From the Editor
Hey Everyone,
Welcome to the 148th issue of the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine.
Well, I don't know what to say, I am immensely honoured to have been the Inaugural Winner of NAWIC's National Male Ally Award. It is something I am passionate about, having had my own female apprentices over 20 years ago and having trained over 100 female apprentices and some of the best within our industry.
Realistically, 50% of our population are women and yet, only about 3% are working within the construction industry. With the skills shortage, why aren't we embracing women to our workforce? If you are interested in finding a women to join your team reach out and we will assist.
After the NAWIC Award, I was contacted to inform me that I am a Finalist in the Qld Training Awards for Metropolitan Regional Finalists as VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year. This is another honour that I am so proud of having now trained over 1000 apprentices throughout the years. I also want to congratulate Ali on her Finalist nomination for the Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year Award.
A big shout out to WorldSkills Australia with next months event being held in Brisbane in June. If you are in Brisbane I would recommend you coming to the event and seeing the best apprentices in Australia competing to be crowned the Best in their Trade. If you come past the Painting Competition say high. I will be there and look forward to catching up with you.
CONTRIBUTORS
• Anthony Igra
• Caroline Miall
• Giovanni E. Ferreira
• Jim Baker
• Leo Babauta
• Meena Jha
• Nigel Gorman
• Oliver Kay
• Rachelle Buchbinder
• Robert Bauman
• Sandra Price
EDITOR
Nigel Gorman GRAPHIC DESIGNER
J. Anne Delgado
Cover Photo : Image from NAWIC, photos by Maja Baska
Breaking New Ground: Nigel Gorman Wins National NAWIC Male Ally Award
Record Keeping for Aussie Businesses: A No-Nonsense Guide
Forcing Yourself to Do EVERYTHING
Aussie Painters Network & Women in Painting Join the Purple Army for Domestic & Family Violence Awareness
Being Totally Authentic
Restraint of Trade in Australia: What Business Owners Need to Know
Don’t click without thinking – and 4 other ways to keep yourself safe from scams
The Power of Financial Models in Review
A Guide to Getting Better at TAKING ACTION
5 Reasons Your Business Needs FACEBOOK ADS
What does Public Liability Insurance cover?
What’s the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis? Industry Idiots
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 June 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.
Breaking New Ground: Nigel Gorman Wins National NAWIC Male Ally Award
We are thrilled to share that Nigel Gorman, founder of Aussie Painters Network and co-founder of Women in Painting, has been awarded the inaugural Male Ally Award at the 2024 National NAWIC Awards for Excellence, held in May, on the beautiful Sydney Harbour.
It was incredible to be surrounded by many inspiring women in the construction industry. We were privileged to hear from NAWIC Australia’s founder, Paula Gerber, about her journey, achievements and the beginnings of the national organisation. I was also thrilled to meet Winston Churchill Trust Fellow, Polly Britten, who is deeply involved in programs encouraging girls and women and underrepresented others into skilled trade careers.
The historic win recognises Nigel’s longstanding commitment to gender equity in the construction and trades industries, and his instrumental role in creating meaningful change for women in painting and decorating.
Nigel’s advocacy stretches back over 14 years through the Aussie Painters Network, but his work reached new heights in 2023 with the official launch of Women in Painting—an initiative aimed at empowering, supporting, and elevating women across the trade through training, mentoring, events, and partnerships.
From facilitating apprenticeships to championing inclusive job sites, Nigel has never shied away from the hard conversations. His work has helped to shift mindsets, challenge outdated norms, and create space for women to lead and excel in an industry traditionally dominated by men.
“This award is not just for me,” Nigel added. “It’s for every woman who’s ever felt like she didn’t belong on a jobsite, every young girl who’s told she can’t pick up a brush, and every man willing to stand beside them and say, ‘yes you can’.”
We also extend our congratulations to all finalists in the Male Ally category and across the NAWIC Awards. It’s inspiring to see a growing national spotlight on the importance of inclusion, allyship, and progress in construction and trades.
From all of us at Aussie Painters Network and Women in Painting—Nigel, we’re so proud of you. Your leadership, passion, and integrity are helping to reshape our industry for the better.
Images from NAWIC, photos by Maja Baska
Record Keeping for Aussie Businesses: A No-Nonsense Guide
Running a business in Australia? Great! But remember, the ATO isn’t just interested in your profits—they want to see your paperwork too. Let’s break down what you need to know about keeping records that won’t land you in hot water.
What Counts as a “Record”?
Think of records as the story of your business’s financial life. This includes:
• Income and expenses: Sales, purchases, wages, rent—you name it.
• Decisions and calculations: Any choices or estimates you make for tax or super purposes, along with how you arrived at them. Your records should clearly show:
• The date, amount, and description of transaction.
• The purpose of the transaction.
• The relationship between parties involved, if relevant.
The ATO’s Five Golden Rules
1. Keep Everything: From the day you start your business to the day you close it, retain all relevant records.
2. No Tampering: Don’t alter records or use dodgy software to hide sales. Keep records safe from damage.
3. Five-Year Rule: Hold onto records for at least five years from the date you prepared or obtained them, or completed the transactions they relate to—whichever is later.
4. Show Us: Be ready to present your records if the ATO asks. That includes providing access to digital records, passwords, and encryption keys.
5. English, Please: Records must be in English or easily converted to English.
Why Bother?
Good record keeping isn’t just about staying on the ATO’s good side. It helps you:
• Monitor your business’s health.
• Make informed decisions.
• Track money owed and owing.
• Manage cash flow effectively.
• Avoid penalties.
• Provide proof of your financial position to lenders or buyers.
Digital vs. Paper: Choose Wisely
While paper records are acceptable, digital records can save you time and space. The ATO recommends digital systems, especially for businesses with more complex affairs. Digital records should be:
• Secure: Protect them from unauthorized access.
• Backed Up: Regularly back up your data, preferably off-site or in the cloud.
• Accessible: Ensure you can provide records in a standard format like Excel or CSV if requested.
Keep It Safe
Protect your records from theft, fire, or water damage. For digital records:
• Use strong passwords and encryption.
• Store backups in a separate location or use reliable cloud storage.
• Document your procedures for destroying digital records.
Need Help?
The ATO offers resources to help you get your record keeping right:
• Record-keeping evaluation tool: Assess how well you’re keeping records.
• Webinars and workshops: Learn the ropes from the experts.
• Registered tax or BAS agents: Get professional advice tailored to your business.
Remember, even if you delegate record keeping, you’re still responsible for ensuring it’s done correctly.
Consequences of Poor Record Keeping
Failing to keep proper records can lead to:
• Penalties: Financial fines or mandatory record-keeping courses.
• Audits: Increased scrutiny from the ATO.
• Missed Deductions: Inability to substantiate claims, leading to higher tax bills.
Keeping accurate and complete records isn’t just a legal requirement—it’s smart business. It helps you understand your financial position, make better decisions, and stay compliant with the ATO. So, keep your records in order, and you’ll keep your business on the right track.
For more detailed information, visit the ATO’s official page on Record Keeping for Business.
Forcing Yourself to Do EVERYTHING
I’ve been reflecting on something I think a lot of us are trained to attempt: to force ourselves to do everything. We don’t usually put it that way — it’s usually called “discipline,” or when we’re not doing it, it feels like laziness or procrastination.
But many of us are trying to force ourselves to do everything we’re supposed to do. Conquer our to do lists, clear out our emails, do our chores, straighten out our finances and clutter, exercise, eat right, meditate, do your duties as a family member, floss your teeth, read books.
This is what we think we should be doing, every day, all the time. When we’re not doing that, we feel like we’re failing, we’re behind, we’re lazy, we’re wasting our time, we’re too distracted. We feel unworthy.
But let’s take the best-case scenario: you force yourself to do as much of that as possible, for the whole day. And then tomorrow, you do the same thing. And the day after. Let’s say you are able to force yourself to do as much as you can, for a month. At that point, your pile of things you have to force yourself to do is … the exact same size.
Nothing has changed. You still have a million things you are supposed to do, that you need to force yourself to do. At this point, you’ll either give up because it all feels pointless and discouraging, or you’ll burn out. No one can force themselves to do things all day long, forever.
So what’s the alternative?
What if we didn’t have to force ourselves?
There isn’t one good answer to this, but I encourage you to explore this on your own. What would it be like to not force yourself to do things?
Some alternatives I’ve been finding:
• Bring a sense of play, curiosity, learning, adventure to as many things as possible, so it’s not about forcing but about having fun and exploring.
• Slowing down and just letting myself be in the experience, to find a sense of appreciation rather than needing to rush to finish.
• Finding delight and wonder in everything.
• Deciding some things can wait, instead of forcing myself to do them now.
• Bring a sense of connection while I do the tasks — for example, doing things with other people.
• Reminding myself of how this task is an expression of my creativity and love.
These aren’t the only possibilities! As I said, I strongly encourage you to explore this for yourself.
What would life be like if you stopped forcing yourself and started living a life of play, joy, wonder and curiosity?
Leo Babauta ZEN HABITS
Aussie Painters Network & Women in Painting
Join the Purple Army for Domestic & Family Violence Awareness
Earlier this month, the Aussie Painters Network proudly stood shoulder to shoulder with the Purple Army, attending the Domestic & Family Violence Awareness Morning Tea hosted by Minter Ellison at the beautiful Waterfront Place, Brisbane. The event was a powerful initiative led by Challenge DV, Gawun Supplies, and Blaq Diamonds Women’s Empowerment—three organisations leading the charge in raising awareness and driving change. I was introduced to this initiative in my previous role as a Mentor for BUSY Sisters, women in trades, and was proud to be back in an awesome, bold Gani Yirra shirt again, especially with our own logos emblazoned on the front.
We joined a sea of advocates, survivors, community leaders, and changemakers, united in a shared mission to end domestic and family violence. The morning was filled with courageous conversations, stories of resilience, and a call to action that reminded us all: this is not a once-a-year conversation. It’s a continuous journey requiring collective strength and unwavering commitment.
Participating in events like these is part of Aussie Painters broader commitment to building a stronger, safer industry and community. Whether we’re on-site or in the boardroom, we believe every painter, apprentice, and business owner has a role to play in supporting one another—especially in challenging times.
A heartfelt thank you to Challenge DV, Gawun Supplies, and Blaq Diamonds for organising such a moving and meaningful event and Minter Ellison for hosting again.
We left with full hearts, renewed purpose, and a deeper appreciation of the role each of us can play in creating safer spaces—in our homes, our workplaces, and our communities.
The end of May will mark the 12th annual Challenge DV Darkness to Daylight event. Thanks to those who will have just participated as this edition is released.
And to those ready to stand up—there’s a purple shirt waiting for you at: https://gawunsupplies.com.au/ products/gani-yirra-x-challenge-dv-purple-workshirt
Caroline
Miall Founder,
Women In Painting caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
BEING TOTALLY AUTHENTIC
I hear you asking, what does she mean by being ‘totally authentic’ and having ‘awesome authenticity’? To be awesome is to be awe-inspiring and by being authentic in all you say and do, changes the way you are seen by others. It is important in today’s business world to be seen for who you really are, by being believable, trusted and sometimes vulnerable. I believe that there is no difference between who you are in business or in your personal life. The basics of ‘who you are’ needs to resonate in both.
In business today we need to be awe-inspiringly real … it is about being yourself and knowing your own self-worth. No-one really ever wants you to be someone other than who you really are.
Awesomeness comes from deep inside you, and for many people they are not even aware of their own awesomeness. We all have it and need to acknowledge it and allow the door to open to honesty by setting ourselves free so we can become truly authentic.
To be authentic is to be really REAL and be who you WANT to be, not who you think you need to become. It is not about anyone else, it is about YOU! Your truth is what you project in every thought, word, feeling and action. Authenticity equals truth, the truth that you feel in every fibre of your being. It comes from your heart not your head. When you feel it, it resonates in you a good feeling. By understanding your own truth and authentic self, you will find who you really are. Allow others to see and know you … reveal yourself for you are unique and special.
We all have within us hidden fears, doubts and worries. By allowing the wise and powerful part of ourselves, often called ‘the higher self’, the opportunity of showing our true unique passion, values, visions, talents, abilities and our sense of purpose, comes out.
Until you really understand your real purpose of why you are here and what you are to do in this life, you will be short changing yourself of showing the world your true unique identity. When you understand
what you are here in this life to do and be, then you will know the importance of leaving a legacy behind you, when your time on earth is over.
I often say to my clients, what do you want people to say about you when you die and your name is mentioned? What was the dash (-) between your birth and death date? Did you make your mark? Were you memorable for the good work you did?
As we gain conscious awareness, we learn how to live a life of joy, peace, love, freedom, abundance, gratitude and all the other beautiful things life allows us to be, whilst being in tune with who we really are every moment of our day, every day.
I am not saying that you will not have times of worry and stress in your life. This is necessary for you to develop and become who you are. We only learn through the experiences we have so it is necessary to be pushed at times, sometimes further than we would like.
So, open the door and become who you really are by setting yourself free to be REAL! Become a master of your life and live on purpose and with passion.
Restraint of Trade in Australia: What Business Owners Need to Know
If you are trying to understand what restraint of trade clauses are or trying to make sense of what they actually mean for your business, you’re definitely not the only one. Whether you’re an employer, franchisee, or just growing your business, these little clauses pop up more often than you’d think and they can have a big impact.
They might affect who you can hire, what you can do after selling your business, or how you protect your clients and IP. But a lot of people don’t realise how important they are until a problem arises.
What is a Restraint of Trade Clause?
A restraint of trade clause is a term used to stop someone from competing with your business, taking clients, or using confidential information after leaving the organisation or selling a business. These clauses appear in:
• Employment contracts
• Franchise agreements
• Business sale contracts
• Partnership or shareholder agreements
Their main purpose is to protect your business’s goodwill, and your client base confidentiality.
Are Restraint of Trade Clauses Enforceable in Australia?
Restraint of trade clauses in Australia are only enforceable if they are reasonable.
Any restraint is considered void unless the party seeking to enforce it can prove it goes no further than necessary to protect a legitimate business interest.
Courts assess:
• The duration of the restraint (e.g. 6 months vs. 3 years)
• The geographic area covered (e.g. 10km vs. all of Australia)
• The scope of activities being restrained (e.g. working with direct competitors vs. entire industries)
Overly broad clauses are often struck down. For example, stopping a former employee from working in any similar business nationwide for 5 years is unlikely to be upheld.
Restraint of Trade in Franchise Agreements
When it comes to franchising business owners must be aware they have to include restraints of trade in their franchise agreements and must understand why these are critical.
These clauses aim to protect the franchisor’s brand, know-how, and customer base once the franchisee leaves the system or sells the business. For example, a franchisee might be restrained from:
• Opening a competing business within a certain distance of their former franchise location
• Using the franchisor’s confidential information to benefit a new business
• Soliciting clients or staff from the franchise network
The challenge is finding the right balance. Franchisors want strong protection. Franchisees want freedom to operate when they move on. If the clause is too strong, it may not be enforceable. If it’s too weak, the brand might be at risk.
That’s why both franchisors and franchisees need to ensure they get the best legal advice. At Rise Legal, we help franchisors draft enforceable, fair clauses and help franchisees understand what they’re signing up for.
Restraint of Trade in Business Sale Agreements
When you’re buying or selling a business, restraint of trade clauses really matter. Just imagine taking over a business and then the former owner opens a nearly identical one just down the road a few weeks later. Not ideal.
In a sale, these clauses are meant to stop the seller from:
• Starting a competing business in the same industry
• Poaching clients or employees
• Using the goodwill they just sold to compete with the buyer
These clauses are more likely to be enforceable because they protect the buyer’s investment. But they still need to be reasonable in terms of duration and area.
If you’re selling a business, it’s really important to know how long you’ll be restricted from working in your industry and whether you can still do things like consulting or take on non-competing roles.
We’ve seen deals unravel because the restraint clauses were too vague or just way too restrictive. With the right legal advice, you can avoid issues like these and keep things smooth for everyone involved.
Common Mistakes Business Owners Make
Many business owners unintentionally put themselves at risk by:
• Using generic templates from the internet that aren’t suited to Australian legal standards
• Failing to tailor the clause to the specific role or industry
• Overreaching with broad and unenforceable terms
• Forgetting to update contracts as roles or business operations change
Why You Need a Business Lawyer for Restraint of Trade Clauses
A well-drafted restraint of trade clause should be like insurance: you might never need it, but it must work when you do. That’s where a commercial lawyer becomes essential.
At Rise Legal, we:
• Draft custom restraint clauses specific to your business
• Ensure they are reasonable and legally enforceable under Australian law
• Help you avoid disputes before they start
• Give you the peace of mind that your business is protected
We’re also plain talkers. No legal jargon, no fluff, just legal support that works in the real world.
Don’t Risk Your Business: Get Expert Advice
Whether you’re selling a business, hiring key staff, or entering into a franchise agreement, restraint of trade clauses can be one of the most important parts of your contract.
Make sure they actually protect you. Book a consult with Rise Legal today, and get expert advice on how to keep your business secure.
�� Need help with your business legals? Contact us today for expert advice.
�� Email us or book a free consultation today!
Remember, while this information provides a general overview, legal advice tailored to your circumstances is invaluable. Don’t hesitate to contact Rise Legal for personalised guidance or book in a free Discovery Call.
Don’t click without thinking – and 4 other ways to keep yourself safe from scams
Think about how many things you have done online today. Paid a bill? Logged into your bank account? Used social media or spent time answering emails? Maybe you have used your phone to pay at a supermarket or train station.
We are all plugged in, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But with all these conveniences comes a growing risk many Australians are unprepared for: cyber crime.
According to the most recent cyber threat report by the Australian Cyber Security Centre, more than 87,000 reports of cybercrime were made in 2023-2024. That’s a report every six minutes. And that’s just what gets reported. Many people do not even realise they have been hacked or scammed until it’s too late.
Earlier this year, Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, revealed Australians lost nearly A$319 million to scams in 2024 alone. In a recent example, cyber criminals used stolen login details to hack several major superfunds in Australia and steal a collective A$500,000 of people’s retirement savings.
A big part of this worsening problem is poor “digital hygiene”. Here are five easy ways to improve yours.
First, what exactly is ‘digital hygiene’?
Just like brushing your teeth keeps cavities away, digital hygiene is all about keeping your online life clean, safe and protected from harm.
It is a simple idea: the better your habits when using technology, the harder it is for scammers or hackers to trick you or get access to your personal information.
It means being aware of what you are sharing, whom you are trusting, and how your devices are set up. Unfortunately, most of us are probably more hygienic in bathrooms than we are online.
How should you protect yourself?
Good news: you do not need to be a computer whizz to keep clean online. Here are five simple practical steps anyone can take:
1. Stop and think before clicking
Got an unexpected message from your bank asking you to verify your account? Or a text about a missed parcel delivery with a link? Scammers love urgency. It gets people to click before they think. Instead of rushing, pause.
Ask yourself: was I expecting this? Is the sender’s email or phone number legitimate? Do not click the link, go directly to the official website or app.
2. Use strong, unique passwords
Using your pet’s name or “123456” is not going to cut it. And if you reuse passwords across websites, a breach on one site means hackers can try the same password everywhere else. This is called a credential stuffing attack, and it is how the cyber attack on superannuation funds happened earlier this year.
The best move? Begin securing your online accounts by using a password manager and updating any reused passwords, prioritising your most sensitive accounts such as emails, banking and cloud storage first.
3. Turn on multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication means you need something more than just a password to login, such as a code sent to your phone or an app such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.
It is a simple step that adds a powerful layer of protection. Even if someone guesses your password, they cannot log in without your second factor.
4. Update your apps and devices
Yes, those software updates are annoying, but they are important. Updates fix security holes that hackers can use. Make it automatic if you can, and do not ignore update prompts, especially for your operating systems such as Windows, iOS or Android. However, it is important to recognise that older devices often stop receiving updates because manufacturers stop supporting older models or are not developing updates for older devices as it can be costly.
Outdated software harbours known vulnerabilities that hackers actively can target. While keeping devices longer supports sustainability, there is a balance to strike. If your device no longer receives security updates, it may be safer to responsibly recycle it and invest in a newer supported model to maintain your digital safety.
5. Be mindful of what you share
Oversharing on social media makes you an easy target. Public posts that include your birthday, where you went to school, or your pet’s name can be used to guess security questions or build convincing fake messages. Think before you post – would a stranger need to know this
What should I do if I have been hacked?
To check if your passwords have been leaked in a breach, you can use HaveIBeenPwned – a free tool trusted by security experts.
If you have been hacked, follow the tips provided by Australian Cyber Security Centre. For example, you should change all your passwords and passcodes and use software to scan for malware on your computer.
Need more help? Visit esafety.gov.au for practical guides, especially for parents, teachers and young people.
Digital hygiene is not a personal responsibility, it is a collective one. We are connected through emails, group chats, workplaces and social media. One weak link can put others at risk. Talk to your family and friends about the risk of scams and how to avoid them. The more we talk about this, the more normal and effective digital hygiene becomes.
Because just like washing your hands became second nature during the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping your online life clean should be a habit, not an afterthought.
Meena Jha Head Technology and Pedagogy Cluster CML-NET, CQUniversity Australia
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The Power of Financial Models in Review
Financial models are invaluable tools designed to help you understand and project the financial health of your business. By simulating different scenarios and examining potential outcomes based on various inputs like sales growth, margins, and cash flow, these models provide a comprehensive picture that aids in informed decision-making.
They can also be a powerful tool when you undertake review processes. By using real data to feed your financial model you can also get a good sense of where you’re at, both in business and your personal wealth.
Practical steps for leveraging financial models:
1. Planning and forecasting
Start by creating a base financial model incorporating your current financial data. Input variables such as projected sales, estimated expenses, and planned investments. This will allow you to forecast your financial performance across different scenarios. By simulating best-case, worst-case, and most likely scenarios, you'll be better prepared to navigate potential challenges and seize opportunities.
Action Tip: Use spreadsheet software or financial
modelling tools to develop your initial model. Regularly update it as new data becomes available.
2. Informed decision making
Financial models serve as robust decision-support tools. They help you evaluate the financial implications of various choices, whether it's setting pricing strategies, launching new projects, or considering investment opportunities.
Action Tip: Before making substantial business decisions, use your financial model to conduct a costbenefit analysis. This will aid in weighing the pros and cons and aligning decisions with your financial goals.
3. Setting and achieving goals
Establish clear, achievable financial goals based on your model's insights. By tracking your progress against these goals, you can maintain a strategic focus on growth and profitability while identifying areas requiring improvement.
Action Tip: Break down long-term goals into smaller, manageable milestones. Regularly review and adjust these goals in response to your actual performance and market conditions.
4. Securing financing
Presenting a detailed financial model can significantly enhance your credibility with lenders and investors. It demonstrates your understanding of your business's financial position and showcases your preparation for future growth.
Action Tip: When seeking financing, ensure your model includes comprehensive projections showing how the funds will be used and the expected return on investment.
5. Monitoring performance
Regularly comparing your actual financial performance with your model's projections is essential. This practice helps in identifying deviations, assessing their causes, and making the necessary adjustments to keep your business on track.
Action Tip: Set up regular financial reviews—monthly or quarterly—to compare projected versus actual performance. Use these reviews to refine your model and strategies continually.
Summing up
Incorporating financial modelling into your small
business strategy is not just a best practice—it's a necessity for sustainable growth and informed decision-making. By investing time in developing and maintaining accurate financial models, you set the stage for achieving greater efficiency, profitability, and long-term success.
For detailed advice tailored to your business, talk to us now. Call my office on (07) 3399 8844, or just visit our website at www.straighttalkat.com.au and complete your details on our Home page to request a FREE Business Health Check.
Please Note: Many of the comments in this article are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances.
Copyright © 2025 Robert Bauman.
A Guide to Getting Better at TAKING ACTION
The idea of taking action in our lives can be really appealing — we feel behind on so many things, and there are things we want to change (like habits), but it can all feel daunting.
So how do we get better at taking action?
In this short guide, I’ll share some best practices to improving this crucial life skill.
The practices are simple, but take some dedicated focus. If you’d like to get better at this skill, I highly recommend devoting yourself to this for a month or two and seeing if you can get some improvement.
Simple Actions
The key is to focus on the simplest actions possible. When people take on all the actions in their lives, they usually do one (or both) of these:
Think about all of the actions they need to take, get overwhelmed, and then shut down; or
Focus on one complicated task, with lots of decisions, and get overwhelmed and shut down.
These are understandable, but I hope you can see that this becomes a bit of a trap. We can’t take action if we’re getting stuck in these overwhelming complexities.
So the trick is to focus on one action at a time, and as simple a version of that action as possible.
If you need to do a complicated task that has 10 different decisions, can you focus on just the first step? Or just one decision at a time? For decisions, practice choosing from the heart without overthinking it — just choose simply, and trust yourself.
One small task at a time. This is the key!
Make a List
I recommend making a list of things you’re avoiding. Things that you’d like to take action on, but are feeling resistance about.
Then tackle 1–2 things on that list per day. Or just a small bite out of one of those things.
For example, if you make a list with 20 things on it … pick one of those things. If that thing feels really big, just do the first step. Then take the next step. Then call it a day with this practice.
By taking small steps toward tackling this list, you’ll be moving yourself forward.
Breathe & Trust
You’ll get overwhelmed and want to turn away from these tasks. That’s normal. This is the moment to pause and train yourself to stay a little longer.
The practice is to breathe more deeply, and soothe your nervous system. If you can get good at that, then you will vastly improve your ability to take action in your life.
Once you’ve calmed yourself a bit, then practice trusting yourself. Ask yourself, “How would I act here if I completely trusted myself?” Then practice that kind of action even if the trust isn’t there yet. Over time, you’ll develop more trust.
Encourage Yourself
It’s really important to develop the skill of encouraging yourself. Too often we discourage ourselves: “This is too hard. This is pointless. This is dumb. This can wait. I’m not good at this. I’m going to embarrass myself.”
If that’s how we talk to ourselves, no wonder we give up! Everything starts to feel pointless.
What if, instead, we learned to encourage ourselves? Every small action, try something like: “Nice, be proud of this! Keep going, you’re doing great so far.”
It might sound silly, but being encouraging and being proud of even very small actions and progress is the key to continually taking action.
Get Some Support
If you’d like some support with taking action in your life, then consider joining my Fearless Living Academy.
In FLA, we have a monthly challenge called The Practice, which is designed to have you practice taking action and improving with the skills needed. We lay out weekly focuses for practice, and give you an accountability group and tracking system. It’s really powerful.
In addition, there are focus sessions, dozens of video courses, and a monthly webinar with me (or a guest teacher).
Come join us!
Leo Babauta ZEN HABITS
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Facebook ads are a great way for small business owners to get involved in online advertising. Compared to competitors like Google AdWords, they are easier for beginners. Here are five reasons to consider using Facebook ads.
Targeting
Facebook ads allow you to target specific demographics. You can target campaigns based on age, sex and location to place your ads before the right audience. Facebook uses members' interests, the pages they like and the groups they join to determine who sees your ads, ensuring that your advertising money is not wasted.
Engagement on your Facebook page
Since they are part of the site's ecosystem, Facebook ads can improve engagement on your Facebook page. You can use these ads to attract new visitors, or you can choose to show the ads only to people who have already liked your page. The latter option ensures that only people who already have an interest in your products and services see your ads.
Word of mouth
Facebook ads help you leverage the power of social media. When someone interacts with your ad, their friends will be notified. Those friends may visit and like your page as well. People trust their friends and relatives more than any advert and Facebook ads take full advantage of this trust.
Cost effective
Since Facebook ads target your audience more precisely, they ensure that you get a relatively low cost per click. This saves your advertising budget and improves return on investment.
Lead generation
Facebook ads can generate new leads for your business by promoting your products and services to people who have an interest in them. This can increase sales, open new markets and increase your customer base.
Facebook ads are an excellent advertising medium for any small business. The key is to define your target audience carefully and ensure that the right people see your ads. This improves the effectiveness of your campaign and helps you save money.
Sandra Price
www.tradiebookkeepingsolutions.com.au
What does Public Liability Insurance cover?
All self-employed tradies will have heard of public liability insurance, but do you know what it actually covers?
More importantly, do you know what it does not cover?
In this guide we’ll briefly explain what public liability insurance covers for a typical trade or building business, as well as looking at some of the areas it does not cover.
We’ll break it down into a few common risks that a trade business could face:
Property Damage
Damage to property is one of the most common risks in a trade or building business, and it’s equally true if we’re talking about damage to your own property or damage to a third party’s property.
By “third party”, we mean someone that is not you, your business or one of your employees. That’s a general description for the purpose of this article and shouldn’t be taken as a formal definition.
Property damage is covered by public liability insurance, but only in specific circumstances as we’ll discuss below.
What is covered?
Public liability covers you for property damage where you (or your staff) have caused damage to property owned by a third party.
Importantly, the damage must be a result of your negligence. Essentially that means you must be at fault. You must have been responsible for the damage occurring.
Let’s look at a real claim example involving a glass splashback. In this example an electrician was installing a new rangehood in a kitchen and managed to scratch an expensive glass splashback.
The scratch was too deep to repair, so the entire splashback had to be replaced at a cost of $2,500.
The electrician was clearly at fault and a claim was paid under their public liability policy.
What is not covered?
Damage to your own property is not covered. Although you could be responsible for accidentally damaging your own property, a public liability policy will only cover property owned by a third party.
Think of it like Third Party Insurance on your vehicle. It will cover the damage caused to the other vehicles or property, but not damage to your own vehicle.
The policy will also not cover instances where you are not at fault.
Personal Injury
Another major risk for any tradie or builder is personal injury. This could be to yourself (or your staff) or to a third party such as a client or member of the public.
What is covered?
Public liability insurance will cover personal injury (or death) suffered by a third party as a result of your negligence.
It works in essentially the same way as the property damage section we detailed above.
If a third party has been injured or killed, and you, your business or your staff are found to be responsible, your public liability policy will respond.
What is not covered?
Personal injury or death suffered by you or your employees is not covered by public liability insurance.
This is still a major risk which requires insurance however. For yourself this would be through personal accident insurance, and for your staff if would be via workers compensation insurance.
Personal injury suffered by a third party is not covered where you are not responsible, but it will cover the legal costs involved in proving that you weren’t responsible. We’ll cover that next…
Legal Costs
As business owners we’re forever at risk of legal action.
Whilst public liability insurance is not designed to cover general legal expenses, there are situations where it will cover the cost of defending you in court.
What is covered?
Your public liability insurance policy will cover the costs of defending you where a third party has accused you of property damage or personal injury.
If the property damage or injury is something that could potentially become a claim under your public liability, the insurance company may engage lawyers to fight for you.
For example let’s say a client of yours injured themselves at their home, and they blamed you on the
basis that you were undertaking work at their house and left something unsafe.
You might not agree with their version of events, and let’s say you are completely in the right and not at all responsible for their injury.
That’s all good and well, but if it’s your word against theirs and neither side is giving up, there’s a good chance you’ll end up in court.
Even if you are able to prove your innocence in court, you’ll potentially rack up tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of legal fees, despite being in the right.
You cannot count on the court awarding costs, or even if they do, you can’t count on the third party having the funds to pay those costs.
So you’re out of pockets thousands of dollars… Unless you have public liability insurance, which will covers those legal defence costs for you.
What is not covered?
The policy will not cover any other type of legal expense which is not related to a public liability claim.
Contractual disputes, employment disputes, debt collection and other legal expenses incurred by a tradie or builder are not covered by public liability insurance.
These are very real risks for any trade business owner however, and there are other forms of insurance which can assist. Speak to one of our insurance brokers for more information on legal expenses insurance.
Tool Theft
Public liability insurance provides no cover for your tools.
This would be obvious to most tradies and builders, but we do have the odd client who will contact us after a tool theft and ask if their public liability covers them.
It’s worth asking the question if you’re unsure, but if you’re reading this, now you know.
Building Materials
At any given time there could be many thousands of dollars’ worth of building materials on your work site.
Some of these materials might be owned by you, some by the building owner and some by other contractors working on the same site.
What is covered?
There may be cases where building materials are covered by public liability insurance, but they would have to be owned by a third party and there would have to be negligence involved.
An example could be a plumber working on a renovation. He’s cutting some old metal piping with an angle grinder and doesn’t notice that he’s sparked a small fire behind him.
The fire damages a pile of timber that was purchased by the building owner and stored on site.
In this case the claim would be treated just like any other public liability claim involving property damage.
As long as the property is owned by a third party and there was negligence involved, the policy would respond.
What is not covered?
The policy will not cover any damage to your own property. If in the example above the fire was caused by the same person or company that owned the timber, there would be no cover.
There will also be no cover if you are not at fault for the loss.
Let’s say you’re a builder working on a major house extension.
At the end of the day you do everything right to secure the property, but overnight someone breaks in and causes tens of thousands of dollars of damage by vandalising the property.
The damaged property and materials may be owned by a third party, but if you’re not responsible for the loss then your public liability policy will not cover you.
Of course this is a massive risk for any builder, which is why many builders protect themselves with a contract works insurance policy.
Contract works insurance is designed to cover a whole rage of risks, including events like this where you might be responsible for the site, but you haven’t been negligent.
Professional Advice
As part of running your business as a tradie or builder you’ll often find yourself providing advice, and that advice could rightly be seen by your clients as professional advice.
Your public liability insurance will cover some level of advice, but there is a line where public liability is no longer going to provide appropriate protection.
What is covered?
Note: What does and doesn’t constitute advice can only be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The information below is designed to give you a basic overview.
Advice that is provided as part of the overall job, and not separately charged for, will generally be covered for a tradie under a public liability policy.
For example if you’re an electrician and you provide advice to a client that their wiring is in need of replacement, that’s typically okay. You would then quote up the job and they’d either accept or decline your quote.
What is not covered?
Sticking with the above example, things would be different if the client had engaged you specifically to undertake a wiring inspection and you are going to charge them for a written report.
That report could be seen as professional advice and would not be covered by your public liability.
What that means is that if the client acts upon your advice and suffers a loss, you could be financially responsible for that loss.
The cover you would need in this case is professional indemnity insurance. In some ways the cover is quite similar to public liability, but it’s covering the advice you provide rather than the physical work you undertake.
Faulty Workmanship
Public liability insurance will cover a tradie for negligence, but it won’t cover them for faulty workmanship.
What’s the difference you might ask?
When we’re talking faulty workmanship, typically we talking about something that might be your fault, but hasn’t actually caused any property damage or personal injury.
An example could be a tiler who tiles an entire house, only to later discover that he used the incorrect tiles or the incorrect pattern.
It may well be his fault, and there may be negligence, but since there hasn’t been any property damage or personal injury he would not be able to claim any costs against his public liability insurance.
Rectification Costs
Rectification costs often go hand-in-hand with faulty workmanship. Afterall, rectification costs generally follow a case of faulty workmanship.
A public liability policy will not cover rectification costs, even where other aspects of the claim are covered.
An example could be a carpenter who has built a deck on a house, and the deck subsequently fails and results in the injury of multiple persons on the deck at the time.
The carpenter’s public liability insurance would cover the personal injury part of the claim, as the carpenter had been negligent in one or more aspects of building the deck.
However it would not cover the costs involved in rebuilding the deck. That would be rectification costs.
Registered Vehicles
Vehicles, and in particular registered vehicles, are treated differently by public liability insurance depending on how they are involved in a claim.
What is covered?
If you cause damage to a motor vehicle that you are not driving, this may be covered by your public liability insurance.
For a tradie, a claim example could be that you’re carrying a ladder up a client’s driveway and you scratch a vehicle owned by a third party.
The policy would cover the costs involved in repairing the damaged vehicle.
A very different example is where you are driving a client’s vehicle. This would be more common in the motor trades rather than construction trades.
This type of claim would be covered, but only if you have a “driving risk” extension included in your policy. This covers you for damage you cause to a client’s vehicle whilst driving it.
What is not covered?
Going back to the driveway example, if you weren’t carrying a ladder and were instead driving your ute
past your client’s vehicle when you scratched it, that would not be covered.
Virtually all public liability policies will have an exclusion relating to the operation of a registered vehicle.
Instead of attempting to claim on your public liability, you would have to claim on your motor insurance. This would be a standard claim on virtually any motor insurance claim.
More information
In some ways public liability is a very simple form of tradies insurance, but in other ways in can be quite complex.
In this guide we’ve run through a lot of different claim scenarios, but we do hope it has given you some insight into what a public liability policy is designed to cover.
At a very basic level it comes down to these two questions:
• Was property damage or personal injury suffered by a third party?
• Was it caused by your negligence?
If the answer to both questions is yes, and assuming you were acting within the policy limits (i.e. you weren’t undertaking works excluded by your policy) then the policy should respond.
Every claim is different and it is very difficult to talk about exactly what might happen in a hypothetical claim, but if you do have any claim scenarios you’d like to run by us please get in touch.
Our worst nightmare is that one of our clients suffers a claim that isn’t covered by their policies. By asking us before the worst happens, we can ensure you do have the right policies in place to cover your full range of business activities.
For more information please contact your Trade Risk broker directly or call us on 1800 808 800.
What’s the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?
Arthritis – an umbrella term for around 100 conditions that damage the joints – affects 4.1 million Australians. This is expected to rise by 31% to 5.4 million by 2040 and cost the Australian health-care system an estimated $12 billion each year.
The two most common types, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, can both cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Both are more common in women. Neither can be cured.
But their causes, risk factors and treatments are different – here’s what you need to know.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It affects 2.1 million Australians, mostly older people. About a third of Australians aged 75 and older have the condition.
It can affect any joint but is most common in the knees, hips, fingers, thumbs and big toes.
The main symptom is pain, especially during movement. Other symptoms may include swelling, stiffness and changes to the shape of joints. The main risk factors are ageing and obesity, as well as previous injuries or surgery. For osteoarthritis in the hands, genetics also play a big role.
Signs of osteoarthritis can appear on knee scans from around age 45 and become more common with age.
However, this type of arthritis not simply the “wear and tear” of ageing. Osteoarthritis is a complex disease that affects the whole joint. This includes the cartilage (“shock-absorbing” connective tissue protecting your bones), bones, ligaments (connective tissue holding bones and body parts in place) and joint lining.
How is it diagnosed?
Diagnosis is based on symptoms (such as pain and restricted movement) and a physical exam.
The disease generally worsens over time and cannot be reversed. But the severity of damage does not always correlate with pain levels.
For this reason, x-rays and MRI scans are usually unhelpful. Some people with early osteoarthritis experience severe pain, but the damage won’t show up on a scan. Others with advanced and visible osteoarthritis may have few symptoms or none at all.
Osteoarthritis can change the shape of joints such as knuckles. joel bubble ben/Shutterstock
What about rheumatoid arthritis?
Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means the immune system attacks the joint lining, causing inflammation and damage.
Common symptoms include pain, joint swelling and stiffness, especially in the morning.
Rheumatoid arthritis is less common than osteoarthritis, affecting around 514,000 Australians. It mostly impacts the wrists and small joints in the hands and feet, though larger joints such as the elbows, shoulders, knees and ankles can also be involved.
It can also affect other organs, including the skin, lungs, eyes, heart and blood vessels. Fortunately, disease outside the joint has become less common in recent years, likely due to better and earlier treatment. Rheumatoid arthritis often develops earlier than osteoarthritis but can occur at any age. Onset is most frequent in those aged 35–64. Smoking increases your risk.
How is it diagnosed?
As with osteoarthritis, your doctor will diagnose rheumatoid arthritis based on your symptoms and a physical exam.
Some other tests can be useful. Blood tests may pick up specific antibodies that indicate rheumatoid arthritis, although you can still have the condition with negative results.
X-rays may also reveal joint damage if the disease is advanced. If there is uncertainty, an ultrasound or MRI can help detect inflammation.
How is osteoarthritis treated?
No treatment can stop osteoarthritis progressing. However many people manage their symptoms well with advice from their doctor and self-care. Exercise, weight management and pain medicines can help.
Exercise has been shown to be safe for osteoarthritis of the knee, hip and hand. Many types of exercise are effective at reducing pain, so you can choose what suits you best.
For knee osteoarthritis, managing weight through diet and/or exercise is strongly recommended. This may be because it reduces pressure on the joint or because losing weight can reduce inflammation. Anti-obesity medicines may also reduce pain.
Exercise can help manage weight and is safe and effective at managing joint pain. gelog67/Shutterstock
Topical and oral anti-inflammatories are usually recommended to manage pain. However, opioids (such as tramadol or oxycodone) are not, due to their risks and limited evidence they help.
In some cases antidepressants such as duloxetine may also be considered as a treatment for pain though, again, evidence they help is limited.
What about rheumatoid arthritis?
Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis focus on preventing joint damage and reducing inflammation.
It’s essential to get an early referral to a rheumatologist, so that treatment with medication – called “disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs” – can begin quickly.
These medicines suppress the immune system to stop inflammation and prevent damage to the joint.
With no cure, the overall goal is to achieve remission (where the disease is inactive) or get symptoms under control.
Advances in treatment
There is an increasing interest in prevention for both types of arthritis.
A large international clinical trial is currently investigating whether a diet and exercise program can prevent knee osteoarthritis in those with higher risk – in this case, women who are overweight and obese.
For those already affected, new medicines in earlystage clinical trials show promise in reducing pain and improving function.
There is hope for rheumatoid arthritis with Australian researchers developing a new immunotherapy. This treatment aims to reprogram the immune system, similar to a vaccine, to help people achieve long-term remission without lifelong treatment.
Giovanni E. Ferreira NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney
Rachelle Buchbinder
Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Rheumatologist, Monash University
IMPORTANT Contacts
Aussie Painters Network aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
National Institute for Painting and Decorating painters.edu.au
Australian Tax Office ato.gov.au
Award Rates fairwork.gov.au
Australian Building & Construction Commission www.abcc.gov.au
Mates In Construction www.mates.org.au
Workplace Health and Safety Contacts
Comcare
WorkSafe ACT
Workplace Health and Safety QLD
WorkSafe Victoria
SafeWork NSW
SafeWork SA
WorkSafe WA
NT WorkSafe
WorkSafe Tasmania
comcare.gov.au worksafe.act.gov.au worksafe.qld.gov.au www.worksafe.vic.gov.au www.safework.nsw.gov.au www.safework.sa.gov.au commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ worksafe.nt.gov.au worksafe.tas.gov.au
actcancer.org cancercouncil.com.au cancercouncilnt.com.au cancerqld.org.au
cancersa.org.au cancervic.org.au
cancerwa.asn.au
