Painters Domain Magazine

PAINTERS

DOMAIN MAGAZINE

RICHARD BRANSON

THE RISE TO SUCCESS

MARKETING QUICK WINS

TIME MANAGEMENT

The Number 1 Magazine For Painters

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CONTENTS RICHARD BRANSON: THE RISE TO SUCCESS............................................... 8 NEW....................................................................................11 KATRINA HAYNES: EMPLOYEE OR CONTRACTOR?............................. 13

8

MENTAL HEALTH AND TRADIES................................................................16 BEN SOUTHALL : AN AUSSIE ADVENTURE........................................24

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TOP CAMP SPOTS IN AUSTRALIA....................................................................28 RON CHAPMAN: WHAT I’VE LEARNED................................................ 32 UNDERSTANDING INSURANCE........................... 36

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MATT HOLME: HOW TO BE A TECH-SAVVY TRADE.............................................................................. 39 VARNISH ON KINS..................................................... 43

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TIME MANAGEMENT.................................................46 MARKETING QUICK WINS......................................50

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

TAS MOULIS: SIMPLE STRATEGIES................................................. 55

Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or services by trade Advertising Enquiries: READ PUBLISHING Published By: READ PUBLISHING Distributed By: READ PUBLISHING Designed By: READ PUBLISHING

name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by READ PUBLISHING. Links outside of this publication are provided for user convenience and do not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by READ PUBLISHING. The publisher or any of the editors, writers or contributors will not accept responsibility or liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owners risk and while every care will be taken the publisher does not accept liability for loss or damage.

No person, organization or party can copy or re-produce the content on this site and or magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the editors’ panel and the author if the content, as applicable.

The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work.

TRADIES AND FINANCES : WE HAVE NO F****** IDEA WHAT WE’RE DOING AND IT’S COSTING US OUR LIVES.............................................................. 57

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Editor

In CHIEF

CLAYTON COUGHLAN

Welcome to the first issue of Painters Domain magazine.

This magazine is a fresh new approach that was created to inspire, educate and share real stories, information and tips to support you as a painter on your journey in our industry.

Having been involved in the Painting and Decorating Industry for over thirty years. I am acutely aware that at times it can be a tough ride that is why I wanted to create this magazine to help share stories and advice and to make this crazy ride, whether you are an employee or business owner, a little less stressful. Be sure to check out the article with Richard Branson and the importance of failure; it’s a great article that will give you a new perspective.

When I was looking to put this magazine together, I looked at

what was lacking for our trade.

I then drew on what I learnt from members of our industry of the over the years.

I wanted to create excellent content to help you in your business and life. I understand that most of you enjoy your business or employment as a painter, and also really enjoy relaxing at every opportunity.

This is why we are putting a lot of health and wellbeing and lifestyle into Painters Domain magazine.

If you have your own story or know someone that has a great story to tell, and you would like to share with us and be featured in Painters Domain magazine, please visit our website www. paintersdomain.com.au and click on the share your story button and on of my highly talented editorial team will be in contact with you.

Clayton

OUR CONTRIBUTORS BEN SOUTHALL Ben is best known for winning The Best Job in the World to become the Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef in 2009. Ben has kayaked 2000km along the Great Barrier Reef, set world records running up the tallest mountains in Australia and completing the nine Great Walks of New Zealand in nine days.

Ben works as a television presenter, cameraman and producer for NatGeo and The Travel Channel filming documentaries around the world. He’s circumnavigated Africa and driven from Singapore to London in his faithful Land Rover, Colonel Mustard, and is the founder of Best Life Adventures - an adventure travel company which takes adventurous minds to some of the most extreme wilderness areas on the planet. bestlifeadventures.com

MATT HOLME Matt started MyWork from his home office in 2009 and grew it into one of Australia’s leading digital design companies specialising in helping small to medium sized businesses have a successful online presence. Since then MyWork has helped upwards of 7000 Australian businesses drive real growth via their focus on high converting web design. mywork.com.au

TAS MOULIS Tas Moulis is a successful tradie and painting business owner who helps business owners who are stuck ‘in’ their business or don’t know how to scale it. He works with them, covering the 3 main functions – how to market, how to sell and how to deliver their services in a predictable way. tasmoulis.com.au

KATRINA HAYNES Katrina Haynes is the founder and Director of K Haynes HR - HR Matters. Katrina works with SME’s to provide practical people solutions to minimise risk and maximise performance. Providing outsourced HR and workplace improvement services, Katrina specialises in Human Resources strategy, benchmarking, governance and compliance, recognition and reward, recruitment and DiSC personality profiling. Katrina provides peace of mind to business owners and managers through ensuring they have the right policies and procedures in place. hrmatters.com.au

DANIEL ALLAN, TRADEMUTT Australian Workwear brand, Trademutt aims to make tradies and workers of all kinds look and feel great at work, and in doing so, reduce the rate of male suicide in Australia. Their loud and vibrant shirts act as a catalyst to starting the conversation around mental health in men, a topic that has been hard to approach in the past for blokes, mostly due to the attached stigmas and perceived weakness. trademutt.com

RON CHAPMAN Ron runs an inner urban period house repaint business named Ron and Robin the Painters. He has been based for the last thirty years in Abbotsford/ Melbourne but originally from country South Australia where he commenced his trade in 1976 (forty four years ago!). Ron is regarded as a tribe elder in his industry due to his senior years, despite being still a boy at heart! His boutique painting business consists of 5 staff in total including his current partner and former boyfriend Robin who he still in business with after the past 37 years. ronandrobin.com

Business

Richard Branson:

THE RISE TO SUCCESS

By Robyn Gipters

W

hen we think about disrupting major business industries, one name is at the fore-front of our minds; Richard Branson and the Virgin brand.

Large and powerful enough to literally go out of this world with Virgin Galactic, Branson’s huge empire came from humble beginnings slowly forging their way toward success.

Branson left school at 16, with teachers predicting he would end up either in prison or a millionaire. They were half right! Unfortunately, school wasn’t the right place to harness his talents as 8

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Branson was dyslexic. There wasn’t the recognition or support in the 1960’s that schools provide today.

Still 16, his first business venture was a magazine named “Student”. He related enough to his customers to know what they would be interested in, and so, his next business was created from his own passion for music, selling music to fellow music lovers through Student Magazine.

He offered a cheaper way to access music than the high street stores, and as exciting and controversial bands hit

the music scene in the 1970’s, Branson created his own record label to ensure their music reached the wider public.

Born out frustration with an industry, usually around pricing, and an almost childlike belief that he can change it, Branson began all of his future companies. Decades before the term was even invented, Virgin Records and Virgin Music were disrupting the music industry.

Branson challenged the big corporations who were making huge profits, while the regular person was denied access to ordinary goods such as entertainment. He kept poking at every industry; “What happens if I try this?”

“I suppose the secret to bouncing back is not only to be unafraid of failures but to use them as motivational and learning tools.”

He was always looking for more industries to break into – trains, mobile phones, credit cards. Each new company he began brought an innovative low-cost solution to frustrated customers. The Virgin brand became associated with value and honesty.

His ventures have not been without failure or scandal – he has had several failed businesses (Virgin Cola, Virgin Cars, Virgin Publishing) as well as an abandoned attempt to cross the globe in a balloon. He’s also had some occasions where he’s been closer to prison than millionaire – for tax evasion, price fixing and near bankruptcy in the earlier years.

“I suppose the secret to bouncing back is not only to be unafraid of failures but to use them as motivational and learning tools. There’s nothing wrong www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au

9

with making mistakes as long as you don’t make the same ones over and over again.”

“Too often adults keep kids safe, ‘protecting’ them from the hurt that’s associated with failure. This is a big mistake.”

“The more children are told they can’t do something, the more they will lose their curiosity and determination. I am grateful to have had encouraging parents, who instead of blockading and trouncing my curiosity, allowed me to figure things out on my own accord.”

After his flight from Puerto Rico was cancelled, a frustrated Branson saw an opportunity to simply charter his own plane and offer a ride to the rest of the stranded passengers for a small fee to cover costs. Thus became Branson’s entry into the airline industry.

Part of his success is his ability to see the obvious. He looks for the problem, the frustration, and a better way to do things. He isn’t an inventor, but finds better, simpler, cheaper ways to do everyday things.

He says his biggest tip for surviving his own entrepreneurial journey is to keep challenging himself. He has been known to say that life is like one long university education, where he can learn more every day.

On one of Virgin’s weekly instalments of Richard Branson said “a major predictor of success is the character and quality of the idea itself. It doesn’t

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matter how new or unusual your idea is, if it does not fill a gap in the market and improve lives, then it is unlikely to be well received.”

Often the best way to find this gap is to look around you — are there services that could be improved or a product that could make something easier?

His goal seems to be simple - give more people more access to more things, whether that be through charities and foundations, or giving customers what they want. Branson is living proof no matter how young you are, or what your challenges may be, you can succeed in whatever you put your mind to.

Often known as the ‘Doctor of Yes’ Branson shares on his blog that “even if I have no idea where I’m going or how to get there, I prefer to say yes, instead of no - opportunity favours the bold.”

News

DuluxGroup:

Maki n g An Impact

By Hollie Harris

For the past 10 years, DuluxGroup has held an association with e.motion21, a charity organisation which assists children and teens living with Down Syndrome.

E.motion21 was founded by Cate Sayers, after she was unable to find a dance class that suited the learning needs of her daughter Alexandra, who was born with Down syndrome.

With a background in Human Movement Science, Cate held a class for 6-9 year olds who had a disability and it wasn’t long before families were lined up to fill her studios.

She went on to formalise the program and it became the non-profit organisation, e.motion21, functioning across nine sites in Victoria.

Last year, this organisation launched a project called “Impact21”, which aims to provide young adults living with Down Syndrome an opportunity to build their employability skills and obtain permanent employment in the workplace.

One of program supporting partners is DuluxGroup. Partnering with Impact21 as a foundation employer, they are working towards providing real, permanent employment for two young adults with Down Syndrome.

DuluxGroup have taken on two new interns: Jonathan Stewart and Matthew Foo, who commenced an internship in January 2020, with a view of permanently working at DuluxGroup from March 2020 onwards.

Jonathan, who has a passion for ballroom dancing and comic books, will be working with their Colour Centre Team. Matthew, whose interests include camping and all things technology, will be joining their People, Culture and Change Team.

Currently, less than 5 per cent of people with Down syndrome are employed in Australia. E.motion21 is about to improve those statistics with the Impact21 program and is looking to extend nationwide and to other disabilities.

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News

The 2019

MASTER PAINTERS AND DECORATORS AUSTRALIA AWARDS

By Jo Wilson

The mission of Master Painters and Decorators Australia is to be the voice of the Painting and Decorating Industry in Western Australia, by promoting professional and ethical business practice amongst members and nonmembers alike, and ensuring the standards of the trade are maintained at an acceptable level through appropriate training and education.

The 2019 Master Painters and Decorators Australia Awards for Excellence, has highlighted the outstanding quality of tradesmen and women in the Western Australian painting and decorating industry.

The big event was held at the Pan Pacific Hotel Perth, where CEO Amanda Dawes congratulated all the category winners on the high caliber of entries across 22 categories.

“Painting and decorating skills are honed by years of training and practice, followed by continuous learning on the job,” Ms Dawes said.

“The awards are a tribute to those in our industry who never stop learning; embracing new techniques and 12

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technology, fashion and style while maintaining traditional skills and expertise learned over many years.”

This was evident with the two major award winners, Barker-Whittle Pty Ltd for the Metropolitan area and Bob the Painter Albany demonstrating these skills.

The regional entries were so well represented again this year, and took out half of the category wins. The judges were extremely impressed with the number of newcomers to the competition and the quality being demonstrated.” Ms Dawes said.

“Creative Colours continued their 10 year dominance of the Decorative finishes category with wins in Decorative paint effects open value and Graphic design, whilst Van diddens Painting & Wallcovering took out Historical Restorations amongst some tough competition.”

The MP&DA also conducted its annual Apprentice of the Year Competition to challenge and assess the next generation of tradesmen and women on a range of painting and decorating skills.

Education EMPLOYEE OR CONTRACTOR?

By Katrina Haynes

D

o you engage contractors to work with you? If so, are they truly contractors or are you unwittingly in a Sham Contracting arrangement, where they should actually be employees?

In the painting industry it’s common to find that most team members are engaged as subcontractors.

However, just because someone submits an invoice with an ABN doesn’t automatically make them a

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genuine contractor. It also doesn’t matter if you and your team member agree to working under a contractor arrangement. There are rules set down by the ATO that you need to comply with.

All of these conditions are considered, it’s not just one or all of them that determines if someone is actually a contractor. You need to look at the entire working arrangement to ensure you have everything set up right.

To determine if someone is a true contractor there is a long list of conditions that need to be met including the contractor:

Even if your team members are being correctly engaged as contractors there are other things you need to be aware of. For example, did you also know that if a contract is for labour only (and the worker is not part of a Pty Ltd company) then you may be liable for paying their super as well?

•

• •

Having the ability to control how the work is done (such as hours, location etc) including the ability to hire others to assist Being engaged for a specific task or timeframe Using their own tools and equipment

The government is cracking down on Sham contracting and will be targeting businesses across Australia to ensure

“Even if your team members are being correctly engaged as contractors there are other things you need to be aware of.”

• • • •

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Bearing the risk of success (profit or loss) and taking responsibility for any work that is not to standard Being responsible for their own safe working practices (including having their own insurance) Having the ability to work for multiple businesses Paying their own tax, super and GST and not being entitled to paid leave www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au

that workers are being employed appropriately and paid their correct legal entitlements. Last year a number of businesses in hospitality were audited, we can expect other industries like painting to also end up on the audit list.

If you have a team member working for you as a contractor and it’s determined that they should be an employee you will be liable for back paying leave and most likely super as well. There may also be other penalties.

So how do you know if you are engaging your staff correctly? Most employers don’t know they have engaged staff incorrectly, particularly if it’s standard industry practice to use contractors. To help you work this out, the ATO has a handy online tool to determine if someone should be an employee or a contractor. You can find it here - https://www.ato.gov.au/ business/employee-or-contractor/howto-work-it-out--employee-or-contractor/

If you’re not sure if your workers arrangements are correct and would like some expert advice on how your team should be set up, or even just want peace of mind that you are doing the right thing, please contact me today for advice. Additionally, if you need to put in place the right agreements with your team members to ensure you are compliant, I can help with fixed price agreements that look after your business.

You can contact Katrina on 0403 576 797 or via email khaynes@hrmatters.com.au

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Health & Wellbeing

Mental Health

& TRADIES

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By Hollie Harris

W

hen we think of tradies that traditional image of big strong blokes in hard hats, boots and hi-vis shirts comes to mind. We think of capable guys, with plenty of skill, brawn and a can-do attitude, but as we all know, looks can be deceiving.

Often behind the tough exterior these tradies have a very soft underbelly.

We think of health and welfare for tradies and we immediately think about workplace safety, occupational hazards and workplace accidents, which is pretty logical, considering that the trade sector is one of the most dangerous industries in Australia. It is responsible for more than one half of all workers compensation claims in the nation, yet tradies make up a mere one third of the workforce.

So OH&S is an important issue for Australia’s tradies and as such is treated seriously and given much attention. Yet there is another health condition that poses a very real and confronting challenge for our tradies that does not get talked about nearly enough. One in five people experience it each and every year and one in two people will experience it at least once in their lifetime. We are talking about mental illness.

The fact is, mental health issues like depression and anxiety are extremely widespread and it is not something tradies normally discuss over an after work beer at the pub.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNING WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: •

Men are more than three times more likely to take their own lives than women.

•

The suicide rate amongst young tradesmen is three times higher than other men.

•

Construction workers are six times more likely to die by suicide than on a workplace accident.

•

Approximately 190 construction workers take their own lives every year in Australia. www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au 17

Mental health is a very real problem facing the trade industry. It should no longer be taboo to admit that you are having a hard time, feeling fragile or simply not coping. As an industry, there are many things that we can do to ensure our fellow workmates are actually “OK”.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO PROMOTE POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: •

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Be alert and look out for changes in your workmates behaviour – things that are out of character.

This might be anything from being

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overly happy and euphoric to the extreme of being withdrawn and angry. Any changes in behaviour should be taken seriously and seen as warning signs that things are not alright.

•

Organise a mental health display in your workplace or give workers an information bag to take home.

Many mental health organisations will happily provide material to promote education on mental health. Making this information accessible in your workplace will help to take away any “stigma” attached with facing mental health challenges.

•

Get a relatable guest speaker into the workplace to host a breakfast or a morning tea. When people hear first hand of other people’s struggles, it can often be the

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tipping point for them to admit themselves that they are not coping. Hearing first hand what others have gone through, how they have managed it and come out the other side, can often be the motivation for people to put their hand up and admit that they might need help. It can be very comforting for people to know that they are not the only ones struggling. •

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Arrange activities like mindfulness.

Now this might sound like a strange concept but mindfulness is a proven effective technique for improving mental health. Mindful meditation is a highly effective tool that helps deal with frustration, anger, stress and worry. By organising regular and perhaps

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even compulsory mindfulness workshops in your workplace, you will be providing a forum and safe place for your fellow workers to release and deal with some of their stress before it becomes overwhelming.

The mental health of our tradies is not an issue that should be taken casually and the light really needs to be shone on making it a topic that can be discussed freely and openly in just the same way as OH&S. It’s time that we take care of our tradies both physically and mentally.

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THE DIRECTORY

INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS

Painters Domain Magazine 07 3198 2477 Master Painters And Decorartors WA masterpainters.asn.au (08) 9471 6662 Master Painters Australia NSW/ACT Association Inc. masterpainters.com.au (02) 9758 8877 Master Painters Australia Vic/Tas mpav.com.au (03) 9813 5922 Master Painters Australia Qld www.mpa.org.au (07) 3277 8646 Likeminded Painters Australia likemindedpainters.com.au 0447 143 297 Paintback paintback.com.au 1300 390 380 Cbus Super cbussuper.com.au 1300 361 784

INDUSTRY AFFAIRS

HR Matters hrmatters.com.au 0403 576 797 Australian Taxation office www.ato.gov.au 13 28 61 Worksafe Australia www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/ Fairwork Ombudsman www.fairwork.gov.au 13 13 94 Small & Family Business Ombudsman Australia www.asbfeo.gov.au

1300 650 460 Business Support and Grants Australia www.business.gov.au 13 28 46 Telecommunication Ombudsman www.tio.com.au 1800 062 058

HEALTH & MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES

(THESE ARE NOT 24 HOUR SUPPORT) HALT ( Hope Assistance Local Tradies) thehaltbrekky.com TIACS Foundation (This is a conversation starter) tiacs.org Support after suicide www.supportaftersuicide.org.au (03) 9421 7640 Asbestos Disease Support Society www.adss.org.au 1800 776 412 Cancer Council Support www.cancer.org.au 13 11 20

CRISIS SUPPORT & SUICIDE PREVENTION

Lifeline www.lifeline.org.au 13 11 14 Beyond Blue www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 224 636 Suicide call back service www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au 1300 659 467 If you are in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, please contact emergency services on 000.

Lifestyle

Ben Southall :

AN AUSSIE ADVENTURE

A

s a business owner, days off may be few and far between, but when the planets do align and some much-needed R&R is on the cards, what better way to unwind than with a little adventure!

Getting away from the hustle and bustle of your usual routine, switching off the phone and email for a short while and indulging in the magnificence our incredible country has to offer – plus a sprinkling of adrenaline thrown in for good mix – is the perfect way to recharge.

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But, where do you go? When it comes to seeking out the best places in Oz to let your hair down (so to speak!), who better to ask than adventurer and winner of ‘Best Job in the World’, Ben Southall?!

Painters Domain asked Ben for his five favourite places in Australia to visit for an adventure you will never forget. It was a tough task, but we think he has chosen some real gems!

Where will you head to first?

1. Lady Elliot Island - Southern Great Barrier Reef.

Perched on the edge of the continental shelf and the southernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot Island is an absolute must-do if digital disconnection, mental reconnection and time spent watching the natural world above and below the water are things that make you go hmmmmmm.

Powered by the sun, this eco-resort is an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and a playground for nesting turtles, migrating whales, vast swathes of immaculate coral reef and home to a healthy population of manta rays. Put your snorkel in, pull your mask on and soak up the wonders of the greatest reef in the world.

2. The Bloomfield Track and Daintree Rainforest

Far North Queensland If Sir David Attenborough rates it as his favourite place in the world, there’s good reason enough to visit yourself. Where two World Heritage Sites collide - the Daintree and Great Barrier Reef – here lies a smorgasbord of nature and escapism. I love driving the Bloomfield Track from Cape Tribulation to Wujal Wujal, not because it’s a tough 4WD adventure - it’s anything but - as it feels

like your leaving civilisation behind and entering a tropical paradise. Watch out for a cassowary and lose yourself in nature.

3. Tasmania’s wilderness

The remote parts of the Apple Isle are more like New Zealand than the Australian mainland, with vast stretches of unexplored coastline, raging rivers, exposed mountain tops and thousands of hectares of national parks just waiting to be explored. I’ve travelled solo here a number of times armed with just a backpack and tent, supplies, a map and the desire to get lost in the magnificence and majesty of Australia’s greenest corner. Now I’ve got a 2-yearold son, it won’t be long before I strap him in the carrier and take him with me!

4. Birdsville and the Simpson

Desert

Queensland Nothing beats a true 4WD adventure, and heading out west to the red dirt of the desert is the ultimate getaway-from-it-all. I’ve travelled the world in my trusty ‘86 Land Rover Defender Colonel Mustard - crossed the Sahara, circumnavigated Africa, driven from Singapore to London, and half of Australia. However, one of my best trips to date is being camped on the slopes of Big Red (the first of over 1100 sand dunes on the edge of the Simpson Desert) looking at the stars through the windows of my roof tent. Birdsville is the gateway to the stark, baked red

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centre of Australia and for centuries, explorers, adventurers and weekend warriors have flocked to it for their own personal challenge. Make you don’t skip the Birdsville Bakery for a camel pie on the way!

5. Springbrook National Park

Queensland

I’m lucky enough to live in one of the most stunning parts of Australia - Currumbin Valley -with surf and mountains on my doorstep. Just up the valley from our place, the escarpment of Springbrook National Park stares down on us, with its rainforest and mist-clad peaks, sparkling waterfalls and epic walking (or trail running as I prefer) tracks that wind all the way to Lamington National Park to the east. While everyone else is thinking about golden beaches and the hectic nightlife of the Gold Coast, I prefer the green behind the gold.

BEN ’S STORY Ben Southall scaled Africa’s five highest mountains and ran five marathons during his Afritrex expedition – a 65,000km circumnavigation of the African continent; he kayaked 1600kms along the Great Barrier Reef retracing Captain Cook’s ‘Voyage of Discovery’ with his Best Expedition in the World, completed a 55,000km drive over 12 months through 33 countries from Singapore to London, and set a world record for the Aussie 8

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minds to some of the most extreme wilderness areas on the planet.

- the fastest ever ascent of the tallest mountain in each state in Australia, and the New Zealand 9 – the fastest ever completion of New Zealand’s Nine Great Walks totalling 545km in 9 days.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg!

Ben became a household name in Australia in 2009 when he beat 35,000 entrants to win the Best Job in the World to become the Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Since then, he has worked in television, print and radio, spreading his love for adventure with like-minded enthusiasts and teaching others how to dream big and, quite literally, conquer the world. He is the Founder and Expedition Director of Best Life Adventures - an adventure travel company, which takes adventurous

Ben’s book, ‘The Best Job in the World – How to make a living from following your dreams’ is an inspiration for all those looking to break free of conventions and live the life they always dreamed of by embracing obstacles and finding opportunities wherever they may lie.

“The inspiration behind writing my book was to try and inspire other ‘adventurous minds’ to turn an extended dream into reality,” he said.

“To go from someone who loved the idea of travelling around Africa into reality was a massive step to take, especially as my expedition partner decided to pull out two weeks before we were due to leave, after three years of planning! Taking that leap of faith is extraordinarily difficult to do but reading other people’s blogs and books gave me the drive to go ahead and take that leap - and over a decade later I’m so pleased I did!”

To find out more, visit www.bestlifeadventures.com

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Lifestyle

TOP CAMP SPOTS IN AUSTRALIA

By Jo Wilson

W

hen you work hard in the trade industry it is really important to take some time out, recharge the batteries and enjoy a well-deserved break and for many Aussie tradies nothing beats a good old-fashioned camping trip. Throw in some fishing, four-wheel driving, surfing and a barbeque and it’s nothing short of utopia, especially when you live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Here are a few of the top camping spots in Australia and explore exactly what is so great about them!

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El Questro Wildness Park,

EAST KIMBERLY, WESTERNAUSTRALIA 110 km west of Kununurra in the East Kimberley you will find El Questro Wilderness Park- an expanse of wild and untamed landscape that is also home to one of Australia’s prettiest hot springs. With several campsite options this unique wilderness wonderland is a beautiful place to pitch a tent.

Located in the East Kimberley, El Questro is 700,000 acres of vast and stunningly beautiful terrain. This diverse landscape extends 80 kilometres north to south and 60 kilometres east to west

and is mostly unexplored. From rugged sandstone ranges and broad tidal flats to rainforest pockets, thermal springs, gorges and permanent waterfalls, El Questro is a unique place and perfect for those with a sense of adventure.

Station tents are fully equipped with a cosy bed, power, towels, outdoor dining setting and fans.

The Black Cockatoo General Campground is central to all facilities.

You will find plenty of hot showers, newly constructed camp kitchens with BBQs and laundry facilities. This camping ground is located right at The Station, where you will also find the General Store, Steakhouse Restaurant and Swinging Arm Bar where you

can meet and mix with other outback adventurers travelling through the Kimberley region.

The campsites are within close proximity to El Questro activities, giving you prime access to the area’s largely unexplored wilderness. There are 30 private riverside sites situated further along the Pentecost River, yet still close to the heart of the action.

They are around 10 minutes’ drive from The Station’s central facilities, which are available for use by all campers.

Whether you choose to explore the area by air, land, horse or water you’ll never be far from an abundance of natural, and ancient, flora and fauna. www.elquestro.com.au

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PoiPoinntt, Lookout And Amity

NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND, QUEENSLAND Known to locals as Straddie, North Stradbroke Island is a really popular place to camp and for very good reasons. Within easy access from Brisbane, Straddie is a stunning natural oasis with beautiful coastal walks, excellent surfing beaches, roaming kangaroos and plenty of sunshine. You can either choose to pitch your tent at Cylinder Beach Camping Ground – within easy reach to cafes, shops and restaurants or you can head slightly further afield to Adder Rock Camping Ground and enjoy the shelter and beauty of the tea tree and pandanus forest.

Point Lookout is popular for its magnificent surf beaches, land-based whale watching from the headland, beautiful North Gorge walk, retail shops, restaurants and holiday accommodation with stunning views of the Coral Sea. Point Lookout has a real, no-fuss, beach holiday vibe; the way holidays used to be.

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Amity Point is a small seaside village that enjoys the beautiful sunsets over the bay. Here the waters are calm and the area is a favourite place for spotting dolphins and pelicans. Amity is great for kayaking or, if you love fishing, “putting the tinny in”, or perhaps throwing a line in from jetty. If that catch of the day eludes you don’t worry, there’s plenty of seafood to be had at Amity from Seashells Café or Rufus King Seafood.

There are a number of camping areas on North Stradbroke Island.

These camping areas offer a range of facilities, including cabins, powered and unpowered sites, toilets, showers and playgrounds. For a more rugged experience, there is remote beach camping with no facilities; however, these areas can only be accessed by 4WD vehicles. Camping permits are required for all camping areas and a Vehicle Access Permit is required to access these areas. www.stradbrokeisland.com

The Horsehoe Caravan Park,

SOUTH WEST ROCKS, NEW SOUTH WALES Located in picturesque South West Rocks and just one hour from Port Macquarie. You’ll find this holiday park set on absolute beach frontage and nestled under shady pines with panoramic ocean and mountain views.

Choose from a range of accommodation with one and two bedroom cabins available, as well as powered sites ideal for setting up camp. While staying with them you’ll have access to essential facilities including amenities and laundry, with a barbecue area and children’s playground just a short stroll away.

Horseshoe Bay Holiday Park accommodation includes comfortable Ensuite Cabins, together with spacious Powered Sites for caravaners and campers. It is adjacent the South West Rocks village centre where you’ll find a very diverse range of restaurants, takeaways, pizza houses, relaxed cafes and great pubs and clubs. There are excellent shopping facilities catering to all your needs as well as local doctors, dentist and an ambulance station.

Enjoy sightseeing at the historic Trial Bay Gaol, stroll along pristine beaches, or explore Smoky Beach by Four Wheel Drive. If you prefer to cast a line you’ll love the many onshore and offshore fishing locations or head underwater and dive the famous Fish Rock Cave which stretches over 125 metres. www.macleayvalleycoast holidayparks.com.au

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Lifestyle Ron Chapman:

What I 've Learned

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fter painting for more than four decades, Ron Chapman has learned a thing or two.

For new tradespeople, one of the best ways to learn and avoid making common mistakes is to pick the brains of an experienced person in your specific field.

Sometimes, though, it can be challenging to pin busy tradies down or get the honest answers you’re looking for.

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Ron has been a self-employed painter for over 40 years now and, today, as a proud gay man, he runs a self-proclaimed “out and proud” Melbourne-based painting business that’s focused on repaint projects.

Ron also likes to give back and help other painters find success.

“I am the unofficial ‘tribe elder’ of several painting groups,” he says. “In particular, I’m involved with Likeminded Painters Australia.”

Ron’s life story and his path to his current business set up has been an interesting and varied one. As he explains, “I began as a self-employed painter in 1976, when I was married to my wife Robyn and living in South Australia. However, after coming out with my first boyfriend, named Robin, in 1986, I relocated to Melbourne and have prospered ever since.

“I’m a proud father of a blended family.

Plus, I have been in a committed relationship with my current partner Ashley for the past 21 years – but I’m still business partners with my beloved first boyfriend Robin! And I’m very close to my former wife, Robyn.”

Over his 44 years’ of experience, Ron has worked in most areas of painting.

This includes projects for the police force, public housing initiatives, teacher housing, aboriginal housing, new construction, commercial work, and jobs for builders. For the past twenty years, though, Ron has been a specialist. “I concentrate on the repaint sector of our industry,” he says.

“More specifically, I am an inner urban, period home, residential interior/exterior repaint specialist.”

For ten years, from the time he was 15, Ron learned about what’s involved in being your own boss by working in his parents’ takeaway food business in the country. He handled retail food sales and marketing tasks. “This gave me an overview of running a painting business, from the perspective of being a small business owner,” says Ron. “I saw the importance of things like marketing, staff management, and plant and equipment. This has helped me to be successful in running my painting businesses.”

Ron also advises young painters to look for ways to build on their knowledge and skills. While he attributes his success and longevity in the industry to his background in small business and his common sense, he also acknowledges the importance of growth.

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“I have always, and still, strive to learn and evolve as a businessman and as a person,” Ron says. “I participate in all industry events, listen to my peers, and am hungry to learn. I treat my staff and clients with the utmost respect, and since I clearly love my work, this passion and enthusiasm shine through to clients.”

Ron also shares a few pros and cons of being a painter. “Personally, the thing I love most about my job,” he says, “is the sense of satisfaction I achieve each day as I transform a client’s most valued asset, their home, with a coat or two of paint. The client feedback is so refreshing and reaffirming, too.”

As for negatives, this also relates to dealing with customers. Ron acknowledges, “The worst thing about being a painter is that one-ina-thousand, challenging, impossible client who you can never please.” But he tries to take such issues with a grain of salt. “Difficult customers are the frame of reference that we all need to have to appreciate the vast majority of clients, who are wonderful.”

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This optimistic frame of mind has helped Ron become a well-regarded, long-term painter and entrepreneur, as has his absolute joy in the work. “I have so much passion and enthusiasm for my job. I genuinely and absolutely love it,” he says.

“Despite being past my retirement age, I have never enjoyed my job more than I currently do. I get to work daily with a team of hand-picked young men. This includes both my ex and my current boyfriend, as well as a gay leading hand. Plus, we employ one “token” heterosexual, whom we all adore!”

When asked about tips for new tradies, Ron suggests others try to share his same enthusiasm for life and the industry. “Be passionate and positive and enthusiastic,” he recommends.

“It’s self-fulfilling, and clients pick up on your energy.”

He also says, “Be hungry to learn, from peers, industry conferences, and social media, for instance. I wish I had been able to access painting-related social media posts and connections earlier in my career, to exchange information and accelerate my learning.”

Something else Ron suggests all painters do to get ahead is specialise in an area that works best for them, rather than being generalists. “My business colleagues and I are non-traditional tradies in many ways,” he explains.

“We are a gay owned and operated business, specialising in inner-urban period home repaints. We have rainbow marketing emblazoned over all of our equipment, and our typical clients are heterosexual professionals with children who have a stereotypical perception that, being gay, we’re all arty, experts on colour and décor, and tidy in our work. This is a marketing point of difference I’m happy to confirm and exploit, though of course, you don’t need to be gay to possess any of these traits!”

Ron says that his business also demonstrates another point of difference other tradies might find interesting. “For years, we’ve embraced a shorter working day. We noticed an immediate increase in productivity from this decision. We now achieve our targets in six hours, rather than eight or more.”

Ron also personally avoids the renovation sector. “Being painters, we’re usually the last, finishing-off trade. However, by the time we get onsite, issues have accumulated that we often have to wear (like dodgy workmanship, and other tradies being behind schedule). Renovators, through no fault of their own, often end up over budget, over time, and over tradesmen! That leaves us, the final workers, in an unenviable position all too often.”

Ron’s words of wisdom should help all new tradespeople to reach for paintingindustry success in 2020. It may not be quick or easy to make a name for yourself, but as Ron has shown, the right attitude and a love for the work can certainly help you to achieve your goals.

The reason? “I attribute these results to fewer food breaks and avoiding the afternoon slump,” Ron notes. “Plus, happily, the shorter workday has led to zero absenteeism and staff turnover for the past four years.”

For new painters looking for a niche to operate in, Ron cautions against assuming that focusing on work through builders is best. “Builders have a reputation for slow payment and, in far too many instances, making no payment at all.” www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au 35

Business UNDERSTANDING INSURANCE

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’m not an insurance expert or broker, but I would like to share how I understand how the different types of insurance work and why it’s essential that we all have some form of cover.

No matter how careful we are, accidents can and do happen, just like my Jet Ski accident on New Year’s Day 2020. I have been riding Jet Skis for 20 years and consider myself experienced. I was jumping a wave when I became airborne and was clipped by another wave, which threw me off balance and I landed on top of my ski. That moment had the potential to change my life forever and the lifesavers and paramedics who attended that day, thought it had.

Fortunately, their initial prognosis was wrong, however, I am still left with a drawn out painful recovery.

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While these are risks that we accept as a part of life, the consequence of an accident can be quite severe. If you are in a situation like mine, unable to work, it can endanger the financial stability of your family, and disrupt the normal operation of your business, or worse, leave your business in dire straits. Fortunately, I have had Personal Income Protection Insurance for over 20 years.

In simple terms, Personal Accident Insurance is a type of insurance that a business owner can buy to protect against these types of events. The coverage protects a business and it’s owner against the financial downside that can come with being injured in an accident. Now, I can already hear some of you saying that you can’t afford Personal Accident or Personal Income Protection Insurance. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that makes

you someone who can’t afford to not have this insurance. Where would you be if your income was to stop, due to sickness or accident?

One of the first things that needs to be understood about Personal Accident Insurance is that it is not Income Protection Insurance. These policies are similar, but there are some key differences.

Depending on the insurance company, the differences and similarities between these two types of coverage can vary, but there are two differences that are of vital importance. One crucial difference is the types of events for which the insured will be covered.

With income protection, you are covered for both injury and illness.

With a policy for personal accidents, you are usually only covered for injuries

that are the result of an accident. As another key difference, most policies for income protection can provide replacement income all the way up until the insured reaches the age of 65, again this can vary with each insurance company or policy. With personal accident insurance, you are looking at an insurance product that is designed to provide temporary income.

Personal Accident Insurance is a more reasonably priced option than income protection. Since it covers fewer events and does not have the same potential for high payouts, insurance companies view it as a lower risk, so it comes with lower premiums. It can be a good form of coverage for a business owner that wants Income Protection, but is not particularly concerned with the potential for illness. This may not be your best option.

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With most policies for Personal Accident Insurance, you will not need to take a medical exam, whereas, to get a policy for Income Protection, you are probably going to need to take a medical exam, which can exclude some people from coverage. If you are having trouble getting Income Protection Insurance due to your medical history, Personal Accident Insurance can be a good alternative.

It is imperative that you be open and honest about your history and habits when applying for any form of income insurance. If the insurer finds out you have been untruthful, you may have your claim rejected at the time you most need it. Most adults will qualify for Personal Accident with few problems, and it is more accessible to people that have health issues.

As a small business owner, you need to know that you have financial protection.

One of the great things about Personal Accident protection is that you are covered for accidents that happen on or off the job. Depending on your business, the job might be where you are at the greatest risk for injury, but things can happen at home, on vacation or when you are out playing with your kids. Regardless of where the accident occurs, personal accident insurance has you covered.

When you get personal accident insurance, the payments can vary depending on the injury. In some cases, it could be a lump sum payment, in others, it might be weekly or monthly benefits and there are some situations where it could be a combination of the two. The weekly 38

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and monthly payments are usually for injuries that cause temporary or partial disability. This is to provide the insured with replacement income while they are unable to work. The lump sum payments are generally reserved for more severe injuries that result in permanent or long-term disability.

If you own a business that relies on your ability to be there and participate in the work, then Personal Accident Insurance may be a useful form of financial protection. It can help to keep you and your business financially stable while allowing for the necessary time to recover.

To learn more about your options for personal accident insurance or income protection, consult with the LPA approved insurance brokers, Business Insurance Cover Services.

By Editor In Chief Clayton Coughlan

Business

Mat t Holme :

How To Be A Tech-Savvy Tradie PART 1

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mall business is close to Matt Holme’s heart. His father was a roof painter for over 25 years, and although Matt chose to take a different career path, his vast knowledge of the trade industry has enabled him to help businesses such as his father’s succeed in a fastchanging, increasingly tech-savvy world. With a background in marketing and technology, Matt believed every business should have a website and in 2009 he set up his business MyWork to

help make that happen.

“One of the pain points for my dad in his business, which many tradies still face to this day, was the daunting process of setting up a website and not really knowing where to start,” Matt said.

MyWork has grown from Matt’s home office in Brisbane to a team of 16, offering a complete website development package and digital www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au 39

marketing plan for small businesses across the country. In the 11 years since MyWork began, Matt and his team have built over 7,000 websites, and many of Matt’s original clients have stayed on to this day.

Painters Domain spoke to Matt about his top five tips to help small business owners stay on top of their game and harness the power of the world wide web.) We hope you feel inspired with the second part of this piece from Matt.

Have your new website built in WordPress and hosted on a reliable server. Make sure your website is nice and fast and secure.

“These days, all websites have a little padlock in the top left hand corner to indicate whether or not it is secure,” Matt explains.

“That little padlock doesn’t play a huge role in the small business website, but when first impressions count, to tell a potential customer that your business is not secure is often a backward step.”

As well as security, speed is also important. Firstly because, as website browsers, we all tend to click off sites that are taking ‘too long’. We are impatient, we want the information and when delayed, we get frustrated and go elsewhere. The other – and hugely influential – reason to make sure your website is fast is that Google’s goal is to put the best sites at the top of a search listing.

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“If Google sees your website as slow, it won’t be confident it is a credible source of information and will probably end up ranking it lower down on the search result page. So once again, first impressions count, and first impressions count in Google’s eyes as well.”

In terms of platforms, Wordpress is by far Matt’s top recommendation.

“WordPress powers 30 per cent of the entire internet, so it is absolutely hands down the number one content management system in the world,” he said.

Every reputable web designer understands and has experience with the platform and is it compatible with any hosting provider. This means that no matter where your business takes you, there will always be someone to help. The other bonus of WordPress is that it automatically updates, just like our mobile phones do.

“WordPress now acts a little bit like your mobile phone in the way it updates. If you maintain your site properly, it will self-update, just in the same way you pick up your phone in the morning to find you have the latest operating system,” Matt said.

“In the past, one of the negatives of getting a website was the speed at which it becomes out of date; however the new WordPress system means your website is essentially future-proof.”

Ensure your website content is accurate and informative. This is vital to not just customers who may be reading your website, but to Google ranking as well.

As previously mentioned, your website essentially provides the first impression of your business and is your number one salesperson. The carefully-chosen words appearing bold and bright on your homepage can make or break a sale in seconds.

They can hook in the prospect or turn them away. They can incite interest and intrigue, or bore them to tears.

Interestingly, Google reacts in much the same way, and both human and machine have a role to play in how successful your business turns out to be.

“Just it’s just like if you were to write an article in a newspaper 25 years ago about your business, you’d want it to be informative and interesting.

Today is no different - if you or other people are writing about your business on your website, it needs to be quality. It’s poorly written or it lacks information, it’s going to fail when it comes to customers reading and it’s also going to fail when it comes to Google trying to understand what the business is about,” Matt said.

There is a fine balance between writing something that is informative for a human being and equally relevant and useful for Google, so

it can be a wise investment to have a content expert help you out.

“Using painting as an analogy is a perfect example. If you haven’t painted before, anybody can try and roll a wall, but there’s a good chance probably not going to look to the standard as a what a professional could do it.”

“If you want it done properly and you may not necessarily have the skills to get something to the quality you’re after, then bring in a professional,” Matt said.

Succeeding in business in today’s techsavvy landscape does not have to be as daunting you might first think. A website www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au 41

is vital for the growth and sustainability of any business, big or small, but there are many options and a lot of expert help available to get your unique piece of cyberspace up and running in no time.

With a well-thought-out, clear and easily accessible web presence, you can continue to attract – and keep – valuable clients long into the rapidly evolving future.

For more information on MyWork services, visit www.mywork.com.au

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Bar Review

Varnish on Kings I

f you have never been to Varnish on Kings in Perth CBD, you could easily be forgiven for walking straight past it.

Once you find the little brass plate on the brick wall at 75 King St that identifies the absolute jewel of King Street, you will be greeted by the gatekeeper of the recessed twin timber doors that open to a timber staircase lined with bottles of whiskey and wine and leads you down into the basement of this former CBD warehouse heritage building. The first thing that hit me as I made my way down the stairs was the fantastic aroma of bacon that fills the air, and once you hit bottom, you discover a comfortable chic basement whisky bar.

The bar channels a 1920’s kind of feel with plenty of exposed brickwork in the subterranean space, with polished timber floors and leather banquettes

beneath a spectacular decorative timber ceiling. Its no wonder the place was pumping early on a Friday night, with eighties music streaming from the speakers the atmosphere was laidback and casual.

Our group were heading out to Perth’s Fringe Festival, so we were looking to eat, most of the tables were booked so I highly recommend reservations if you want to dine. We managed to secure a seating after while and ordered an epic selection of bourbon and whiskey as well as food fit for a King, pardon the pun!

Speaking of the menu, I would recommend the Varnish maple bourbon chicken wings with lime and the half leg of lamb with pecorino and bourbon sauce. My mouth is watering again as I write this review. www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au 43

Varnish pays homage to American whiskey with a showcase of bourbons, whiskeys and ryes but also have over 100 wines and beers. So let’s talk about the bar. One of the first things you will notice when you step up to the bar is the obsession with beavers at Varnish… ..a little weird. I will leave it at that.

Prices are reasonable, so if you’re a local or visiting Perth, definitely put Varnish on the bucket list.

Moving on, the bar staff were super friendly and knew their whisky and will educate you with their knowledge of the massive selection of high-quality drinks on offer. I started the night with a local West Australian Tiger Snake Whisky cask strength from the Albany area. Be fair warned, it packs a punch at 65.6% and will drop you like a Tiger Snake in the wild if you have too many. Next I slipped into the most perfectly crafted Ole Fashioned made on a base of Buffalo Trace whisky, but I would have to say the signature serve at Varnish would be their Whiskey and Bacon flights.

These things are legendary—because who doesn’t want four different flavours of bacon paired with 4 shots whiskey served on a timber breadboard for just $42. What’s not to love about this quirky idea?

By Editor In Chief Clayton Coughlan

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The only dress code they have is no HiVis so don’t drop in on your way home if you have just left the job site.

The Results

Atmosphere Food Drinks Pricing Overall rating Our Rating System : Don’t bother, stay at home and watch re-runs of MASH : More effort required : Average, might give it a second go : This is not bad at all : Bloody fantastic, rip into this place. Well worth the visit

'MAKING AN INVISIBLE ISSUE IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE'

WWW.TRADEMUTT.COM

'REMOVING THE PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO ACCESSING PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT' TO DONATE HEAD TO

WWW.TIACS.ORG AN INITIATIVE OF

Business

TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS

By Georgina Senes

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new year is a great time to review your business practices and consider how you can work smarter, not harder. With technology becoming more and more accessible and affordable, now may be the time to introduce and streamline some business processes to make sure your time is well spent.

Managing time isn’t about squeezing as many tasks into my day as possible. It’s about simplifying how you work, doing things faster, and relieving stress. Here are some tips to help free up some hours in your week!

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Make a plan How much time should you be spending doing each activity?

Make a list of all of the tasks that you normally need to complete week by week, and allocate a realistic amount of time to each. Remember to include some contingency time for the unexpected, as well as travel time.

Your plan should include allocations for clients, staff management and admin as well as leisure time, family commitments, and sleep!

Use an organising tool to schedule your tasks This may be a paper diary, a calendar on your phone or tablet, or a scheduling tool. It doesn’t matter what it is so long as you consistently use it for all of your tasks, appointments, reminders, etc.

The best tool is one you can refer to when on the phone or with customers, and one you are confident using. Just using the calendar app in your phone can make a huge difference as you will always have your schedule with you.

Using any form of technology allows you to set reminders, share appointments with others, reschedule tasks as needed, and colour-code tasks, for example to identify personal versus work commitments, or show degrees of urgency.

Prioritise For each day or week, prioritise the most urgent and important tasks and complete them first, or schedule in sufficient time. We all avoid things we hate doing, so you may want to break some tasks into smaller chunks, or delegate them!

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Try to have regular time slots For regular tasks, try to allocate regular times and communicate those time slots to anyone impacted. If customers know exactly when they can expect a quote or invoice from you, your contact time diminishes. If suppliers know that you pay invoices every Monday and staff know to submit timesheets on a Friday because you do your payroll on a Saturday morning, there’s less time chasing people or responding to queries.

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Learn to say no You can’t create extra hours or days in the week, so if you really can’t juggle what’s already in the diary to fit someone in, be honest. It’s better to say no or give someone a realistic timeframe than try to squeeze someone in, then let them down. Customers hate waiting home for someone who turns up 3 hours later than expected or who does a sloppy job because they run out of time.

Delegate You may feel you have to be on top of every job, but chances are you are spreading yourself too thin. Consider what tasks can be delegated to someone you want to develop, or someone with different expertise. If you hate doing your books or payroll, call in a bookkeeper. If you haven’t got time to train or oversee staff or deal with suppliers, is there someone on your team that would relish the opportunity?

Remember delegation isn’t a sign of weakness – every task you delegate gives someone else a job, a promotion or chance to develop.

Track time spent versus your plan One benefit of this is that as you review your plan each week you will get better at planning and therefore better at making sure the ‘free time’ you scheduled actually happens. It can also help in setting your prices – once you have reliable data on how many hours you and your team spend serving clients versus the admin and businessbuilding tasks, you will be better placed to calculate your profitability.

This is another task you might want to delegate!

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Business

Marketing Quick WIns

By Hollie Harris

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f you’re looking to make 2020 your best year yet, start by looking at how well you market your business.

Here are 10 easy marketing tips that will help to bring a steady stream of enquiries!

Customer referrals and reviews Your best form of advertising by far is happy customers. So giving your customers the best possible service will ensure some word of mouth advertising in the future. Ask your customers if you can leave some business cards with them, and once the job is complete, send them a link to your Google review page asking for a rating (see below).

Most people will be happy to if you make it easy for them.

Facebook community groups Community Facebook groups have been established in every region, and local residents commonly use them to ask for recommendations. The post can often get a stream of recommendations, usually too many for the poster to wade through or differentiate! Be proactive – if your name is ‘tagged’ by one of your contacts, launch straight into

action and send a direct message to the person asking for their phone number and a suitable time to come and quote. When faced with too many options, a customer is likely to gravitate to whoever turns up first and makes it easy! Although price will obviously be a factor.

Some community groups will also allow small business advertising. This might be free on a certain day, or at a relatively small cost. It’s easy to create an ad with a link to your website or Facebook page.

Local business networking groups While online marketing is increasingly common, you can’t get past a real relationship when it comes to marketing trades. To be invited into someone’s home you need to be liked and trusted.

Joining a local business networking group (check out your local chamber of commerce, rotary club, business association) can help you to make contacts with local people and form alliances with other businesses serving the same customers as you - such as builders, real estate agents, interior designers.

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Facebook page

Website

While many potential customers research businesses on the net, it’s also common to check out a Facebook business page. The great thing about a Facebook page is it is free and very easy to update, especially with photos.

Take some photos of each job you complete to build up a portfolio on your page. Make sure you ask client’s before posting, and respect their privacy and security (don’t disclose the address etc).

You don’t have to spend a lot on a website – but you do need an online presence. A simple online brochure style website is enough, with some brief info about your business and location, and a contact form. A few photos will also help to display your work, but remember this can be done more easily on Facebook, so a link to your Facebook page is all that is needed.

Make sure your website is mobile

Facebook ads Facebook ads are also easy to create using your Facebook page, logo or website. You can use them to target particular demographics such as location, age and interests, so for example you could reach people aged 30 and over within 20km of your location, with an interest in home repairs. Your ad will appear in Facebook news feeds for this set of people. You can set up a target and a time limit to cap your spend, and you’ll receive reports from Facebook to tell you the success of your ad (how many people clicked on it, and how many people then clicked through to your website/page).

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friendly so your customers can read it from their phone or tablet.

review on your Google profile. You can even send them a link to request it.

You can get DIY website templates for free, and web hosting for as little as $4 per month.

Google analytics

Google My Business

There’s no point having a website unless you monitor its performance.

Google analytics tells you how many people have visited your website, how much time they spent there, and what action they took (for example completed a contact form or hit any buttons).

A Google business account is free to set up and helps you to be found on Google searches and maps. And even better, your customers can leave a

Business cards and mail box drops Gone are the days of large print campaigns, but it is worth having small quantities of business cards and flyers at the ready, especially when attending networking events. If you’re going to be in one location for several days, do a quick mail box drop within 500m. Then if anyone calls to enquire, you can jump straight on to a quote visit.

Vehicle signage Nosy neighbours do notice when a renovation is happening so make sure they see you parked up! People are reluctant to pick up the phone these days so make sure your web or Facebook address is also clearly visible.

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Interested in getting ahead in 2020?

Benefit from getting the support you need to grow your profits and increase cashflow Enhance Business Consulting has a proven track record in the painting industry, helping clients grow by implementing better strategies for running and managing their businesses.

Enhance clients typically double their profits and cash at bank balances in the first 12 months of implementing improvements.* Providing structure, planning, information and unlimited support for your organisation – you will never feel alone in business again. *individual results may vary

Financial freedom has come from working with Christina, learning to trust the process that has been implemented has allowed me to sleep better at night and it has also given me the ability to have spare time in my day to spend with family and finally not having to work on the tools anymore.

Brett Callander BJC Painting Services

Christina’s assistance has been vital to the growth and success of my business. She has helped me to determine where the business is at right now, where I’d like it to be, and how to get there. She’s identified my most profitable services and projects and helped me to take advantage of them. She’s also helped me to dramatically streamline my processes, hire and retain fantastic staff, and create lasting customer relationships.

Gabriel De Vries Fluid Painting Solutions

Christina Toon 0407 576 657 christina@enhancebiz.com.au /enhancebusinesssupport www.enhancebiz.com.au

Business

TSimple as MoulStrategies is : For Success

T

as Moulis is a successful tradie and painting business owner who helps business owners who are stuck ‘in’ their business or don’t know how to scale it.

He works with them covering the 3 main functions that drive a painting business - how to market, how to sell and how to deliver their services in a predictable way, so they can make more money, get more meaning and create more leverage in their painting business.

He says ‘After talking with hundreds of painters around the country the most common reason they got into business in the first place was more time and freedom’.

Sadly, this is often not the case for many painting business owners. But Tas suggests, to take away some the overwhelm, business owners can consider breaking down the many tasks and roles they have in business into functional and actionable steps.

As an example, when helping his clients grow their business he gets them to follow what he calls the TRC method:

Tracking your progress; where your

leads or quotes are coming from, how many sales you are getting, where are they coming from, revenue etc.

Reviewing the process during your job

and how it went; on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. Is this sustainable? Is it making you money?

Correcting. How to improve the

efficiencies, your output, how to increase quotes, which sectors etc.

He recommends using the above steps across your entire business, including, in particular, your sales and marketing funnels.

It’s never about doing twenty different strategies; two or three great strategies focused on and mastered will help your business to grow.

Visit www.tasmoulis.com to find out more. www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au 55

PAINTERS

‘INNER CIRCLE’ PROGRAM TAKE YOUR PAINTING BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL...

Brought To You By

THE INNER CIRCLE IS FOR: People who have or are wanting to start a painting business.

People who want to make more money, have more meaning and get more time from their business.

People who value building a quality business, helping others and contributing to their community just as much as they value making money.

People who know their business can grow, and who are willing to work to make that happen.

People who are committed to be successful (whatever that looks like for you) and want the freedom to do what they want, when they want with who they want.

THE INNER CIRCLE IS NOT FOR: People who are just in this for the money, and don’t care about their clients or the quality of work they do.

People who are dodgy in any way.

People who are not coachable, not willing to work hard and are always blaming others for their failures.

The Inner Circle Program is delivered online via group format.

CLICK HERE As Featured In:

TRADIES AND FINANCES : WE HAVE NO F****** IDEA WHAT WE’RE DOING AND IT’S COSTING US OUR LIVES

By Daniel Allan, Trademutt

TRIGGER WARNING- This article or section, contains information about suicide which may be upsetting to some people. www.paintersdomainmagazine.com.au 57

W

hen I first started out, I went from being employed fulltime, to becoming a sole trader with an ABN who had to pay my own tax, supposedly pay my own super and essentially run myself like a business with little to no guidance. And by little to no guidance, I mean asking the other tradies on site how they did things on the paperwork side. Literally the blind leading the blind.

It didn’t really occur to me to chat with an accountant (asking for help? Nah – don’t need it! Right?)

I did, however, have my income protection insurance sorted, luckily.

About 8 months after being signed

ATO went through me. I felt completely powerless after what was a series of unfortunate events, some poor advice, bad decisions and a kitchen bench full of scary letters from the Taxman that I couldn’t really understand. It was shit.

That’s my story from my time as a sole trader and I know I’m not alone.

I have heard plenty of equally terrible stories from other tradies and plenty of worse stories, too. But the scary thing is, how many stories out there are probably going untold. How many operators are suffering in silence because they think that they are the only one going through it and are too afraid to reach out and seek help

“FINANCIAL STRESS CAN TAKE A SIGNIFICANT TOLL ON YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF WELLBEING, BUT YOU CAN PREVENT THIS BY BEING PROACTIVE.” off I did a massive knee injury while playing sport which put me off work for 6 months. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had that income protection I would have been completely screwed. So, if you’re a sole trader like I was, GO AND GET INCOME PROTECTION INSURANCE ASAP. When tax time came around I got a very nasty shock. I ended up $30k in the hole because I had no fucking idea what I was doing. I had operated as a sole trader for 8 months, hadn’t paid tax and then got whacked with tax from the insurance payout. The 58

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because of the shame?

Warrick Bidwell, Hamish Clarke and Duayne Pearce who were guests on the TradeMutt podcast, all spoke about the enormous psychological toll that not understanding your numbers takes on yourself personally and professionally. In Hamish Clarke’s case, it was a contributing factor that led him to attempt suicide.

As the Co-Founder of social enterprise organisation TradeMutt, with a core mission to help prevent suicide, particularly among blue-collar

industries, it would be completely irresponsible of me not to talk about the contributing factors that have led people down a very dark path.

Given that the two biggest factors that can cause a decline in mental health, particularly for men, are finances and relationships, it’s time we start treating the cause of depression and suicidal thoughts, rather than only letting everyone know about the warning signs and symptoms to look out for.

Looking after yourself needs to be everyone’s focus in 2020. This does not just mean eating well and getting enough exercise, although that’s a great start. When it comes to financial control and running a small business, you need to make it part of your routine to get on top of your books. No one else will do it for you and it won’t matter in the slightest until you get a knock at the door from the ATO or the sh** hits the fan. You might have been flying under the radar for years, but sooner or later something will come unstuck.

Here are some quick and easy things you can do to get on the front foot with finance in 2020.

1. Get yourself a good accountant that you can trust to help you understand your numbers. Make it part of your routine for the new year, which will set you up for success in 2020 and for many years to come.

2. Invest in some simple accounting software, something that will make it easier for you to invoice, track budgets, draw up work contracts and remind you to follow up on those unpaid invoices. Set aside 20 mins to set up your week and start understanding your numbers - it’s a small investment in time which will prevent a potentially far greater consequence in the long run.

3. Get income protection insurance and any other insurance you need to cover your ass. Yes it’s another annoying bill you have to pay – but you need to be covered when something goes wrong, otherwise you (and your family if you have one) will be in financial trouble.

If you are struggling or need to talk to someone, Lifeline are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 13 11 13.

If you need help in finding a business coach, contact us at Painters Domain and we can up you in touch with some great trade-based coaches. We recommend Integration Kings for client tracking, planning and accountant software and finally Business Insurance Cover Services for all your Insurance needs.

www.integrationkings.com www.trademutt.com.au www.bics.net.au

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