From the Editor
Hey Everyone,
Welcome to the 157th issue of the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine.
This edition really highlights something we’re seeing more and more across the industry — the shift from just doing the work, to building better businesses and better people along the way. From systems and planning through to productivity, purpose, and even the role of AI, it’s clear that the modern painting business is evolving fast.
There’s a strong message throughout this issue: being busy isn’t the same as being effective. The articles around meaningful work, business structure, and risk control all tie back to one thing — getting clear on what actually matters in your business and putting the right systems in place to support it.
At the same time, we continue to see the impact of initiatives like the Purple Army, reinforcing that our industry is not just about business, but about community and standing for something bigger.
Over the past month, I’ve also been on the road delivering training across the country — working with some great supporters of the industry including It’s Paint in Townsville, Crowies in Rockhampton, and Resene in Molendiner. Getting out into these regions, working directly with painters, apprentices and business owners, is always a reminder of the strength of our industry and the importance of keeping training practical, relevant and accessible.
It all connects — stronger skills, stronger systems, stronger people.
That’s how we continue to lift the standard of our trade.
'Til
next month, Happy Painting!!
Nigel Gorman nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
CONTRIBUTORS
• Caroline Miall
• Helen Kay
• Leo Babauta
• Nigel Gorman
• Robert Bauman
• Sandra Price
• Sophie Andrews
• Sora Lee
EDITOR
Nigel Gorman
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
J. Anne Delgado
Are You Running Your Tradie Business... Or Is It Running You?
Polite ways to Sack a Client
You Probably Know WHAT MATTERS
New study finds 6 types of ‘discouraged’ workers in Australia – and why they stop job‑hunting
Women in Painting Pub Tour: Salisbury Hotel
Chasing Payments Reali
D to the Power of 4 Four Steps to Better Time Management
Build momentum with a clear, Intentional Roadmap
Bundling your BUSINESS INSURANCE into one package
My mind keeps on going blank. How worried should I be?
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 March 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.
Are You Running Your Tradie Business... Or Is
It
Running You?
For many tradies, starting a business begins with one simple goal: doing great work and earning a good living. You’re skilled with the tools, you build a reputation, the phone starts ringing... and suddenly the business grows.
But somewhere along the way, many tradies realise something uncomfortable.
Instead of running the business, the business is running them.
The days become a blur of quoting, chasing materials, answering messages, doing paperwork late at night, and trying to keep jobs moving. The work is there — but the time, energy, and freedom that motivated you to start your own business seem harder to find.
The difference between a tradie business that feels overwhelming and one that runs smoothly often comes down to systems and processes.
The Hidden Problem: Everything Lives in Your Head In many trade businesses, the “system” is simply the business owner’s memory.
You know how quotes should look. You know how to onboard a new client. You know when to order materials, follow up invoices, and schedule jobs.
But when everything depends on you remembering every step, two things happen:
1. You become the bottleneck
2. Growth becomes stressful
If you take a day off, things stall.
If you hire someone new, you spend weeks explaining everything.
If the business gets busier, the pressure lands squarely on your shoulders.
This is where systems and processes change everything.
Systems Turn Chaos into Consistency
A system is simply a repeatable way of doing something. Think about the key activities in your business:
• How you handle enquiries
• How you quote jobs
• How you schedule work
• How you order materials
• How you invoice and follow up payments
• How you communicate with clients
When these steps are written down and structured, the business becomes far easier to run.
Good systems help you:
✔ Save time
✔ Reduce mistakes
✔ Train staff faster
✔ Deliver consistent service
✔ Create space to grow
Instead of reinventing the wheel every week, the business starts to operate like a well-organised job site — everyone knows what happens next.
The Next Evolution: AI in Small Business
Now there is a new tool changing how small businesses operate: Artificial Intelligence (AI).
For tradies, AI isn’t about robots replacing people. It’s about removing the repetitive admin work that drains time and energy.
Used properly, AI can help with tasks such as:
• Drafting quotes and emails
• Responding to common client enquiries
• Creating job summaries and reports
• Writing marketing content
• Organising job notes and documentation
• Helping plan schedules and workflows
Think of AI as a digital assistant that helps you handle the paperwork while you focus on the real work.
The key point is this: AI works best when your systems already exist.
If your processes are clear, AI can help automate parts of them. Without systems, AI simply amplifies the chaos.
The Smart Tradie Business Model
The tradie businesses that thrive in the coming years will combine three things:
1. Skill in the trade
Great workmanship and reputation still matter most.
2. Strong systems
Clear processes that make the business efficient.
3. Smart use of technology and AI
Tools that save time and reduce admin.
When these three elements work together, something powerful happens.
The business becomes scalable. You can take on more work without burning out. Staff can take on more responsibility. And the business becomes something that supports your life — rather than consuming it.
A
Simple
Starting Point
If your business feels overwhelming right now, don’t try to fix everything at once.
Start with just one question: What is the one task I repeat every week that could become a simple system? Maybe it’s:
• Your quoting process
• Job scheduling
• Invoice follow-ups
• Client onboarding
Write the steps down. Improve them. Then look at where technology or AI could help streamline the process.
Small improvements like these compound quickly.
The Real Goal of a Business
At the end of the day, most tradies didn’t start their business to work longer hours and carry more stress.
They started it for freedom, income, and control over their future.
Systems, processes, and smart tools like AI help bring that goal back into reach.
Because the best businesses don’t depend on the owner doing everything.
They’re built to run well — even when the owner steps away from the tools.
Copyright © 2026 Robert Bauman.
Polite ways to Sack a Client
Ask anyone who’s been self-employed for a few years. By and large, the vast majority of clients are great. The less than ideal ones, however, can become a serious liability.
Problem clients come in all shapes and sizes. There are the late payers and scheduled “no shows”. The ones who are demanding and don’t respect your time.
Remember, just because you need to earn a profit doesn’t mean it’s in your best interest to serve everyone who walks in the door.
Here are a few ways to respectfully let go of clients who aren’t an asset for your business.
Know your deal breakers
As business owners it’s essential we maintain professionalism at all times. Ideally, effective communication—that is, setting boundaries early on, respectfully and assertively—can help prevent a situation with a client getting out of hand.
Some entrepreneurs have a “three strikes, you’re out” policy before they sack a client—but ultimately it’s up to you to decide what you can and cannot tolerate.
For some, following up more than three times before a customer will pay is a deal breaker. For others, it might be the project manager consistently guilty of scope creep.
Keep this advice in mind: the more time you spend managing difficult customers, the less time you’ll have to find your ideal clients.
Know your communication style
Depending on your personality and the client in question, it may be easier to end a business relationship over email than in person or over the phone. Whichever option feels most comfortable to you, stay polite and on point.
If you email a client to let them know you won’t be working together anymore, you might invite them to call if they have any questions.
At that point, the hard part will be over which can take off the pressure and emotional stress.
Stick to the facts—or take the blame
If a client has been unreasonable or hostile in the past you could tell them:
• you’ve decided to shift the focus of your business to a new niche
• in order to maintain a high level of client care you have to refer some of your clients to other businesses
• for personal reasons you are scaling back your workload.
If you’re comfortable being up front with the client, you can point out the issue in a neutral, factual way that allows them to save face.
For example you might say: “we rely on our clients to pay on time so we can pay our vendors and continue to run our operations effectively.”
Sharing a business terms document with your clients up front can help manage expectations early and outline what will happen if your terms aren’t followed. If you have to fire a client, simply refer to the document.
Final thoughts
If you can find another professional willing to take on your client, you’ll may be able to avoid any hard feelings when you part ways. You might offer the client additional support during the transition, but if you’ve been taken advantage of in the past be sure to specify the end date and in which specific capacities you are willing to help.
WASH WITHOUT WASTE
Easily
You Probably Know WHAT MATTERS
I don’t think being productive is as important as we usually think it is — most of us get trapped in a cage of trying to be as productive as we think we should be.
But one thing I think does matter in the area of productivity is to focus on what matters.
Most of us are either super busy (but not always focusing on what matters), or we’re busy avoiding the things that matter with distractions.
In both cases, we’re not doing what matters.
What really matters? That’s a tough question for me to answer for anybody else, but the truth is, most of us probably already know what matters. It’s the things that are meaningful, that make an impact, that move the needle on things you care about.
Not the busywork. Not answering all the thousand emails and messages. Not social media. Not shopping, or watching videos, or doing all the things that are easy and comfortable and keep us busy.
The things that matter are few, they require focus, and they make a difference (for our team, for the
meaningful work we’re doing, for our career, for the people we care about).
If you identify 1–3 things that matter every day, and make the time for them … and actually focus on them and move them forward … you’ll likely feel a huge shift.
Once we take care of one or more things that matter each day, we can take care of the little things (and those matter too, just not in a big way). After I’ve done a few things that really matter, I can call the day a win, and feel amazing!
And by the way … you don’t always have to force yourself to do the things that matter — you can have fun with them! It can be play, or an adventure, or feel meaningful or joyful or loving. Bring focus and care to what matters, and have an amazing time doing it.
Leo Babauta ZEN HABITS
New study finds 6 types of
‘discouraged’
workers in Australia –and why they stop job-hunting
When we hear that Australia’s unemployment rate is low, it sounds like good news. The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines an unemployed person as someone who is not working but is actively looking for a job and available to start.
But there is a broader group not fully captured by the statistics, whom we call “hidden workers”. They include people who:
• are unemployed but not counted because they are not currently looking
• are underemployed, working fewer hours than they want or need
• or who have given up looking altogether, known as discouraged workers.
This article focuses on that last group: discouraged workers.
They still want to work and are available — but have stopped searching. We know surprisingly little about who they are or why they give up. My new research aims to answer some of these questions.
Untapped talent matters for the economy
You might wonder: if they are not looking for work, why should we care?
Because they represent unused talent, sitting on the sidelines of the economy. Discouraged workers are part of what economists call labour market slack. That simply means spare capacity: people who could work if the barriers in front of them were removed.
If slack is larger than the official unemployment rate suggests, then the job market is not as strong as it looks.
And that matters.
The Reserve Bank of Australia relies on labour market data when deciding whether to raise or cut interest rates. If there are more people on the sidelines than the headline figures capture, wage growth may be weaker than expected. Inflation pressures may be lower than assumed. Economic strength may be overstated.
In short, when we miscount workers, we misread the economy.
A wide range of profiles
Using national data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (HILDA), we analysed 1,091 discouraged workers. This is the first in-depth national analysis of discouraged workers in Australia, and the findings are revealing.
Instead of treating discouraged workers as one single group, we used a statistical method called “latent class analysis”. It helps us see hidden subgroups within the broad category.
The six profiles we identified were:
Young, low-educated adults (mostly men) (25.3%)
This is the largest group. They are under 45, rarely married and often left school early. They report more health issues and face limited qualifications and weak attachment to stable work.
Older, low-educated adults with chronic health problems (20.4%)
Almost all are over 45. Many did not complete secondary school. Most have long-term health conditions. Here, low education and poor health combine to reduce job prospects.
Older single adults with health and financial strain (17.0%)
These people are often educated but single, with high rates of chronic illness and financial hardship. Education does not protect them when health and money pressures are severe.
Older, well-educated adults (mostly men) (16.6%)
These are mainly people over 45 who are married and relatively well educated. Many report some health problems. Their discouragement appears linked to age bias in hiring and moderate health limits, rather than low skills.
Mothers with heavy care and financial strains (13.9%)
These are mostly women under 45 with dependent children. Many also provide unpaid care to someone else in the family. Financial stress is high.
Highly educated married women facing structural barriers (6.7%)
This is a smaller but striking group. They are well educated and generally healthy. Many are married and have children. Their discouragement reflects the strain of combining paid work with care.
CHECK OUT THE QBCC’s INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT
The QBCC’s Industry Snapshot provides valuable insights into Queensland’s building and construction industry, including licensing trends, demographic shifts and defect reporting— providing an understanding of industry dynamics, planning workforce development, and improving compliance and quality standards.
SOME NOTABLE CHANGES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS INCLUDE:
GROWTH IN LICENSEES
• Total licensees under the QBCC Act increased by 6.3% from 96,908 in 2023 to 103,011 in 2025 (total licensees are more than 120,000 under all Acts regulated by the QBCC).
• The most notable increases were in the Brisbane region (+7.5%) and the Sunshine Coast region (+11.7%).
DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS
• The proportion of licensees aged under 30 years has slightly increased, indicating a modest rejuvenation of the workforce.
• A large portion of licensees remain over 60 years old, especially in key trades like plumbing, painting and carpentry, highlighting ongoing succession challenges.
DEFECT TRENDS
• Painting continues to top the list of reported defects.
• Driveways and paths defects have increased in frequency.
• The incidence of footing and slab defects has increased.
If you need a refresher on any of these defective work items, the QBCC’s standards and tolerances guide is a quick and easy reference for industry, licensees and home owners, based on recognised industry standards in Queensland.
The QBCC will publish the Industry Snapshot annually to ensure the building and construction industry is armed with current and reliable industry data.
Licensee feedback and suggestions are welcomed, so the QBCC can continue to evolve and provide the most accurate picture of the industry possible.
To read the full and latest version of the Industry Snapshot or find out more on the state of the industry please visit www.qbcc.qld.gov.au
The myth of the lazy jobless persists
A common myth is that people stop looking for work because they are unmotivated.
Our findings show something different.
Discouragement often emerges at the point where repeated rejection, health limits, childcare costs, age discrimination or household pressures make further job searches feel pointless.
When you keep receiving rejection letters, it becomes rational to stop applying.
The evidence suggests discouragement is rarely a sudden decision. It is more often the end point of accumulated disadvantage — where multiple barriers build up over time until withdrawal feels like the only realistic option.
We identified clear life-course patterns among women at different career stages.
Younger mothers are pulled out of the job market by childcare demands. Older women encounter age bias and health limits. These women are not “choosing to drop out” from the workforce. They are responding to structural pressures at different stages of life.
We see similar patterns among men, as well.
A significant group of young men face intersecting disadvantages early in adulthood. Weak educational foundations combined with health issues limit their attachment to stable work. Older adults — particularly those with low education and long-term health conditions — face persistent barriers.
Finding policies that work
Activation policies are employment policies designed to “activate” people who are out of work by pushing or encouraging them to search for jobs more actively. The underlying idea is that the problem sits with the individual: search harder. Try more. Be more motivated.
Our findings suggest the barriers often sit elsewhere.
Older workers need health support and age-inclusive hiring. Care-burdened mothers need affordable childcare and genuine flexibility.
Young men with low education need strong training and stable entry pathways. Highly educated, married women need workplaces that offer flexibility and don’t penalise career breaks.
Discouraged workers are not a single silent mass. They represent many different stories of stalled potential.
If we want a stronger, fairer labour market, we need to see them clearly – and design policies that respond to the real reasons they stopped searching in the first place.
Sora Lee Lecturer in Ageing and End of Life, La Trobe University
Women in Painting Pub Tour: Salisbury Hotel
Our first Women in Painting – Pub Tour catch-up brought together a fantastic mix of current and former apprentices, and in just a couple of hours it became clear why these gatherings matter so much.
What started as a casual meet-up quickly turned into a powerful conversation about the real issues women in the trade are navigating. We unpacked everything from different types of employment arrangements to making sure everyone understood their workplace entitlements. Along the way, we uncovered a few surprises—some unclaimed incentive payments waiting to be processed, and even tax advice that could save thousands.
It was a reminder that when you’re working hard and focused on the day-to-day, it’s easy to overlook the value of connecting with others who share your
experiences. A simple chat over a drink can open doors, solve problems, and spark the confidence that comes from knowing you’re not doing this alone.
Keep an eye out—our next date and venue will be announced in the coming weeks. We can’t wait to see even more of you there.
Caroline Miall Founder, Women In Painting
info@WomenInPainting.com.au www.WomenInPainting.com.au
Decluttering Its Advantages
Is it time for you to do some clearing out? Decluttering can be the most fulfilling exercise you can have …. If you are like me, you probably need support to stay in order.
After having spent some considerable time in the past cleaning up a family member’s home after their death, I became aware that we all need to do this on a regular basis to keep everything in some order!
When someone dies there often are many years of ‘things’ that were memories or interests that often didn’t get used for the original purpose of keeping.
What a wonderful lesson for me to make sure that I do my best to never do that to my children!
I have a business office as well as a home office. I am only too aware of how you leave jobs that need to be done and find your office has got out of order. This is when you need to get some help. Jobs take longer when there is a mess around. Get someone, maybe a Virtual Assistant, to help you with things that can be helped with virtually, and someone local to help support you to set up a good and workable filing system, arrange your books, fix your stationery cupboard, make sure you have a place for your audio collection, an area for all your computer equipment and parts, and all those miscellaneous things around your office.
Wherever your office is, I suggest that you start with your office desk … this can be a hard one, especially if you are like me and like to have things around you when you work. Keep your desk as clear as possible. All the computer cords and attachments can be stored under your desk on a screen for easy access …. Voila, a clean desk!
How you place things that are being worked on will be dependant on your sensory style. As I am very visual, I need to be able to see where things are that I am working on. If they are out of sight, they are out of mind to me. So, is this you too?
When your desk is clear, then it is your filing cabinet that needs to be looked at. This needs to be cleaned out every year or so. What was wanted when collected some time ago is not necessarily needed now!
Remember to keep your taxation information separate and easily accessible away from your office for five years. Make sure that your files are clearly marked too so that you can find things easily!
Your book cases need clearing too …. Sort out the books you don’t want and either sell or give away. They become dust collectors sitting on a shelf and never looked at.
If you have an area for hobbies this is another that can get out of hand too …. I know this one as I don’t get to my hobbies as often as I would like.
There are many people who help others who need to declutter their lives and offices. It may not be your office but a clothes cupboard, a room or your whole house. But, please, don’t leave it to someone else to clean up after you have departed this world!!
HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GET PAID
Cashflow is more important than ever right now and you really need to accelerate your cash collections. You have to make sure you get paid for every single job you do. You simply can’t afford to be complacent.
The most important thing right now is to be clear with your customers about how and when you will get paid. This is more important than the price of the job right now!
You need to review your Terms of Trade/Terms and Conditions and your Payment Processes to make sure they are tight enough. If you don’t have any written Terms of Trade you need to get some NOW!
There are a number of different ways to ensure that you have a better chance of getting paid.
Here are some suggestions...
1. Consider different payment structures
Get some money upfront
Getting a large deposit or an initial payment upfront obviously mitigates your loss to a certain extent. But
just be aware that there are rules in Australian Consumer Law about taking non-refundable deposits.
These are only allowed when:
• a buyer is aware of the fee prior to signing the contract
• the amount taken:
Д is reasonable and protects a legitimate business interest;
Д is in proportion to the business’ costs and time;
Д and does not penalise the buyer as being ‘unfair’’.
Change your payment practices
This may be harder with existing customers with existing payment terms but you need to think about this with regards to new customers.
If you currently work on 60 day payment terms for example you may need to consider changing this to 30 days or less.
Make sure this is documented in writing.
Charge in stage payments
Consider whether you can charge for your work in stage payments.
If you can reach an agreement on charging in stage payments make sure you get the agreement in writing. I cannot stress how important it is to keep a paper trail.
Your Terms of Trade will need to set out what each stage of the work involves and then make it clear what the payment expectations are associated with reaching each stage.
You will also need to reserve the right to suspend services if you are not paid for any of the previous stages.
2. Have a well drafted set of Terms and Conditions
Your Terms should include as the following clauses:
✓ Price
The price you have agreed for the services needs to be clearly set out in your Quote/Terms.
✓ Payment terms
How payment can be made (e.g by credit card, PayPal) and when it is to be paid. Without this, how could you claim payment is late if there was no written agreement about the due date for payment.
✓ Ability to charge interest on late payment
In order to be able to charge interest you need to include this right in your Terms, stating the rate of interest and how it is to be calculated (for example that it is calculated daily, on any amounts unpaid after the payment date).
✓ Debt recovery costs
It costs money to pursue a debt and you want your nonpaying customer to pay any debt recovery charges you incur. But there is no right ‘at law’ to collect these fees and so you must have a clause which states that you have the right to engage debt collection services for the collection of unpaid and undisputed debts.
✓ Ability to suspend work
4. Be disciplined about your invoices
You need to have a system for invoicing and follow it...
✓ Map out all stages and billing timeframes for each job.
✓ Make sure invoicing is done regularly (at least weekly).
✓ Diarise all payment due dates.
Consider adding a clause which provides that - if your customers do not pay you by the payment date, you may cease to provide the Services until you receive payment.
✓ Termination provisions
Consider adding various different termination provisions setting out the circumstance in which you can terminate the agreement without being in breach. For example, where an invoice is overdue and your customer fails to pay an invoice by the due date.
✓ No liability for delay
It is important to include a Force Majeure clause in your terms – this should provide that you will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform your obligations if the delay is due to any circumstance beyond your reasonable control.
3. Have a strategy for when people don’t pay
You have to be commercial about this and also think about the long term relationship with your key clients.
For clients who simply cannot pay you everything they owe you when it falls due, you could agree some payment terms. For example, allow them a concession to spread payment out over 3 months or 6 months. This is not ideal but if it means you get something it is better than nothing.
Make sure you document this agreement in writing and have systems and processes in place to make sure payments are made on time.
If the customer is not responding to you contact a lawyer to assist you with a letter of demand.
Helen Kay
P: 1300 064 707
E: helen.kay@riselegal.com.au
✓ Have a system to contact clients with friendly reminders as soon as they are due for payment.
✓ Set overdue reminders.
✓ If the customer is not responding to you contact a lawyer to assist you with a letter of demand.
Chasing Payments Reality
If chasing invoices burned calories like chasing a ball around with your mates on a Saturday arvo, most business owners would be in peak condition year -round. You’d have the endurance of a marathon runner —and the patience to match.
Instead, what you get is frustration, awkward follow-ups, and a growing list of “I’ll sort it this week” promises.
The reality is, chasing payments is one of the less glamorous—but entirely unavoidable—parts of running a service-based business. No one starts out excited about accounts receivable, yet it quickly becomes one of the biggest pressures on both cash flow and peace of mind.
You do everything right. You show up on time, communicate clearly, deliver high-quality work—and then somehow, the hardest part becomes getting paid.
Late payments don’t just delay income; they disrupt momentum. They limit your ability to cover expenses, reinvest in your business, and take on new opportunities. And the longer an invoice goes unpaid, the less likely it is to be collected in full.
Then there’s the hidden cost: time. Every follow-up email, phone call, and reminder is time taken away from quoting, improving systems, or actually doing the work you enjoy. It quietly chips away at productivity.
The good news is, while you can’t eliminate late payments entirely, you can reduce how often they happen—and how long they linger.
Set expectations early
Your payment terms shape your results.
For small jobs, simplicity wins: payment on completion. Whether it’s cash, card, or transfer, make it clear upfront so there are no surprises at the end. Clients are happy to pay on the spot when expectations are set early.
For larger projects, structure is your safeguard. Deposits and progress payments tied to milestones keep cash flowing and reduce your exposure. It also gives you leverage—if payments stall, so can the work.
Not only does this protect your business, it also keeps clients accountable and engaged throughout the project.
Stay on top of what’s owed
You can’t manage what you don’t track. A clear, up-todate view of your receivables is essential.
Review it regularly—weekly, if possible—so you can catch delays early before they snowball into bigger issues.
From there, consistency matters.
Automated reminders can help, but they’re easy to ignore. A more personal approach often cuts through— a quick call, a polite message, or a well-timed checkin can make all the difference.
Follow up without burning bridges
Chasing payments doesn’t have to feel confrontational. In fact, the most effective approach is usually the opposite.
Be persistent, but approachable—the “friendly pest.” Someone who follows up regularly, but respectfully, is far more likely to be paid promptly than someone who stays silent.
It also pays to build genuine relationships with your clients. When communication is open and positive, conversations about payment become far less awkward—and far more productive.
At the end of the day, getting paid isn’t just about money—it’s about protecting the health of your business.
With clear terms, consistent follow-up, and a steady approach, you can spend less time chasing invoices— and more time focusing on the work that actually drives growth.
D to the Power of 4 Four Steps to Better Time Management
Time management skills are increasingly important in a world where people seem to rush headlong from one crisis to another. Add in the effect of social media and addictive computer games that can be accessed from anywhere at any time and it's no wonder that some people struggle to fit everything into their days.
So what can be done about it?
How about invoking D to the Power of Four? This is a quick and simple way to make sure you use your time more effectively by sorting your tasks into four categories, delete, delegate, defer and do.
Delete
If you receive an email you don't need, delete it immediately. If it's junk mail, file it straight in the recycling bin. If it's a task you've always done, check you still need to do it.
If you don't, take it off your to do list.
Delegate
If it's something that would be better done by someone else, then delegate it. Make sure whoever you delegate to has the skills, capacity and ability to get it done by the deadline. Don't turn something you delegate into
a boomerang that's going to come back to you at the when you least need it.
Defer it
Sometimes there are tasks would be better deferred to another time. You might have the luxury of a longer deadline or need to devote a bigger chunk of time to the task than you have immediately available. Plan the most effective time to return to it but make sure you don't defer it until it becomes a real problem.
Do It
If the job is urgent, it's quicker to do it immediately or will help you kick start your way to a more productive day, then do it. Then, when it's done, move on.
So there you have it, the four Ds that will give you more power over your time.
Sandra Price
www.tradiebookkeepingsolutions.com.au
aussie painters network
How Do You Quote a Painting Job?
Quoting is one of the most important parts of running a successful painting business. In this video, we break down the process of creating accurate, professional quotes that win jobs and keep your business profitable.
Recruitment in the Painting & Decorating Industry
Finding and keeping the right people is one of the biggest challenges for painting and decorating businesses.
Smoko – What does it really Cost
Smoko isn’t just a break – it’s a tradition in the trades. In this video, we take a look at what smoko means on site, why it’s important, and the stories that come with it.
Build momentum with a clear, Intentional Roadmap
There’s something powerful about a fresh start— whether it’s the beginning of a new year, a new quarter, or simply a new mindset. It’s the perfect opportunity to revisit your plans, reflect on what’s working, and set meaningful goals for what comes next.
For some, planning feels energizing. For others, it can feel like staring at a blank page with too many possibilities. With so many aspects of a business to consider, narrowing your focus isn’t always easy. The good news? With the right approach, you can turn that overwhelm into clarity and direction.
Here are a few practical ways to start shaping your path forward.
Revisit your identity
When was the last time you truly examined how you describe your business? The message you shared months ago might not fully capture who you are today.
Clarity is everything. If you’re not fully aligned on your purpose, your audience, and your direction, it becomes difficult to set goals that actually matter. Take a moment to review your mission, vision, and values. Do they still reflect where you are—and where you want to go?
If not, refine them first. A strong foundation makes every decision that follows more focused and effective.
Think big—but plan smart
Ambition fuels innovation. Big ideas are often the starting point of meaningful growth, so don’t hold back when imagining what’s possible for your business.
That said, big goals need structure. A goal like “increase revenue” or “expand reach” only becomes actionable when it’s broken down into smaller, measurable steps.
For example, instead of simply aiming to “grow revenue by 50%,” you might map out specific actions such as:
• Launching a targeted marketing campaign by a set date to generate a defined number of leads
• Introducing a new product or service within a clear timeline
• Expanding into a new sales channel with measurable targets
The goal is to turn vision into execution—step by step.
Break it down together
Planning doesn’t have to be a solo effort. In fact, involving your team can lead to stronger ideas and better alignment.
Bring people together to share insights about your customers, review past performance, and assess current resources. When everyone contributes, goals become more realistic—and more motivating.
From there, you can assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and ensure everyone understands their role in moving the business forward.
Keep growing—personally and professionally
As you map out your business goals, don’t forget about your own growth. Whether it’s improving leadership skills, expanding your network, or learning something new, personal development plays a huge role in long-term success.
When you invest in yourself, you’re also investing in your business.
Stay flexible and accountable
Setting goals is just the beginning. The real progress comes from tracking your results, celebrating milestones, and adjusting when needed.
Regular check-ins help you stay on course and keep your team engaged. They also give you the chance to refine your strategy if something isn’t working as planned.
Success isn’t just about having a plan—it’s about staying committed to it, while remaining flexible enough to evolve along the way.
Bundling your BUSINESS INSURANCE into one package
As your business grows, you face a greater range of risks that require a greater range of insurances.
What can start off as a single policy when you start your business, can end up as a dozen or more separate policies as your assets and risks grow.
Adding separate policies through different insurers and different brokers is highly inefficient, and in this guide we’ll look at how you can consolidate your policies.
How did we get to this point?
Should I have all policies with one insurer?
How to efficiently bundle your business insurance
Consolidating your insurance payments
Benefits of packaging your business insurance
How did we get to this point?
If you’re a business owner who has found themselves in the position of having a bunch of policies spread around the place, you’re not alone!
It can happen so easily, especially when you’re busy growing a business, rather than focusing on how your insurance is packaged.
For a trade business this might start off as a basic public liability policy. Then you need to insure some tools, then a business vehicle.
Business is good and you end up moving into a small warehouse, taking on more staff, larger projects and more equipment.
All of these assets and additional risks need to be insured, and you can easily end up with a dozen or more policies spread around different insurance companies and brokers.
Should I have all policies with one insurer?
When business owners think about consolidating or bundling their business insurance, there is a common misconception that everything should be covered by a single insurer.
This isn’t a crazy idea. In domestic insurance advertising we’re always being told about multi-policy discounts and the like.
In the world of business insurance, things are quite different.
First up, the concept of a multi-policy discount doesn’t exist in business insurance.
There is however a policy referred to as a business package, or in industry speak, a biz pack.
Whilst a biz pack doesn’t cover everything that a business needs, it can include many of the must have elements such as:
• Public Liability
• Product Liability
• General Property (including tools)
• Theft
• Money
• Glass
• Machinery Breakdown
• Electronic Equipment Breakdown
• Tax Audit
• Transit
• Employee Dishonesty
Not all businesses will need all of these types of covers, but it’s a good way to bundle a few of the key insurances into a single policy.
Now, if you have your biz pack with a certain insurer, does this mean there is any benefit to insuring your vehicles or your buildings with the same insurer?
The answer is typically no.
As with all forms of insurance, different insurance companies have different pricing for different policies.
The insurer who offers an amazing price for your biz pack might have a terrible price for your vehicles, or perhaps has a poor claims rating for vehicles.
Forcing yourself to place all of your business policies with a single insurance company is more likely to hurt rather than help you.
A good insurance broker – such as Trade Risk – can review your insurance portfolio and make recommendations on which policies should be placed with which insurance companies.
This will typically be based on competitive premiums, along with our experience with the given insurance company.
How to efficiently bundle your business insurance
The question you really need to ask is why are you considering bundling your business insurance.
It could be because you want to:
• Save money.
• Have a single point of contact for all policies.
• Simplify your insurance portfolio.
None of those answers are wrong!
Typically it’s a combination of wanting to save money and simplify your insurance portfolio, which typically comes by having a single point of contact.
You could attempt to undertake this work yourself, but if you end still having multiple policies with multiple insurers – which is most likely – then you’re not exactly simplifying things.
The most efficient way to manage your insurance portfolio is by letting an insurance broker do all of the work for you.
The broker will look at all of your different policies, along with considering what other risks your business is exposed to, and can then put together recommendation on how to package your insurance.
This might involve putting your public liability with company A, your vehicle fleet with company B and your plant and machinery with company C, but the important point is that each recommended company is offering you the best value coverage.
Whilst the policies might still be spread around, you’ll have a single point of contact with your insurance broker, who is familiar with each of the recommended insurers.
Whenever you need anything insurance related, you’ll have a single point of contact regardless of the policy type or insurance company.
Consolidating your insurance payments
As we’ve discussed, bundling your business insurance is generally more about consolidating them with a single insurance broker, rather than a single insurance company.
So does this mean you still have to manage multiple payments? Yes or no, depending on how you pay for your insurance.
Paying monthly
When paying monthly, which is a great way to manage cashflow, you can consolidate your policy payments via a method known as premium funding.
The premium funding company will pay all your insurance policies for the full year, and you’ll then make a single monthly repayment each month. This includes policies held with different insurance companies, as long as each policy has the same renewal date.
Paying annually
If paying annually you will need to make separate payments to each insurer, but the benefit is that your broker can consolidate your renewal dates across the policies and issue a single renewal with each of your invoices attached.
Sure you’ll still need to pay each invoice separately, but it will be a lot easier to manage with the invoices being packaged up by your broker.
Some clients choose to not have their renewal dates consolidated, and will work with a broker to spread them across the year.
So they might have their public liability due in March, their vehicle fleet in July and their commercial property insurance in September.
They do this in order to spread the costs across the year, and can even do so in a way that matches the ups and downs of their expected cashflow across the year.
This does mean there is a little more work involved, as you’re dealing with insurance more than once per year, but if that works better for your cashflow, we’re happy to work in a way that suits you.
As the old saying goes, the best time to start consolidating your business insurance was yesterday, and the second best time is right now!
Whilst many business owners wait until renewal time to start reviewing their insurance, the reality is that you can start any time.
The risk is that you leave it until a week or two before your renewal date, and depending on how complex your business is, you might not be giving your broker enough time to do a proper job for you.
Getting started is easy at Trade Risk. Simply speak with one of our expert insurance brokers and they can start reviewing your existing insurance policies and getting an understanding of your business.
They’ll be able to make recommendations on which of your existing policies are already a good fit, which ones could be consolidated, and which ones should be switched.
They will also be able to pick up any gaps in your coverage and make recommendations on how to fill those gaps.
To get started, please call our team on 1800 808 800 or click here to enquire online.
My mind keeps on going blank.
How worried should I be?
We’ve all been there. Whether it’s at a crucial moment of an exam, walking into a room for a specific purpose, or making an impromptu speech, your mind goes blank.
It can be frustrating, stressful or worrying.
But what’s really going on in your brain? And when should you go to your GP for a check-up?
What is mind blanking?
One of the earliest observations in psychology is that our thoughts usually produce a stream of consciousness, flowing almost constantly.
Often our attention and thoughts are focused. Other times, our mind wanders.
But less often (perhaps about 15% of the time) our mind goes completely blank. So in recent years, researchers have begun trying to find out why.
Mind blanking can happen when we intend to retrieve a memory, and find it gone. This could be completely forgetting the answers to questions in an exam, or forgetting why we walked into a room.
It can also happen when we are not aware of thinking at all. Someone might ask us a question, and we realise we had “zoned out”.
Sometimes this zoning out is due to our mind wandering, and we are aware of our thoughts. However, at other times, when we’re not sure where our mind went, this is mind blanking.
Some people are much more likely than others to say their mind goes blank. These include people with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or anxiety.
Mind blanking is also more common in certain kinds of dementia, such as Lewy body dementia, and in people who are sleep deprived, or after intense physical exercise.
Let’s start with the brain
To understand what causes our mind to go blank, we need to start with how our brain usually pays attention and learns new memories.
A key brain network involved in these processes is the executive attention network. This is a network of interconnected brain regions that’s important for being alert, paying attention and feeling motivated.
These brain areas are connected to regions in the outer layer of the brain, the frontal and parietal cortex, which support our planning, decision-making and sensory integration.
This executive attention network is used both for passing information to our memory systems for storage, and then later retrieving those memories when we need them.
One of the key brain chemicals that supports this network is noradrenaline, also known as norepinephrine. This controls our alertness and readiness for action.
So what happens when our mind goes blank?
Disruption in any part of the executive attention network can impact the brain’s ability to pay attention and retrieve memories, leading to a blank mind.
When we’re sleep-deprived
Fatigue caused by sleep deprivation or sleep disorders can impact the alerting part of the network.
When we are very tired, we can experience “local sleep”. This is where the activity in parts of our brains is sleep-like even if we are awake. This can cause the attention system to temporarily shut off, which researchers think may lead to mind blanks.
Neuroimaging research shows parts of the executive attention network are “deactivated” during mind blanking.
This likely explains what causes the “zoning out” kind of mind blank.
When we’re stressed
High levels of stress or anxiety, such as what we might experience in an exam room, can result in high levels of noradrenaline. This puts the body in “fight or flight mode”.
This focuses our attention on immediate threats, reducing its ability to retrieve what it sees as nonessential memories, such as information you’ve been revising the day before.
When we’re multi-tasking
If the executive attention network doesn’t encode a memory efficiently in the first place – because for example, we were multi-tasking or distracted – then it might not be easily retrieved later on. This can also lead to a mind blank.
When is it time to see your GP?
While mind blanking is common and usually no cause for concern, frequent mind blanking can be a sign of a medical condition.
Some conditions that affect these attention network systems, include depression, anxiety, dementia or stroke. A condition that affects the memory systems themselves, such as Alzheimer’s disease, can also look like mind blanking, as can some kinds of seizures.
So, generally speaking, if you’ve noticed mind blanking becoming more common, if there has been a sudden onset of symptoms, or if your friends or family have raised concerns, see your GP for a check-up.
If you’ve noticed any changes to your ability to undertake your daily activities, or you find yourself confused or disorientated, you should also see your GP.
If you go to your GP for a check-up, they may take a medical history, and ask you some questions to assess your thinking and memory skills.
They may also refer you for neuropsychological or neurological assessment, or request a brain scan (like a CT or MRI scan) to check for any brain changes caused by stroke or dementia.
Sophie Andrews
Associate Professor and Lead, Healthy Brain Ageing Research Program, Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast
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 (02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334
