Decorators talk about life on new Dulux Academy Podcast

There is a glossy new arrival to the world of podcasting as the Dulux Academy takes to the airwaves for the very first time.

The Dulux Academy Podcast: Life as a decorator features the voices of the nation’s professional painters and decorators, talking about the subjects that matter most to them as the industry builds back from the effects of the pandemic.

It’s been a turbulent time for decorators and each half-hour episode will allow professionals to share best practice, business tips and personal stories, on subjects as diverse as mental health, the new normal and how they are building up their businesses again.

Episode one features Darren Whitfield, Morley Lane and Les Copestake, all of whom own their own decorating businesses working mostly in the domestic sector.

The conversation soon gets flowing as the guys discuss lockdown, how their businesses survived and have evolved, along with the practicalities of managing their own health and completing the painting jobs at home. Above all they share how each of them is facing up to the new ways of working that the pandemic has brought to everyone.

Hosted by Tony Pearson-Young from the Dulux Academy, who has put down his brush and picked up a mic with ease, the idea for the series was borne out of the lockdown.

Tony explains: “In my usual role teaching courses at the Dulux Academy, I see how much decorators enjoy nothing more than being around others in the profession, swapping stories and discussing how the latest news affects them.

“We all love these social connections, but lockdown robbed us some of these opportunities – so as one of the nation’s foremost supporters of the industry, it’s right that the Dulux Academy has come up with the podcasts to fill the gap.

“I’ve got the easy job, just letting the guys speak and making sure they don’t go off topic too much! So whether you’re on your way to a job, working with headphones in or on a break with a brew, everyone is going to enjoy listening because the stories are ones we have all been through.”

Vickie Mather, Dulux Academy Lead, adds: “Like everyone in the industry, we have had to innovate to keep on doing what we do best. In our case, it’s helping decorators learn new skills, and helping them grow their businesses, so by sharing best practice from across the country via the podcasts we can keep decorators connected at this time.”

Since opening, the Dulux Academy has trained more than 8,500 decorators with more than 50 different courses now available to professionals in the industry. In June, Dulux Academy Live was launched to provide workshops online for the first time.