The Dulux Academy Podcast: Life as a decorator, features professional painters and decorators talking about what matters most to them, as the industry builds back from the effects of the pandemic.

Hosted by Tony Pearson-Young, from the Dulux Academy, and divided in half-hour episodes, the podcast aims to 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. 

They 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. They also share how they tackle the new ways of working brought on by the pandemic.

Pearson-Young 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.”

-> The Dulux Academy Podcast: Life as a decorator is available on iTunes, Spotify, Youtube and the Dulux Academy website.