Behind the Brush | The Painter and Decorator Podcast

Episode 35 – Two GFA Awards, Business, Mindset & Knowing Your Worth | Gerry DonaghyIn Episode 35 of Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast, it's just me, your host, Gerry Donaghy, reflecting on an incredible week. I was absolutely honoured to walk away from the GFA Awards with not one, but TWO awards – Mentor of the Year and Northern Ireland Decorator of the Year!I talk about what winning these awards means to me, the journey that's brought me here and, more importantly, the incredible people I had the pleasure of meeting along the way.For me, it was about so much more than awards. It was about community, friendship, supporting one another and celebrating the fantastic people who make our trade what it is. A brilliant weekend, plenty of laughs and memories.We also get into some proper business talk, covering:Pricing blindly – why so many decorators are working hard without really knowing what they're earning.Systems and profitability – why having the right systems in place is where the real money is made.Comparison is the thief of joy – the dangers of comparing yourself to others, judging people and forgetting that we're all on different journeys and at different stages.Protecting your mindset – staying focused on your own path, believing in yourself and never allowing anyone to dim your light.Attracting the right customers – building a reputation and brand that attracts the type of work and people you actually want to work with.Planning ahead – getting organised for December and January, managing your workload and keeping your business moving in the right direction.One thing I've learned over the years is that success looks different for everyone. You don't need the biggest business, the most employees or the most vans to be successful.Focus on your own journey, become the best version of yourself and build a business that works for you.We're all at different stages, we've all made mistakes and we've all got something to learn from one another. There's absolutely no reason why we can't encourage, support and help the next person coming through.As always, it's real experiences, honest opinions, a bit of craic and plenty of passion for the trade we love.Real. Raw. Relatable.Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator PodcastKeep 'er lit

Episode 34 – GFA Finalists, Wallpapering, Pricing & Proper Paint Talk | Gerry Donaghy & Conor McClellandIn Episode 34 of Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast, it's me, your host, Gerry Donaghy, celebrating some of the incredible talent we have right here in Northern Ireland!i had invited some of our Northern Irish finalists to join me for a chat about the awards, their journeys in the trade and what being recognised for their work means to them.I was delighted to have Conor McClelland jump on for a brief chat, giving us the chance to get to know him a little better, hear about his work and find out what being a finalist meant to him.We then got stuck into plenty of proper paint talk. I then discussed recent wallpapering posts, pricing jobs correctly, planning and sequencing work, choosing the right products and tools, and the importance of building your reputation and your brand.As always, I shared some of my own experiences, opinions and lessons learned along the way, talking about the realities of being a painter and decorator, the challenges of running a business and why continuing to learn, improve and support one another is so important.One thing I'm passionate about is seeing our trade get the recognition it deserves. Whether you're an apprentice just starting out, a sole trader or running a team, there's room for everyone to succeed.Another relaxed, honest and unscripted conversation with plenty of craic, shared experiences and a genuine passion for painting and decorating.Real. Raw. Relatable.Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator PodcastKeep 'er lit!

Episode 33 – Rory Morgan & Baz from Decorators Den | Paint Talk, Tools & Trade ChatIn Episode 33 of Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast, I'm joined by Rory Morgan, a talented painter and decorator from Killinchy, Northern Ireland.We kick things off chatting about Rory's journey in the trade, working alongside his uncle, his passion for decorating, wallpapering, commercial projects and being recognised as a finalist at the GFA Awards.Unfortunately, technology had other ideas! With signal issues interrupting our conversation, we had to cut Rory's appearance short. But that's live podcasting for you!Thankfully, Baz from The Decorators Den Podcast jumped on and kept the conversation flowing!What followed was a proper bit of paint talk, covering paints, products, tools, techniques, experiences in the trade and plenty of opinions along the way.We also had a fantastic crowd getting involved live from YouTube and Facebook, throwing in questions, sharing experiences and joining the conversation.No scripts, no fancy production, just decorators having a good old-fashioned chat about the trade we love!A massive thank you to Rory, Baz and everyone who joined us live. We’ll definitely get Rory back on for a proper uninterrupted conversation!Whether you're an apprentice, a seasoned professional or simply passionate about painting and decorating, get stuck in and enjoy the craic!Real. Raw. Relatable.Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator PodcastKeep 'er lit!

Episode 32 – Let's Talk Paint, Business & Life | Gerry DonaghyIn this episode of Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast, it's just me, your host, Gerry Donaghy, getting stuck into an honest, open conversation about the painting and decorating trade, running a business and everything that comes with it.We dive into some of the biggest challenges facing self-employed painters and decorators, from pricing jobs correctly, managing cash flow and getting paid on time to understanding the difference between turnover and actual profit.We also chat about the realities of working for yourself, running a team versus going solo, employing people, choosing the right jobs and learning when to say NO!There's plenty of talk about quality versus speed, building your reputation, using social media to grow your brand, training, personal development and what being successful really means.I also share some of my own experiences, mistakes and lessons learned along the way, including the importance of managing your money, looking after yourself and building a business that works for YOU, rather than one that takes over your life.As always, it's an open, down to earth conversation with questions, opinions and contributions from the live audience.Whether you're an apprentice, an experienced decorator or running your own business, there's something here for everyone.Because ultimately, we're all learning, we're all trying to improve, and there's room for every one of us to do well.Real. Raw. Relatable.Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator PodcastKeep 'er lit!

Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast | Thomas GoodchildIn this episode of Behind the Brush, I'm joined by Thomas Goodchild, a professional painter and decorator with over 15 years of experience in the trade.We get stuck into Thomas's journey, from his early days in decorating to building his business, specialising in UPVC spraying, kitchen transformations and traditional painting and decorating.We chat about the realities of running a decorating business, the challenges that come with it, pricing your work, investing in your setup and the lessons learned along the way.Thomas also shares his experience of working from a container-based workshop, the ups and downs of dealing with customers and projects, and why things don't always go according to plan!As always, it's an honest, down to earth conversation about the trade we love, with plenty of laughs, real experiences and advice for decorators at every stage of their journey.Whether you're just starting out, working for yourself or looking to grow your business, there's something in this conversation for everyone.Real. Raw. Relatable.Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator PodcastKeep 'er lit! 🔥