Aussie Painting Contractor May 2016

Paintback

New paint stewardship scheme launches this month

Are you prepared for the end?

Asking the tough questions..

Making a Plan To work for your business

The Productivity Method Dive into the task

www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORS • Anne-Maree Russell • Caroline Miall • Clayton Coughlan • Dan Buzer • Jack Josepheson • Jim Baker • Leo Babauta

From the Editor Hi Everyone, Mothers Day is upon us again. Don’t forget to make the Mums in your life feel special on the 8th May in any small or grand way you can.

After all, none of us would be here without them! Spare a thought for those who no longer have their Mums with them - a difficult time for anyone whose loss is recent.

So, in industry news, Paintback is coming into play this month. The organisation has just released a couple of informational videos directed at consumers and tradies. The scheme is due to be operational from May 2 from which point there will be designated collection points for specified waste paint available, with plans for mobile depositories to come. Be sure to tell your customers, builders, etc., about the levy to explain any increase that you need to pass on.

Some of the funds from the 15c/litre levy will be invested in research and development of better recycling methods so hopefully that means a major difference to landfill quantities. Also, consider there are still willing recipients out there who may be able to utilise any substantial quantities of useable paint – if you have a lot of perfectly ok paint, consider donating to training providers, community art projects, or just putting it up on gumtree for free for someone to collect. Inform them of Paintback, so they can responsibly dispose of containers etc

• Nigel Gorman

The last couple of months we have had a lot of painters calling and asking for assistance with Work Health and Safety Plans and JSEA’s to assist them to fulfil their requirements. Just remember we have those available for all Members to access online as well as other benefits you can find on the back cover.

• Robert Bauman

Till next month.

• Vlad Dolezal

Happy painting,

• Monroe Porter

GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado

Nigel Gorman

nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

07 3555 8010

Contents 6

My most important Productivity Method

8

Waste Paint:

What’s the issue for Trade Painters?

Some Not So Famous Quotes, From a NOT So Famous Guy

Coating Application

Make a Plan that Works for You

13

GPS for your Business?

17

My Top 8 Styling Favorites

SWMS, WMS, JSEA & JSA

33

What are they and what is the difference?

20

the benefits of surface tolerance and moisture tolerance

10

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to have a

Are You Prepared?

FOR DEATH

Coggie’s Tips and Tricks

24 26

34

Great reasons for keeping a positive outlook, and how to get one!

Whose Reality Are You Living In?

Industry Idiots

40

Important Contacts

41

14

Opinions and viewpoints expressed in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher or any Aussie Painters Network’s staff or related parties. The publisher, Aussie Painters Network and Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine personnel are not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission.

Information contained in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as financial, legal or accounting advice. You should seek professional advice before making business related decisions. We are not liable for any losses you may incur directly or indirectly as a result of reading Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. Reproduction of any material or contents of the magazine without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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MY MOST IMPORTANT

Productivity Method You can read entire books on productivity, dozens of blog posts, and implement half a dozen different productivity systems. But at the end of the day, you’d have gotten nothing important done.

The truth is, productivity is fairly simple, in theory. Even if you have an overwhelming amount to do, the steps aren’t hard to figure out: 1. Pick something important to work on (a task from your most important project, perhaps). What you pick doesn’t really matter, because you’ll get to the rest soon.

In fact, we fear only one thing really: not having control, certainty, security, comfort. Those are really all the same thing (certainty). All of our fears come from that.

We don’t like to feel these fears. So we avoid them, trying to seek control, certainty, comfort by going to distractions, news sites, social media, cat videos, email, text messages. We try to get control by running from the important but uncertain tasks and tidying up, doing errands, organizing, making a new productivity system. Anything to avoid the uncertainty.

2. Focus exclusively on that task for a bit, finishing it if you can.

So if it’s so simple, what’s getting in the way? Fear Some of the fears that get in the way of executing the productivity steps above: fear of failure, uncertainty, incompetence, discomfort, not having control.

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3. When you notice yourself trying to go to distractions or busywork, pause.

Notice the fear of uncertainty. Breathe.

4. Explore the feeling. See how it feels in your body. Stay with this physical feeling for a minute, and learn that you are OK despite this fear of uncertainty. There is a basic goodness in your heart that will always be there, even if you don’t know how this task or any moment will turn out.

5. Dive into the task, even with this feeling of fear in you. It’s OK to be aware of the fear, and still do your important task.

3. Pick another important task after that, and repeat.

And of course, take breaks. Walk around. Eat something healthy.

Socialise. But when you’re going to work, focus on something important, and try to get it done. You might think you have too much to do, but in truth, all you can really do is focus on one thing at a time.

2. Focus on that task, and only that task. Try to finish it, or at least work for 10-15 uninterrupted minutes.

That’s it. Be aware of the fear, don’t act on it, explore it with curiosity and do your important work.

So now we get down to my Most Important Productivity Method.

It’s diving into the uncertainty.

1. Start by setting yourself an important task. Any one will do. When you notice yourself getting lost in distractions or busywork, take a step back, and set yourself an important task.

You’ll let yourself run from the fear, go to distraction, over and over. But it’s in that moment when you decide not to run that you really develop the skill that will change your life.

Leo Babauta,

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

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2016 May Issue | 7

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2016 May Issue | 9

Some Not So Famous Quotes,

From a NOT

So Famous Guy People smarter than me have spouted wisdom for many a year.

This marks my fortieth year to be a contractor consultant. Yogi Berra said “when you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Wayne Gretzky is credited with “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” And Aristotle, “there is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing and be nothing.” The years have flown by and while not famous, I have accumulated some “contractorisms” that I believe to have an eternal shelf life. Here are some of those not so famous quotes: “Fired and gone bad employees rarely keep you up at night.” Most small business people wait too long to terminate employees who have gone bad. Maybe we simply grow attached to them or worry that we cannot find someone else. I think the problem is that many of us buy into their never ending excuses, problems and sad sagas. In almost every case, the owner regrets he or she did not fire the person years ago.

When it is time for someone to go, it is time for them to go. Yes, at one time, maybe, just maybe that person could have been saved but you are

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way past that point. Pull the trigger, everyone will be better off.

“Sell like a stalking cat, not a barking dog.” Selling is a skill of listening not talking. Good salespeople use their expertise to solve customer problems and fulfill their needs.

You can’t solve a problem until you find out what it is. Begin all sales encounters by asking questions and gathering information. Take notes.

Be attentive. People love to talk and hate to listen to a “sales pitch.”

“Never fight with pigs, you get all dirty and they just love it.” Conflict is inevitable. How you handle that conflict says a lot about your character. Yes, I know it is very difficult to keep quiet as someone loudly insults your Mother’s heritage but lowering yourself to their level gets you nowhere. Listen. Let the person vent. Most normal people will calm down. It’s like letting the air out of a balloon. Once the air is out, you can easily handle the balloon. Let them express their feelings and they will probably feel guilty. Always try to deal with people’s feelings prior to going to the facts.

““ If they don’t quiet down, well then he or she is crazy and it is your unlucky day. With crazy people, stick to the facts and come up with a specific understanding of what will be done next and will that make the person happy. Never say, “don’t worry, we’ll take care of it.” Clearly negotiate the next step before proceeding. If no agreement can be reached, well that’s what arbitration and courts are for.

“Burning the midnight oil is a poor use of energy.” Quit taking work home and trying to work on it late at night. Yes, I know you may not be a morning person but most folks are burned out at 9pm. Instead, get up a little earlier and tackle that project in the morning. Also, don’t let what pops up in your email take your day hostage. Try to get an estimate or a project that requires quiet time done each morning.

Also schedule uninterrupted time during the day to work on time consuming projects like estimating or job analysis. Finish small items as they pop up. Don’t put stuff off and say you will do it later. Later never comes and the file just gets bigger and deeper.

“Productivity has little to do with hard work.” We inherently think that the harder I work, the more productive I will become. It just is not so. Putting your shoulder to the wheel and your nose to the grindstone only ensures that you have a sore shoulder and nose. For contractors, productivity is an issue of planning, jobsite readiness, craft time, travel, setup and many other factors other than hard work. Tools and methods also play an important role. A painter with a two-inch brush can work hard and get nowhere against a twelve-inch roller.

Or a roofer with a hammer can have a hard time keeping up with a nail gun. How hard someone works also does not take into consideration quality or craftsmanship. Obviously if someone is lazy, they are not going to be productive but that is just one small part of the equation.

“No matter how hard you try, you can’t turn chicken manure into chicken salad.” You can deep fry it, put lots of relish and ketchup on it but you still have manure. We all want to hire the perfect skilled worker who shows up on time, is dependable and trustworthy.

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impact productivity or quality and only matters to you, maybe you should let it slide.

Unfortunately, most of those people are already working for someone else and they don’t plan to let them go. Hire people with work ethic and teach them skills. You can teach skills but it is very difficult to teach work ethic. Work ethic is something you learned as a child and is part of your family values.

“Pick which hills to die on.” You can’t win every battle and get everything done as a business owner.

You must decide where to dig in your heels and make a stand. My wife received a recipe book from an Australian customer that uses and unusual spice. I have a grown a little tired of it but I am not going to knock getting a home cooked meal; that would be stupid. Don’t let pet peeves drag you down. If it doesn’t

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“Be an eagle, not a seagull.” Too many managers show up on the job, squawk, dump on people and leave.

Never seagull people. Try to manage with a future focus not on what went wrong. Leadership is the ability to influence others to accomplish organizational goals. Management without leadership is like aligning the deck chairs on the Titanic. Stay future focused with an attitude of problem avoidance and productivity planning.

While I am not Aristotle or Yogi Berra, I hope this insight has brought value.

Monroe Porter

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Have you ever imagined what it would be like to have a

GPS for your business?

I LOVE my vehicle GPS! Isn’t it great to set a destination in your car GPS and just follow the directions?

Some models give advanced warning of traffic on the route, alternative routes, time to destination and more. They even make detours to a fuel station, shopping centre and other points of interest and the GPS re-calculates and tells you the additional time it will add until you get to your destination. Amazing!

Even better, you can go off the track the GPS plots for you and the computer will identify your unplanned position and continually direct you to the closest, safest and quickest route from where you’ve gone to still arrive at your goal.

Believe it or not, some Business Owners have a similar set of measuring tools that let them know exactly what the position of their business is at any time. For example … when you walk into the office of one of our Clients you can see at a glance all the jobs they’re working on at that time, all the jobs booked in for the following 3 months (and those months are full), the total turnover for the business for the previous month as well as the average dollar sale value, number of referrals received, net profit percentage, gross profit percentage, labour expenditure percentage and the amount the business is either up or down on the results from the same time as the previous year.

Impressed? Well, here’s the most impressive bit. All this information is hand written up on a whiteboard, bought off ebay.com for $40! This Client is not computer or technology savvy. They use paper, folders and a whiteboard to run a million dollar business.

How does he do it?

Great question.

1. KISS (Keep It Simple Silly) The above description shows how simple this business keeps things.

You don’t have to remove the computers from your office or drop your subscriptions to those handy apps and software solutions. Just consider what the most important information to monitor is and how easy you can make it for you and people in your business to see business performance.

2. Share Your Problems With

Your Team

This Client has a ‘Tool Box’ Meeting every Monday morning. He has an agenda (on paper of course) and shows all of his Team what is planned, what has worked well, what has not worked well and most importantly what he needs help with to solve. This very wealthy Business Owner always has a challenge to put to the Team and has the ‘Champion’ a solution.

3. Surround Yourself With

People Smarter Than You

Every month this Client has their trusted, carefully selected and closely listened to Team get together and discuss ways to improve the business. Their accountant, book keeper, Field Team Leader, Business Development Manager (yours truly) and sometimes other members of the Team if required. These ‘external’ service providers range from web designers, marketers, PR professionals, industry representatives and others.

4. Everything Is Measured Not only does this business measure ‘quantity’. They also measure ‘quality’.

This takes practice, experience and perseverance. It’s also the answer to the headline of this article. Make a list of everything that can be and should be measured in your business. Then make it easy to collect the information on a routine basis and make it easy to understand. If you can’t explain it to a 12 year old, it needs to be simplified further!

Call Dan Buzer 0n 0414 567 188 for your complimentary Profit Mechanics Diagnostic Phone Meeting.

2016 May Issue | 13

Are You Prepared?

FOR DEATH

The idea of an article about this subject has been on my mind for a long time now but I wasn’t sure how you, as the reader, would react to it. So please accept my apologies for the morbid subject and I hope it doesn’t upset anyone, but in reality, it is something we all have to face up to at some stage of our lives.

What finally drove me to write this was today was a conversation I had recently at a past clients’ home, quoting on some internal work. While discussing her job, she informed me that the next door neighbour (a long-time client of mine and whose house I only just completed the exterior painting) was recently told he had aggressive throat cancer and only a month to live.

I was devastated. Only thirty days to say his goodbyes (and by the time this is published, most probably passed away). It’s so sad that something like this could happen to a person with so little notice.

Unfortunately this has happened to other people I knew, one being

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a very good friend of mine from my high-school days. Tony was 57 when he was told he only had a few months to live. Fortunately I was able to catch up with him in Perth a week before he passed away. He was the kindest, most happy-go-lucky person you could ever meet. Tony left behind a gorgeous wife and two beautiful girls (one being my God-daughter).

Then twelve months later, tragedy struck again with his wife dying from a massive heart attack while gardening in the back yard.

As we all know, death is a part of life and we can’t do anything to avoid it. There’s no magical elixir available to extend our lives I’m afraid (drinking from the ‘Holy Grail’ is after all, just a myth). Some live to a great old age but sadly, others die far too soon and far too young. We just don’t know when our time is up. I could be run over by a bus tomorrow, who knows?

So when I ask ‘Are you prepared?’

I’m not actually referring to being mentally prepared for death.

What I am referring to is, have you taken any steps for after the passing of your life to ease some of the pain and stress that your family will encounter. Think of those loved ones that you’re leaving behind. The trauma and loss would be extremely stressful and upsetting. But there are some things you can do to ease their pain.

Having lost both my parents in the past 15 years, I do know the frustration of sorting out their financial affairs and how emotional it was. In todays’ day and age it’s even more complicated because of how much we rely on the internet so much.

So being ‘prepared’ are the simple things like leaving details available for your family that only you may know. These can be anything from passwords to accounts, computer, phone, PayPal, Skype, the safe, FaceBook, LinkedIn, etc.

Now in my case, my wife handles the majority of my painting business and household accounts, so there is

no problem there (unless she passes away first). But there is my other sideline (‘MyTools4Business’) which is ‘my baby’ and I solely look after.

If something happened to me, she would have no idea what to do.

There would be the problem of how to access the site; how payments are made; who my IT person is; how to access my customers, Nigel Gorman’s phone number (lol) and many more things. Also, is your will up-to-date and more to the point, have you even got a will? You may want to leave something personal to a friend or relative that your family may not realise.

These may sound insignificant to you now or you may have the ‘I’ll be dead so I don’t care’ attitude. Myself, I wouldn’t like to put my family in this position of the extra grief that would occur. So if I can relieve

some of the stress by simply having this information available to them, then I can die a little happier. Also if I was told I only had a short time to live, my main objective would be to have quality time with my family than having to waste the little time I had with explanations of passwords and access, etc. It would be personally emotional for yourself having to do this too.

So are there things in your business or your life that you take care of that your partner or loved ones would not know about? Not that you’re trying to keep it secret, but it’s just something you automatically take care of, like in my case! If so, then write it all down and put it somewhere safe that can be accessed, if and when the time comes. It may not sound a big deal to you now but believe me, it could save a lot of heartache for those you care and love the most and you will feel better for it too.

Jim Baker

www.mytools4business.com info@mytools4business.com

2016 May Issue | 15

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COGGIE’S

Tips and Tricks

Introducing Clayton Coghlan (aka Coggie),

with Coggies Tips and Tricks! With 25 years in the industry, Coggie has offered to share some of the tricks of the trade that he’s picked up throughout his career. He is very passionate about the Painting Industry and will be sharing with us regular videos to assist in your business. Enjoy the videos and hopefully you’ll pick up something that makes a difference!

2016 May Issue | 17

What does your apprentice do on rained out days, or down-time between jobs when you’re paying them?

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2016 May Issue | 19

COATING APPLICATION -

the benefits of surface tolerance and moisture tolerance You’ve probably heard the old saying about practicing tolerance and how it can lead to a more peaceful life. Well I think the same goes for your coatings!

What on earth am I talking about?

Put simply, products that are tolerant of both surfaces and moisture can bring great benefit to any coating application business by saving time and money, winning more work, and, as I just mentioned, helping to create a less stressful work environment.

What do surface tolerance and moisture tolerance mean?

Before I get into how surface and moisture-tolerant products can achieve all of the above, I’ll clarify what is meant by the terms.

The idea of surface tolerance relates to the ability of a product to fully coat a surface that could otherwise be viewed as troublesome. To paint a quick picture, some coatings will work well over perfectly clean concrete, metal or other films, however crawl at the slightest hint of contamination, dust or even gloss. A surfacetolerant product, on the other hand, will be capable of providing full coverage in these situations because it’s has a more forgiving formulation that delivers better levelling properties. This type of tolerance also extends into areas such

20 | Aussie Painters Network

as adhesion and a product’s ability to stick when ideal surface preparation is just not possible (marine and underwater coatings are prime examples).

Moisture tolerance is perhaps a little more self-explanatory and is a topic I have raised regularly throughout this blog. To recap, some don’t like moisture of any kind and can experience adverse reactions ranging from blushing to softness to bubbling (in some polyurethanes).

Moisture-tolerant coatings aren’t so sensitive and can be used if it’s humid, damp or, at the far end of the scale, completely underwater.

How tolerance helps Ok, now to the good stuff. Why do I think surface tolerance and mois

ture tolerance can help your appli cation business and make a big difference to the stress levels? Well, there are a few ways 1. Help avoid failures - you can’t make money on jobs that fail or require call backs. Using tolerant products helps overcome many potential sources of failure, from poor surface preparation to unexpected weather conditions or even human-related catastrophes. I often tell the story of my experience onboard a Royal Australian Navy vessel involving an open water valve flooding a freshly laid epoxy floor and remarkably ending well because of the product’s amazing moisture tolerance. Having that sort of reliability built into your application business does wonders for your confidence and peace of mind.

22 | Aussie Painters Network

have as much time to bond with the surface. I think epoxy floor coatings definitely fall into this category and the curing agents they use can also be hard to control from a levelling point of view. Sections listing product limitations can also provide some valuable insights into the type of coating you’re dealing with. You should be able to easily determine if the coating has moisture issues because there’ll be warnings around humidity, dew points, hazing or, if you’re talking epoxies, amine blush.

2. Save in costs - not only do tolerant products help avoid failures, in some instances they can also reduce the amount of product, number of coats and overall time required in the first place. Surfacetolerant products can be particularly effective in this regard if their use means you can skip the extra cost and time of applying a primer, for example.

3. No delays and more control as a small business, being able to plan and carry out work regardless of the conditions can’t be underestimated in my opinion. With surface and moisture tolerance on your side, the “what ifs” are drastically reduced and jobs tend to run more smoothly. This feature is critical on projects with tight shutdown demands as they can’t afford delays of any kind and often need around-the-clock work to be completed on time (which means lower temperatures and dew points can come into play). The ability to perform all-weather work can also have a big impact on cash flow because there’s no risk of sitting on your hands for a week when wet weather sets in.

4. Win you more work - the net effect of offering all of the above is an application business that has fewer failures, runs smoothly with no delays, can work at any time and in any place, and can often be cheaper when the total costs are added up (even if the material cost is higher).

Being able to offer such a service is extremely powerful and likely to open up all sorts of work opportunities that simply wouldn’t be there otherwise.

How to spot surface and moisture tolerance I know what you’re probably thinking now: “How do you find such products? How can you tell what is or isn’t tolerant?” Fortunately there are usually some pretty big clues given away in technical data sheets to steer you in the right direction.

For starters, any mention of the compulsory use of a primer is an obvious indication a product might not offer much in the way of surface tolerance. The same goes for most products with a really quick turnaround because they don’t

If that kind of detective work leaves you uncertain, you can always try the direct route and simply ask the manufacturer to see what they have to say.

Now, I’m definitely not suggesting every contractor needs to dump their bread and butter coatings or risk business failure. The aim of this post was more about highlighting how some products are more forgiving and reliable than others, and the sizeable advantages that can come with that. If you’re frustrated by inconsistent results, struggling to plan your work schedule or wasting time waiting for the right conditions, you might find things become a whole lot easier and a whole lot less stressful if you can find products with greater tolerance.

Jack Josephsen 0408 877 256

2016 May Issue | 23

Make a Plan

that Works for You To build a house, you need a plan that shows dimensions, measurements, design features and all sorts of other information required to create a solid building. After all, you want it to withstand the weather and be compliant with building regulations. The same can be said for building a business.

“Are you being pro-active in your business or are you driven by BAS and Tax Return deadlines?” That’s a question I always like to ask my business owner clients when we first meet to discuss how they can grow their business.

While you’re preparing your financials for your next BAS or yearly tax return, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to look at the big picture, make some projections and create a plan for business growth that works for you. The truth is, when you harness compliance deadlines as momentum to shift forward and plan for the next quarter, for the next financial year, set some big and small business goals, create an action plan to make it happen, that’s where the real magic of doing pro-active business is.

As a small business owner you can easily become complacent when nobody is pushing you to tackle the hard tasks of managing your business. You need to look at your criti-

24 | Aussie Painters Network

cal numbers regularly and face up to whatever story these numbers are telling you about your profitability . Of course, the path to business growth is always determined by your starting point, and it can be different for each business. As accountants we’re here not just here to help you establish the baselines and then identify where the levers are to make your business more profitable. We can also help you to create a plan to which you can hold yourself accountable.

If you want to move your business forward, become more profitable and grow your customer base, you’ll always need to be one step ahead, and not just preparing your schedule for the week ahead. You need a plan that describes your goals for the future and how you can get there.

A business plan can be as basic or detailed as you want or need it to be. For example, if you need a business plan to raise finance, you’ll need to have a more complex document which meets the standards of a bank or financial institution. On the other hand, if you want to build your business month by month, quarter by quarter, and year by year, create a business plan that sets goals for these timeframes. The most important thing is to print it and put it up somewhere where you can see it

every day. The best business plans are short, to the point, that show your goals and the steps you need to take to achieve them.

Having a business plan that you live and breathe every day is more powerful than any elaborate document that you put on a shelf and never look at. I always recommend to try and condense any plan into chunks that you can put on 1 page. You might have a page for your overall goals set out over the year, and then create an action plan or operational plan that sets out each step you need to take during this time frame to achieve each goal.

Your action plan sheets need to cover the individual tasks required to achieve the goal, including what financial or other resources you’ll need, how you can measure that you are on track, like KPIs and the like, and what kind of marketing and advertising you’ll need to undertake to grow your customer base etc.

And this is where you come full circle again. To measure that you’re on track with achieving your business goals, you go right back to your business financials and your timely bookkeeping. Review your critical numbers every month, every quarter and every year, check that you are achieving your KPI’s and correct your course if you have lost focus.

When things change, then you might decide to change your plan, too, to accommodate the changed circumstances. You can do all this, because you’ve got a plan that is your roadmap. If you didn’t have a plan, you wouldn’t know where you’re going, and you wouldn’t know that you’ve left the path to achieve your goal.

To establish baselines for your new business plan and to show you where you’re at and where the opportunities are, we are offering a FREE ‘Tax Review and Profit Booster Session’. This is a one-onone 60 minute consultation where we look at your last 3 years of tax returns and identify strategies you can run with immediately to make a start in the right direction. To arrange your FREE session, please call us on (07) 3399 8844 and book your complimentary consultation.

Copyright © 2016 Robert Bauman.

A D Hamilton & Associates www.adhamilton.com.au

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

2016 May Issue | 25

MY TOP 8

STYLING FAVOURITES There are a few essentials that I absolutely love to use in every home that I stage and style for sale. I delight in planning how I am going to use them and I so enjoy setting them all up.

I don’t believe there is a ‘right or wrong’ way in this process. Styling is so individual and unique. If the home sells quickly and for the best price in the market then, to me, my styling works! The great thing about my work is that I get to hear what the buyers think of my styling once the home goes on the market.

At my open homes, I watch them delight in the spaces I have created, admire my vignettes and wiggle their toes in the new carpet that I suggested the owners might like to install before market! New carpet is the bomb!

This is not just because I embrace scoffing it (and so does my photographer) after the photoshoot.

It just photographs beautifully; and I love how, when I create a food vignette for the photoshoot, my sellers continue with the theme and always have something ‘live’ and ‘real’ in the food vignette every week at the open homes, long after the original food vignette has been devoured! And the buyers notice.

They respond so positively to ‘detail’.

Number 1: Using Real Food

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Number 3: Big Bedside Lamps

Number 2: A Set Table Large bedside lamps help to balance and fill the space at the head end of the bed, especially when using big euro pillows, bedheads or headboards.

Really great presentation creates buyer emotion and buyer competition, which can lead to Real Estate Magic. I see it. Every weekend.

Here are my 8 Top Styling Favourites ….

at dusk, so there are always shiny things reflecting off lamp light and lit candles. Makes for great photos! Homes, photographed at dusk, sparkle more … and they look more expensive. Fact.

Somewhere. You only need one.

Setting every table in the home is overdoing it, but one set table presents an opportunity to create a vibe, a theme, a dream, a promise of a lifestyle, an example of how the buyers might like to entertain and live in their new home. It’s all about the dream … and for me? …. the chance to use shiny, sparkly things. All my photoshoots are

I make sure the height of the lamp relates well with the bedhead too, or the bedhead space, especially when a headboard is not used and art is used in its place. Teeny tiny lamps would just not look right, with such big euro pillows and large artwork in these spaces.

Number 4: Teacups and Tea Sets

Addicted. Love them. They are so pretty and they just add that final touch to any vignette. Because anywhere and everywhere is a good place to have a cup of tea. It hints at a future lifestyle in which you have time to stop, relax and sip tea!

I know! I know, they pop up everywhere in my real estate listings … but I LOVE them! And I can’t see myself ever not using them! If you love them as much as I do, I have them available in my Cape Cod Designs online store HERE .. and plan to always do so as long as I can source them.

I love to use lots of different style cocktail/occasional tables. They are so versatile. They fill up little corner nooks and provide a surface on which you can add more scale and proportion with a plant, floral arrangement or pretty vignette …. ….

Or just a teacup!

a console in front of the TV points and style it up with beautiful lamps, books, flowers and a bar. This arrangement is always well received by the buyers. They work it out.

“Oh, and this is where you would put the TV, but this is nice, maybe we can put the TV downstairs?” I love listening to buyers workshop their ‘future lives’ in the homes that I sell.

Number 7: A Beautiful Rug I’m a sucker for a geometric rug. I feel they work well with any and every aesthetic.

Number 6: A Bar or Martini Tray

All my favourite rugs that I use in styling my homes are also available for sale over at Cape Cod Designs.

Coffee cups have their place too!

Number 5. My Hairpin Leg Cocktail Tables

I can’t blame the TV series, Mad Men, as I was compiling Martini trays long before I knew about Don Draper and his crew. A bar adds that little bit of glamour … and for me? … I like to fill up the space where the TV usually would go with something other than a TV. I generally don’t like to create a room around a TV and often place

2016 May Issue | 27

Number 8: A Fun Kid’s Room

More often than not, the home that I am selling, is suitable for a family. The kids who come through my open homes LOVE kids’ rooms! Visiting open homes, from a kid’s perspective, is so boring. A bright and colourful kid’s room distracts bored kids and allows parents time to enjoy the home. I will often hear youngsters announce to their parents, “and this is my room”. Taking ownership of the home, before even putting in an offer, is a good sign! Even if it is the kids making the decision! the number of clicks on photos, videos, floor plans, and price your property well to attract a competitive environment where buyers will compete to push your sale price up, then magic will happen.

Anne-Maree Russell Three things are integral to selling a home …presentation, marketing and price. If you nail the presentation, market it high up in the internet searches with beautiful photos that buyers interact well with. We measure buyer interest or ‘engagement’ behind the scenes by

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

www.thehousethatambuilt.com

Find out if the things around you are SAFE for humans and pets

You take the samples and send them to Sydney Analytical Labs. The lab analyses the sample and we explain the results.

www.lead.org.au

2016 May Issue | 29

BECOME A

MEMBER TODAY!

30 | Aussie Painters Network

Trace My Business Keep a record of ALL your clients • • • •

•

Where the referral came from

The quote success and failure rates

•

Suburb comparisons

The different advertising campaigns

•

(what (wh works and what doesn’t) First projects vs repeat business

New vs existing revenue and projects

•

Yearly and overall client revenue

•

Growth analysis

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

Written and Developed by Jim Baker

Developed by Jim Baker 2013

2016 May Issue | 31

Painters JSEA s

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SWMS, WMS, JSEA & JSA

What are they and what is the difference?

CONFUSED? We’re not surprised!

While painting is, for the most part, a practical occupation to apply decorative and protective coatings to finish or refresh a surface, building, home etc., running a business like this will always come with obligations to demonstrate a commitment to safety and professionalism. Health and safety is the most serious of issues in the construction industry; you have the lives of yourself, your staff, the home owner, and their surrounding neighbours to consider in minimising the possible risks to health and the environment in carrying out your work. That’s where the inevitable paperwork comes into play in supporting and demonstrating these processes.

Forms and paperwork are irritating to most of us, but they’re a necessary evil and a step by step guide to ensure you’re legit. Every job you undertake requires you to have a completed Work Health Safety Plan.

This outlines your safety management systems for a specific work site.

It maps out how potential incidents are prevented and, should they occur, how they will be managed.

Additionally, there are Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS), Work Method Statement (WMS), Job Safety & Environment Analysis (JSEA) and Job Safety Analysis (JSA).

So, what are they, and what are their purpose? Someone new to running a business (or indeed someone whose been doing this for many decades) might find these multiple

similar acronyms for similar functioning forms a little confusing, so we thought we’d break it down.

These are actually a raft of forms which perform a similar or the same function; they are all documents to ensure work is to be carried out safely. The term JSA has been a commonly used term in Australian industry for many years. It is to perform a risk assessment, breaking down in detail how the task is to be carried out safely; basic steps, potential hazards, procedures and precautions. To include environmental aspects, in recent years, the term was expanded to JSEA. As JSAs now usually do imply and include environmental concerns as well as safety, quality, energy efficiency, time and cost effectiveness, these two titles/acronyms really refer to one and the same document and are basically interchangeable.

SWMS became commonly used after a Victorian OHS Regulations 2007 and is a document that identifies risk, outlines potential hazards and describes measures in place to control them. These are the same as predecessor, WMS. With a heavy focus on safety in the work place in recent years, these are now generally referred to as Safe Work Methods Statements to reflect this.

So, whilst you might be asked for a specific one of these four documents, essentially they describe only two kinds of WHS document,

and really only one of the four is required, alongside your WHS Plan.

A search for these documents on the web reveals dozens of various templates or examples available from across the construction industry; some free, some for a fee and most broadly apply across the construction sector.

To help you more directly in your painting business, Aussie Painters Network has done all of the hard graft for you. We’ve produced these forms in Painting Industry specific versions so that you needn’t sift through the pages and page of information irrelevant to your jobs.

These templates are easily integrated into your WHS obligations, and are available free to all Members.

Remember, you have a primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers and that other people are not exposed to risks from your work. These are necessary and required documents to demonstrate your commitment and to assist you in identifying, preventing and managing hazards and incidents. Make sure you cover your bases and provide the most secure and safe working environment that you can, and with the right documents, be able to show exactly how.

Caroline Miall

caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

2016 May Issue | 33

Whose Reality Are You Living In? Great reasons for keeping a positive outlook, and how to get one!

It’s not all just about painting here at the Network. We want to help you run a successful enterprise, and enjoy a rounded and prosperous existence. When life’s challenges get really tough and things go awry, it’s easy to fall into a downward spiral.

We’re not all naturally optimists and that’s ok, but there are many lessons to be understood from those who are naturally positive which is why we wanted to share this.

“Every morning, I look in the mirror and say to myself: “This is your day.

Don’t let ANYONE take it from you!”

David Deida Imagine two people take a ride in a balloon. One of them is terrified of heights. The other isn’t. The one who isn’t will enjoy the magnificent view, feel the warm wind on his face and simply love the ride.

The person terrified of heights will probably squat on the floor, thinking “Omigod! Omigod! This thing is gonna crash and burn! We’re all gonna die! Aaaaaaaaa!!!”

Objectively, they went through exactly the same experience. Yet one person had the time of their life, while the other would be better off having their chest hair depilated (and trust me, that HURTS). The difference was in their VIEW of the reality.

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Your view of the world is crucially important for your well-being. Yet many people let others decide their reality for them. Be it friends, relatives, TV, or the newspaper. Who decides YOUR reality?

Reasons for choosing your own reality I’m an optimist. And I mean I’m REALLY optimistic, right at the end of the spectrum. If I got hit by a car this afternoon and lost both legs, I’d think something like: “Yes! I finally get to find out what it’s like to be disabled! Plus, when biographies are written about me years later, they’ll say ‘He managed to overcome life’s challenges…’”. I’m not trying to convince you to be an optimist. I’m just giving you the option to CHOOSE your reality. If you consciously decide NOT to be an optimist, that’s fine.

Without further ado, here are three reasons to be optimistic: 1. Optimism lets you achieve more.

Imagine you wanted to start a blog.

And you were a pessimist. Your thoughts would be “It’s not going to work anyway, nobody will read my blog, why even try.” And voila, you’d never even start a blog.

Being an optimist, on the other hand, I started my blog. I stuck with it for the two months when I had basically zero readership. Then, one day, I wrote a blog post that I felt was my best so far (Why Linux doesn’t spread – The Curse of being free). So I submitted the post to several social news sites, it hit the Slashdot front page, and the rest is history.

As an optimist, you’ll see beyond obstacles that others consider impossible to overcome. They will think you’re crazy. But oh, they will be SO wrong. They laughed at the Wright brothers. They laughed at you. But you’ll show them, you’ll *show them all*! AAAhahahahaaaa…

Thomas A. Edison was interviewed by a newspaper after 800 unsuccessful tries to make a working light bulb.

“How does it feel to have failed 800 times?” the reporter asked.

And Edison’s answer?

“I haven’t failed 800 times. I haven’t failed once. What I have done, is I have succeeded in proving that those 800 ways won’t work. Once I eliminate all the ways that won’t work, I will find the one way that will.”

Maintain Your Family’s Living Standard

2016 May Issue | 35

We are Painters working with Painters to improve the industry. You receive information designed to assist in advancing your business practices and maintaining a high degree of professionalism. We keep painting businesses up to date on the latest government legislative changes whilst assisting you in running your business with tips and tricks to

SAVE YOU MONEY!

36 | Aussie Painters Network

Several years later, after thousands more “successful proofs” he managed to find a way that works, and thus illuminated the world.

2. As an optimist, you’ll have better relations with other people.

Positive, optimistic people are fun to be around. I’m sure you’ve experienced that yourself.

By becoming an optimist, you will become such a person. People will enjoy being around you. Also, by the law of attraction, you will attract more similar people into your life.

Imagine you have a crazy idea for how to spend your holiday. Would you like your friends to be like “Yeah man! Awesome! Go for it!”, or “Nonsense. That will never work. What the hell were you thinking? Come on, let’s go grab a beer and complain about how miserable we are.”

3. Optimism makes you happier.

This is the most commonly cited reason… and the most important one too. But I haven’t put it first.

Because if you say this reason to pessimists, they will say: “What the hell are you talking about?” If you want to help others, you need to speak their language. That’s why I put achievement and success as the first reason. That’s a universal theme that everyone will understand.

How to become an optimist … Now you know the main reasons for being an optimist. So how do you go about it? Below are the best ways to become an optimist.

1. Exercise.

As you go through your day, tension builds up in your muscles. The tension needs to be released. Exercise releases that tension. It releases endorphins, the body’s natural opi-

ates, into your bloodstream. This leaves you relaxed and happy for hours afterwards.

If you’re not much into exercising, check out my 5 Simple ways to increase your happiness. In there I share a simple way to exercise that takes just 10-20 minutes and requires only a watch.

2. See the positive aspect of every situation.

I propose you try this. For seven days straight (starting tomorrow), see the positive side of every situation. Just like Edison and his “successful proofs”. If you want to make sure you don’t forget, I suggest a variation of a method I got from Tim Ferriss. Wear a rubber band around your wrist. Every time you forget to think positively about a situation, simply switch the band to your other wrist. The proper way would be to take off the band only after you’ve gone for 7 days straight without switching wrists. But you can simply try it for 7 days.

3. Think positive thoughts.

In one experiment, the researches took 3 clinically depressed people.

A psychologist then took over, making some changes in their daily routine to get them thinking positively (one of the changes was daily exercising). At the end of 30-day experiment, the subjects had been transformed into some of the happiest people you’ve ever seen.

One of the things the psychologist did was to have them place colored stickers around their house and workplace. Then, whenever they saw one, they had to think of something that made them feel happy.

Try doing the same thing (possibly using something else instead of colored stickers). This exercise will

literally hardwire your brain to think happily and positively. By reinforcing the neural pathways of positive thought, you will make it easier to think positively in the future. You will achieve more and be happier.

4. Hang out with positive people.

When you spend time with people, their characteristics start to rub off on you. You might start using some of the same gestures, or think some of the same thoughts. You can’t help it. It’s a natural process to help us bond together. The good news is, you can use this to your advantage.

David Deangelo, from Double Your Dating, said he had been researching the topic of women and dating for two years without much success. Then he started to hang out with the “naturals” – guys who were naturally successful with women.

That’s when he really started to “get it”. Today, he is the most successful author of programs that help men improve their dating skills. You can use the same effect. By spending time around positive, optimistic people, you will naturally become more like them. You might take on some of their gestures, or patterns of thought. Learning from real-life examples is the fastest way, so use it.

If you want to make friends with optimistic people, just go and talk to them. They’re open to making new friends.

Vlad Dolezal writes a blog about psychology, self-improvement and Linux. For more fun, step-by-step ways to improve your life, subscribe to his RSS feed.

2016 May Issue | 37

Instant HR Policies and Procedures Manual Complete HR Policies & Procedures Manuals in Minutes Over 280 comprehensive pre-written HR policies and procedures templates Written in plain English – Easy to Understand Specifically written for Australian small to medium businesses Instant download – no waiting for books or discs Up-to-date with Australian IR, Privacy, Workplace Surveillance Anti-Discrimination Legislation and A Customisable Word format – Insert your company name and details with just a few simple clicks Researched & professionally written employee handbook templates by Australian HR experts

38 | Aussie Painters Network

2016 May Issue | 39

The Industry

Idiots

40 | Aussie Painters Network

Important Contacts Aussie Painters Network www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

Ph. 0430 399 800

National Institute for Painting and Decorating www.painters.edu.au

Ph. 1300 319 790

Australian Tax Office www.ato.gov.au

Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65

Award Rates www.fairwork.gov.au

Ph. 13 13 94

Fair Work Building & Construction www.fwbc.gov.au

Ph. 1800 003 338

Mates In Construction www.matesinconstruction.com.au

Ph. 1300 642 111

Workplace Health and Safety Contacts Comcare WorkSafe ACT Workplace Health and Safety QLD Victorian WorkCover Authority WorkCover NSW SafeWork SA WorkSafe WA NT WorkSafe WorkSafe Tasmania

www.comcare.gov.au www.worksafe.act.gov.au www.worksafe.qld.gov.au www.vwa.vic.gov.au www.workcover.nsw.gov.au www.safework.sa.gov.au www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ www.worksafe.nt.gov.au www.worksafe.tas.gov.au

1300 366 979 02 6207 3000 1300 362 128 1800 136 089 13 10 50 1300 365 255 1300 307 877 1800 019 115 1300 366 322

www.actcancer.org www.cancercouncil.com.au www.cancercouncilnt.com.au www.cancerqld.org.au www.cancersa.org.au www.cancervic.org.au www.cancerwa.asn.au

(02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334 1900 (08) 8927 4888 (07) 3634 5100 (08) 8291 4111 (03) 9635 5000 (08) 9212 4333

Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA

2016 May Issue | 41

Standard Membership • Five postcode listings in our online directory • Work, Health and Safety Plan • Risk Assessment and Safe Work Method Statements • Incident Investigation Forms and Incident Investigation Form Register • Instant access to our pricing and estimating guides • Quotation guide to assist you when quoting • Personal service and phone advice • Web Listing for prospective customers to find you easily • Free targeted online marketing & advertising • Back-links to assist you in SEO rankings • Assistance with Debt Collection and Discounted Terms of Trade • Discounts on Courses • Painter Help section if you are looking for work or looking for painters to help