to re-invest into your business to help it grow. That’s why I say, “Net Profit is King!”

Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of different kinds of small businesses fail not just due to lack of cash flow, but also because their net profit margins were too low.

So here’s the thing: in our experience, 90% of all businesses are operating on less than 10% of net profit margin!

What does this mean in reality? For example, if you made a $1,000 sale and your business’s net profit margin was 10%, what that means is every cost of your business has to come out of the sale and that means on average, out of the $1,000 received in the bank account, $900 of it goes out to pay all the overheads, costs of sale etc. so there is only 10% of the income received still in the bank account.

Knowing if you’ve got a healthy net profit margin is often one of the biggest challenges, and so many businesses are not failing due to lack of sales or customers… they fail because their net profit margin is too low.

The sad part is that often due to inadequate financial administration, ie having a budget and cash flow forecast and knowing your 5 critical numbers, most business owners don’t even know about their impending demise until it is too late.

If you’re curious to find out how high your net profit margin should be for the size of your business, you can look at some benchmark figures for your indus

try that are readily available. Visit www.anz.com/aus/ Small-Business/Tools-Forms-And-Guides/BenchmarkYour-Business, click on “Industry Analyser” and then “Financial Ratio Profile”, and have a look at how your own business measures up. To give you an idea, for a business with $700,000 of total income, the generally accepted view is that your net margin should be at 15% minimum, although this figure could vary depending on the industry.

If you want to be successful in business, then your net profit margin needs to be your number one focus! To help you understand your business financials, here’s a quick summary about the 5 most critical numbers and how they are calculated.

1. Gross Profit in $ / Gross Margin % Your Gross Margin in $ is calculated by deducting the Cost of Goods and Direct Costs ($) from Sales ($).

2. Markup in % Most people understand that Markup in business is what defines the Gross Profit margin further. Markup is calculated by deducting Cost of Goods from Sales, and then calculating what percentage the resulting figure is in relation to total sales.

2015 November Issue | 37

3. Net Profit $ / Net Margin % The Net Profit figure in dollars is worked out by deducting the costs and overheads from the Gross Profit. It correlates to the Net Margin figure in percent. Net Margin figures are used in benchmarking business success.

4. Budget A budget will help you better manage your cashflow needs. With a solid budget you could also walk into any bank and talk to them about a business loan, if you needed one.

5. Breakeven The breakeven figure identifies the number of sales to be made before all business expenses have been met and profit begins (before tax). It is the spot where your business neither makes a profit nor a loss.

Go through your financials, get on top of your numbers and firmly take control of your business’ destiny. Talk to your accountant, if you need some help to work out strategies to increase your net profit and net margins. It might be easier than you think.

Believe me, profit and cash flow are not the same thing.

You can still go broke whilst making a healthy gross profit, if you don’t have the cash flow you need to meet your commitments. Your net profit margin is therefore one of the most reliable factors for your business success.

A D Hamilton & Associates www.adhamilton.com.au Copyright Š 2015 Robert Bauman

The portable, inexpensive method to prevent paint waste-water polluting the environment.

The Mobile PaintWash can also be used for storage when empty, and has no moving parts or expensive filters. It's ideal for the professional painter who cares about the environment and the health of our planet.

Protect your client's garden, and the environment by using the Mobile PaintWash!

38 | Aussie Networkfor more information: Ph: 1300 319 790 ContactPainters GreenPainters

Independent Distributor

Successful Weight Loss Improved Nutrition Enhanced Personal Care Opportunity for Financial Reward

Download our app HerbalifeAu

2015 November Issue | 39

40 | Aussie Painters Network

What Does TRUST Mean in Small Business?

As the internet grows and social media is seen as the ‘verifier’ for small business owners, we need to view how we put ourselves and businesses out into the marketplace.

Trust in business is a vital ingredient for survival in these times of such great internet exposure. I often come across people via social media whose work is not up to scratch, from my perspective and their ethics very different to mine, being endorsed for their work.

These people receive awards for themselves and their businesses by using people to vote for them who have never used their services or more often than not met them yet they are prepared to endorse and recommend.

Some of these services I would not use if they were free.

I am really astounded when I see how people recommend people who have not had the experience to do so. When I know people who recommend business services that they have not used personally, my perception of them goes down from an integrity perspective unless they have specified their relationship with the person’s work.

Unfortunately, people find out for themselves after a bad experience. It is often very difficult to talk out about it and sometimes it is too late to save the person, their dollars and sometimes their business. The person who does the recommending is the person who will get the blame in the long run, not necessarily the person who did the work.

I can’t express strongly enough to people when they recommend someone to specify how they know them. For example, ‘I know them personally’, ‘I have worked with them or for them’, ‘we are friends’ etc.

Building business relationships is a must even though it is not always obvious initially that someone you have just met is accountable, responsible and reliable. I listen to people endorse others who in turn lose their credibility as a result of the people they are putting out there to their clients. It can be a very confusing world in business sometimes.

This tends to happen via social media more than anywhere from my own experience. I have been very let down from a friendship and financial aspect as a result of experiences I have personally had with people who have been recommended. I take this responsibility on myself of not doing my own due diligence and checking beforehand. It is important that we hone our intuition as best we can so that we can see a bigger picture sooner rather than later.

Usually our intuition (gut feel) makes us aware of the level of trust with others when we connect with them.

For some it is obvious that there is a relationship that has potential as soon as we meet. With others, it may take time to develop a relationship that will be built on trust, as we learn about each other in time. I believe one of the most critical factors in business is TRUST.

2015 November Issue | 41

We instinctively know if we do or do not have trust with someone. In personal relationships it is easier to understand and connect but when it comes to business and the workplace, trust is defined in a different way.

Defining trust in the business world, especially if you employ staff, can be harder to build initially. You are usually thrust with people you do not know and have little in common with, yet you are expected to spend a large amount of time in their presence. Time will be needed to create a bond that will develop the trust necessary to work together. The basis in these circumstances will be the effective communication between everyone and the motivation for the work being done.

The truthfulness and transparency of the communication in a business is critical. The presence of a strong, unifying mission and vision of the business is imperative in promoting a trusting environment. There needs to be a ‘wanting’ of the outcomes so that the environment unifies.

As the world is a rapidly changing place, especially as the internet is now such a large part of our world, with social media taking it to many different levels, we need to ask a few questions along the way. Where once we saw business and private lives as separate things, it is now more open than ever before, with people being able to find out as much as they need to know on anyone who is active on the net. To be in business, you need to be active, especially if you are a small business owner and want to grow and build your brand.

SPECIAL OFFER to Aussie Painting Contractor Readers!

• • • •

The integrity of the business is critical and must start from the leadership and filter down. It must also be seen as an integral part of the business by the world at large. The level of trust will be seen and received through the messages given not only by the people attached to it, but by the influence it gains via the internet and its customers.

When trust exists in a business or in a relationship, almost everything else is easier and more comfortable to achieve. Individually though we perceive trust differently dependent on our own experiences.

Trust is all about being honest and telling the truth, even if it is difficult at times. Being truthful, authentic and trustworthy in your dealings with customers, clients and staff will move your business further ahead than most, as many are not even aware that they need to embrace a trust factor in their business.

So, be a step ahead, make sure your clients, customers and business acquaintances are all aware of your business mission and vision, and of the important values that you and your business are based on.

Jennie Gorman Connexions Unimited PO Box 118, Clayfield Qld 4011 0414 278 344

1 x MOBILE WEBSITE 5 x TAX/QUOTE BOOKS 1 x SET CAR MAGNETS 1000 x BUSINESS CARDS

TO REDEEM OFFER CALL 42 | Aussie Painters Network

07 3217 1599 Quote promocode “APN1”

r o f s i h t All

only 0 $100 Centre Name

Centre Name

Trace MY Business Written and Developed by Jim Baker

Trace My Business will keep a record of ALL your clients.

It collects the basic information like their contact details, job description and client notes but the beauty of this program is that it also tracks

• Where the referral came from

• The quote success and failure rates • Suburb comparisons

• The different advertising campaigns • •

•

(what works and what doesn’t)

First projects vs repeat business

New vs existing revenue and projects

• Yearly and overall client revenue • Growth analysis

Projects, who referred them, and the referrals they subsequently provided

This is a brand new online product and like my other programmes, it is accessible on any computer or smart phone just by using your email address and password.

I am offering this to you on a 30 day ‘Trial Before You Commit’ price of $1.00. After the trial period and you like the product, the cost on a monthly subscription will only be $14.50.

So for the low cost of $14.50 a month, you will be able to access all your clients and where they found you, monitor what advertising campaigns are working and what are not, but best of all, have these records available to a new purchaser when you want to sell your business.

www.mytools4business.com/tracemybusiness 2015 November Issue | 43

44 | Aussie Painters Network

TIPS FOR MAKING A

Dark Room Feel Brighter The amount of light entering a space doesn’t just affect aesthetics, it can affect your mood, your perception of the room, and even your behaviour.

According the Association for Psychological Science some interesting facts emerge with regard to low lighting; students in a dimly lit room are more likely to cheat than those in a brightly lit room, and apparently the suicide rate is higher in locations that receive fewer hours of daylight.

Needless to say, it might be in your best interest to make sure the rooms in your home are well-lit! But, that can be easier said than done.

Whether it’s because of poor design, a lack of windows, or windows that are poorly placed for exposure to natural light, sometimes you can find yourself with a living space that is working against you.

Don’t fret. There are a number of things you can do to brighten up the room without needing your own power plant to fuel a small army of light bulbs.

Choosing the Right Paint for a Brighter Room While the obvious choice for a brighter room is a brighter paint color, that doesn’t mean that you have to whitewash your house and call it a day. There are a number of other colors that can achieve the same brightening effect as a plain old white wall - and some that can even go beyond.

I’m sure you’ve already guessed yellow as the next obvious choice, but before you moan and groan, let me assure you that a sunny yellow doesn’t have to spell decorative doom.

Choose the wall behind furniture, such as a bed or a couch to paint a bold, respectable yellow and it’ll naturally brighten the room, elevate your mood, and won’t be an eyesore.

Adding orange accents or furniture can also make your room seem to be filled with more light, though painting an entire room in this color could be tricky. Don’t let that deter you from painting small, accented areas in this brilliant hue!

Finally, a nice lilac, and even some bold, royal purples mixed with a dash of pink can add the illusion of space and light to an area. If you think that sounds too girly, just give it a year or two. Decorators have noticed that while purples used to be predominately chosen by women, more and more men are beginning to favor a good, majestic violet.

Strategic Design You don’t always have to turn to fluorescents and paint to add a little bit of shine to your space - and you don’t have to spend a fortune. A small amount of planning can go a long way when trying to brighten up a dreary room. Start with uncluttered open areas, preferably in the center of the room. Minimize furniture, and carefully select the furniture you do have to reflect the selected airy colors. Consider swapping the boring white walls for elegant white furniture.

Purchase a few pieces of reflective decorations, such as metallic vases or mirrors. Large mirrors move light around the space like a window. If you can have your mirror reflecting a light, you will double the value of the light you get! This is great for a dark dining room or bedroom with a hanging fixture.

You can even fake having more windows by finding an old window frame and wiring some LED lights behind it! There are plenty of ways to bring light to your space.

Mike Feizpour Orange Painting | 0469 085 999 2015 November Issue | 45

Reforming Training

FOR THE PAINTING INDUSTRY

I’m writing this article partly in response to a story published in last month’s edition of Aussie Painter Contractor Magazine.

The article was entitled ‘Are you a painter or a flooring applicator?’, and was written by the director of a manufacturer of epoxy flooring products. In the article, he out-lined his reasons for believing that there was a big difference between ‘painters’, and ‘flooring applicators’.

His main argument centred on the fact that most painters do not understand how epoxies work, and have not been adequately trained to use and apply them properly. I would agree with this conclusion, but instead of proposing that ‘painting’ is a different trade to ‘coating application’ I believe the problem lies in the poor quality training that exists for much of our industry.

Coatings application is not a separate trade; it is part of our trade, but few trainers in the industry understand it, so it is little wonder they cannot educate the next generation of painters in this important subject. The current curriculum for apprentices demands that trainers spend huge amounts of time teaching students skills like imitation marbling or wood-graining, which have very limited practical application in the industry; while ignoring skills that would lead to employment outcomes and business growth. Some manufacturers have resorted to conducting their own training, because traditional colleges have failed to provide adequate quality training as part of the apprenticeship system. The result has been that many painters are now advertising themselves as ‘accredited’ by a manufacturer, instead of promoting themselves as highly trained and qualified painters and decorators. This is not how successful industries should operate.

We need to raise the quality of education for the industry to the point where we, as qualified trades people, know as much or more about our trade than the manufacturers who are trying to sell us their products.

Only then will we be able to take back control over our businesses and our industry. This is one of the principle reasons why the National Institute of Painting and Decorating was formed. No-one in our industry knows

46 | Aussie Painters Network

everything about every product, but there are painters and decorators at the top of their game for every product category. The internet allows us to make the combined knowledge and skill of the nation’s best painters widely available to any student of the trade.

In 2012 the National Institute of Painting and Decorating began the Painting E-learning Project, which aims to create a bench-mark course for painters not only in Australia, but around the world. This ‘bank’ of knowledge allows any painter anywhere in the world to access high quality lessons from some of the industry’s leading experts. There are over 350 high quality lessons covering 32 subjects, using multi-media video to demonstrate industry best practice. Included in this system is the subject ‘Apply Protective Coatings’, and it covers many of the important principles behind epoxy application.

This unit is essential for any painter and apprentice that wants to use epoxies successfully. The unit was created by some of Australia’ leading trainers and experts in epoxy coatings. Colleges that use the system work with manufacturers to make sure that the next generation of painters understand how to use and apply epoxies correctly.

If you are looking for high quality education for yourself or your staff, contact a college using the system in your state or territory: http://www.painters.edu.au/Apprenticeships/ More: http://www.painters.edu.au/Training-Resources/Protective-Coatings.htm Author: Daniel Wurm teaches protective coatings at ISA in Darwin and at Masters in Building Training in NSW.

Daniel Wurm VIBER: +61 402312234 SKYPE: daniel-wurm www.painters.edu.au

www.consolidatedi .com.au Phone: +61 7 3292 1100 | Fax: +61 7 3292 1110 Email: contactus@consolidatedi.com.au I just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU for referring me to Consolidated Insurance Pty Ltd. I spoke to Scott about our Business Insurance and with little time, Scott emailed me back a comprehensive package for our Business and we saved over $1,000.00. Thanks again Aussie Painters Network for the great referral and all your ongoing help.

Sonya Baker www.bakerbrosmasterpainters.com.au

2015 November Issue | 47

The Industry

Idiots

48 | Aussie Painters Network

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

Beyondblue www.beyondblue.org.au

Ph. 1300 224 636

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

2015 November Issue | 49

OUR MEMBERSHIP 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