Paint and Panel: The Edge
Welcome to The Edge: the podcast from Paint & Panel Magazine that truly gives collision-repair specialists the edge. If you’re a business owner or manager, you can’t afford to miss out on the latest industry chat. Is the new equipment on the market worthwhile for your business? What are the best practices and inspiring stories in your industry? Do you want to keep up with what your competitors and market leaders are doing? Paint & Panel will answer all of these questions and more.
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PAP154: Pulling back the curtains on Sherwin Williams ANZ with Richard Reneman
05/06/2024
PAP154: Pulling back the curtains on Sherwin Williams ANZ with Richard Reneman
This week’s key takeaway: Pulling back the curtain on Sherwin-Williams ANZ with Richard Reneman Episode intro: Something a bit different this week, as Ben takes a trip out of the studio to a top-of-the-range facility and speaks to Richard Reneman: director of Sherwin-Williams ANZ. Based down in Kincumber, the Sherwin-Williams site boasts a state-of-the art paint-mixing room and some top training and manufacturing facilities. Ben picked Richard’s brains about the success of the business, and why now is the time for Sherwin-Williams to announce themselves to the world. In this week’s episode you will learn: How Sherwin-Williams got a foothold in Australia What Richard learned as a distributor The sub-brands in the Sherwin-Williams family Why core values are more important than products Sherwin-Williams’ new products that require no prior industry knowledge to operate How to make employees feel part of something rather than simply being ‘workers’ Why every employee should be viewed as equally important Where Sherwin-Williams is going next Show links: ** Find Richard on Linkedin: ** Nominations for the The Paint & Panel Awards are now open! Go to: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP153: How to diversify into detailing in your collision repair business
04/29/2024
PAP153: How to diversify into detailing in your collision repair business
This week’s key takeaway: How to diversify into detailing in your collision repair business Episode intro: In this episode we’re going to take a deep dive into detailing. You never know, this might just be the up-sell that transforms your business! Our deep-diving instructor is Matt Gibb, founder of Matt’s Magic Detail. This man is a serious big-hitter! He’s been running his own detailing businesses for well over a decade, and he managed to build up one of the most successful detailing facilities in the north-west of the USA in a matter of three years. Detailing is efficient and profitable, and Matt’s going to tell you how you can build up an offering that keeps your customers coming back. Get this right and you won’t have to rely on crashes for your customers. In this week’s episode you will learn: How Matt got started The range of services included in ‘detailing’ The wash technology you should use Why you should treat after-market paint differently to OEM How to prevent re-soiling The difference between ‘waterless’ and ‘rinseless’ How long it should take for external detailing The price of key consumables How the process has improved in recent years How much you should be charging for detailing How to up-sell detailing The importance of dust extractors Show links: ** Find Matt on Linkedin: ** Matt’s Magic Detail Tech website: ** If you want business advice from Ben, email him here: ** Nominations for the The Paint & Panel Awards are now open! Go to: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP152: The Collision Repair Expo Report
04/22/2024
PAP152: The Collision Repair Expo Report
Episode intro: What a fantastic event this was! Very well attended and full of buzz. We ran out of magazines to give away as quickly as the second morning, and one of our friends of the show had 11,000 new registrations for his association. In this episode, we hear from some of the movers and shakers at the event, and Editor Sam is joined by P&P National Sales Manager, Lynette Rochford, to discuss some of the highlights. In this week’s episode you will learn: How successful this year’s event was The Sagola 4600 spray gun The latest from United Chemicals A new Juice product to prevent ghosting marks A solution to fix dents of any size from Keco An end-to-end software platform for estimating and part pricing from 1QX A solution for real-time pricing of vehicles with AutoGrab A foolproof wheel-repair machine that anyone can use with just two hours of training from Wheel Restore Show links: ** Nominations for the The Paint & Panel Awards are now open! Go to: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP151: Updating the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct
04/15/2024
PAP151: Updating the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct
This week’s key takeaway: Updating the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct Episode intro: Talking about an Insurance Code of Conduct might sound a bit dry, but this episode is living proof that it can be interesting and more importantly, very useful! Almost all of you listening will get significant amounts of business from insurance companies, and no doubt you will have had some disputes along the way… but could they have been avoided? And is the new Code of Conduct going to help you avoid more disputes in the future? The people with the answers are Matt Hobbs (CEO of the Motor Traders Association Australia), and Kathy Zdravevski (policy advisor for the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce). This is the first major change of the code for 20 years, and our guests are offering you the opportunity to have your say. In this week’s episode you will learn: Why the code is being rewritten The recommendations for change in the code How South Australia’s code could become the national code How the code is being simplified How the MTAA helps its members resolve disputes Cases of insurers lodging disputes with repairers When the draft of the new code will be available for the industry to review How you can influence the new code Show links: ** Find Matt on Linkedin: ** Find Kathy on Linkedin: ** Come find us at the Collision Repair Expo at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, April 11 - April 13 ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP150: The 2024 Bodyshop Awards and More
04/08/2024
PAP150: The 2024 Bodyshop Awards and More
This week’s key takeaway: Bodyshop Awards and more! Episode intro: This week we’re going to give you the lowdown on one of the highlights of the year for our industry, The Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards. Editor Sam went to visit the platinum sponsor of the awards, Compass, and spoke to CEO James Frape and Claims Manager Zara Dickie about the importance of the awards and why they have been a principle supporter for nine years. Then we heard from Lynette Rochford from Paint & Panel, who gave us the inside track on the nomination and judging process. In this week’s episode you will learn: The numbers expected this year The new awards for this year How younger workers will be recognised The inner workings of Compass What happens if you are nominated for an award The information the judges need The importance of the sponsors How to nominate your people Show links: ** Find James on Linkedin: ** Find Zara on Linkedin: ** Come find us at the Collision Repair Expo at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, April 11 - April 13 ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP149: Beyond Partscheck, a deeper dive with Jasmine Lee De Wys
04/01/2024
PAP149: Beyond Partscheck, a deeper dive with Jasmine Lee De Wys
This week’s key takeaway: Beyond PartsCheck: a deeper dive with Jasmine Lee DeWys Episode intro: We’ve been trying to get this week’s guest for over a year: the PartsCheck Business Development Manager, Jasmine Lee DeWys. Jas is a real mover and shaker in the business, and a great example of what you can achieve if, in her words, “you keep knocking on the door.” Jas also talks to us about the work of PartsCheck. Most of you will have already heard of PartsCheck, but you probably don’t know about the initiatives they’ve got going on in the background that are helping repairers across the country and even further afield in Asia. In this week’s episode you will learn: How Jasmine rose up in the industry How PartsCheck are helping repairers be more efficient The FlexiShop workshop management tool The KISS principle PartsCheck’s plan for the Collision Repair Expo PartsCheck’s Malaysian operation Jasmine’s take on AI’s future influence on the industry The importance of monitoring the efficiency of your team Show links: ** Find Jasmine on Linkedin: ** For more info, call PartsCheck on 1300 141 933 ** Come find us at the Collision Repair Expo at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, April 11 - April 13 ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP148 : An insight into the WA collision repair market
03/25/2024
PAP148 : An insight into the WA collision repair market
This week’s key takeaway: An insight into the WA collision repair market - with Mike Wilkinson Episode intro: Editor Sam is in the chair for this week’s episode, talking to an absolute legend of the industry, Mike Wilkinson. Mike is the MD of Peter Wilkinson & Co; a prestige repair business in WA that his family started 65 years ago. Mike is a passionate advocate for the industry. He’s on the board of the ACIA and Car Craft, so we talk to him about the challenges facing our industry in 2024, and why WA are such a special breed of repairers. In this week’s episode you will learn: How Peter Wilkinson & Co managed to corner the prestige market in the 60s The difficulties of dealing with manufacturer input What makes WA a special market The skills shortage in WA The work of the ACIA What Mike is doing at the Paint & Panel Expo Show links: ** Find Mike on Linkedin: ** Come find us at the Paint & Panel Expo at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, April 11 - April 13 ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP147: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Collision Repair Expo
03/18/2024
PAP147: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Collision Repair Expo
To:Mitchell Fewtrell Thu 14/03/2024 12:18 PM This week’s key takeaway: Everything you need to know about the 2024 Collision Repair Expo Episode intro: This week we’re going to give you the lowdown on one of the most important events in the industry calendar: the Collision Repair Expo. Beginning on April 11 at the Melbourne Convention centre, the event is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the industry. Rub shoulders with the movers and shakers, learn about the latest tech and hear from an array of world-class speakers. Guiding us through the Expo programme is Stuart Charity: CEO of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association, and one of the key men behind the event. The Collision Repair Expo only comes around every two years… you would be a fool to miss out! In this week’s episode you will learn: How EVs are going to affect your business The highlights of this year’s programme The expected numbers for this year’s event The live-streamed spray booth What to expect in the business education programme The hands-on, interactive training on offer Show links: ** Register for free for the expo (April 11-13, Melbourne Convention Centre): ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: or go to and download the enrolment pack ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP146: Converting the Ford F-150 to RHD and adapting to the Aussie Market
03/11/2024
PAP146: Converting the Ford F-150 to RHD and adapting to the Aussie Market
This week’s key takeaway: Converting the Ford F150 to RHD and adapting to the Aussie market - with Tom Dohrmann Episode intro: On the show this week we celebrate an incredible feat of Aussie engineering. The Ford F150 is driven off the line in Detroit as a LHD, but once it hits the Australian market, it is a perfectly converted RHD. Australia is the only place in the world that does this, and our guest this week is one of the key people who makes it happen. Tom Dohrmann is the Assistant Chief Programme Engineer for the F150 conversion. He tells us how the conversion is done and what you need to look out for if an F150 comes into your repair shop. In this week’s episode you will learn: How the F150 is as big as the iphone How the conversion is done How Ford Australia has driven the project What repairers need to look out for in the F150 The impact of an aluminium chassis How the manual was adapted How to source parts What the F150 is like to drive Why car parking spaces need to catch up Show links: ** RMA Group website: ** For F150 repair methods, go to: ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: or go to and download the enrolment pack ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP145: Keeping you and your team Cyber Safe with Jason LeGuier
03/04/2024
PAP145: Keeping you and your team Cyber Safe with Jason LeGuier
This week’s key takeaway: Keeping you and your team Cyber Safe with Jason LeGuier Episode intro: It’s time we talk about cyber security! Although most of collision repair doesn’t take place on a computer, your business is just as vulnerable to attack as any other. Failure to make your business safe can lead to a hefty fine and serious damage to your reputation. If nothing else, you have a moral duty to protect your customers. Our expert this week is Jason LeGuier: CEO of Hotline IT and all-round enthusiast of cyber security. He’s helped hundreds of businesses across the country, and he can certainly help yours. In this week’s episode you will learn: How to protect yourself and your team from data breaches The government regulations you need to know about What you have to do if you lose somebody’s data The financial and legal consequences of a data breach What happens if your iBodyshop is hacked? The value of 2-factor authentication Why the cloud is safer than your ‘keys’ to the cloud The issues with Gmail The importance of training Why you need a password manager ‘Phishing’ explained Show links: ** Email and get a free cyber-security assessment, exclusive for Paint & Panel readers ** Jason’s company website: ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: or go to and download the enrolment pack ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP144: The 3 keys to building a profitable body shop with Ash Jardine
02/26/2024
PAP144: The 3 keys to building a profitable body shop with Ash Jardine
This week’s key takeaway: The 3 keys to building a profitable body shop - with Ash Jardine Episode intro: You cannot fail to be inspired by our guest this week, Ash Jardine. The owner of Bodyshop Recruit is a good friend of the show, having spoken to us about how his company helps body shops recruit talent from overseas, but we thought it was high time we heard the full story of what got him into that position. Ash really got his hands dirty and went out on his own at the tender age of 20, opening a successful body shop. He built up and managed multiple successful shops, some of which operated at 200% efficiency. This man has achieved things that most of us can only dream of! Listen to the show to find out how he did it. In this week’s episode you will learn: How learning to estimate made a big difference to Ash How Ash doubled the income of the first shop he managed The training Ash used to drive his success How to build an effective calculator How Ash earns the respect of his workers The most important things to make a successful shop The knockout advice that Ash got from his accountant How Ash got into international recruitment How taking a step back has helped Ash develop as a professional What we can do about the skills shortage Show links: ** Find Ash on Linkedin: ** Ash's Email ** ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: or go to and download the enrolment pack ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP143: Tackling the ADAS Challenge
02/19/2024
PAP143: Tackling the ADAS Challenge
This week’s key takeaway: Tackling the ADAS Challenge Episode intro: We like to keep you abreast with the latest trends, so we sent Editor Sam to ADAS Solutions to pick the brains of two experts: Adrian Parkes (Founder/Director) Amy Morgan (ADAS Advisor) ADAS Solutions has grown incredibly since they built their first dedicated recalibration site in 2022. Now they have 9 sites across the country. Their mission is to raise awareness on ADAS and ensure the industry is ready for change. Do you know all you need to know about ADAS? In this week’s episode you will learn: How much the industry needs to catch up Why you should do more than repair what you see How fault codes can vary with ADAS The difference between ADAS and EV How Chinese manufacturers are cooperating How soon will we see hydrogen cars? Show links: ** Find Adrian on Linkedin: ** Find Amy on Linkedin: ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP142: Making an impact with a purpose driven business
02/11/2024
PAP142: Making an impact with a purpose driven business
This week’s key takeaway: Making an impact with a purpose-driven business, with Paul Dunn Episode intro: We have a truly remarkable guest on the show this week. Paul Dunn is the co-founder and chairman of B1G1 - a magnificent initiative that enables people and businesses to give money to good causes when a product/service is bought. Paul is an award-winning entrepreneur who has given three TEDx talks… he is definitely worth listening to! Listen to the show to hear Paul’s amazing story, and find out how a collision-repair business can give something back. In this week’s episode you will learn: How Paul got started with B1G1 How to use a trigger to do good in business The meaning of ‘the power of small’ The importance of small details in business How purpose can increase the longevity of a business How purpose can help connection How the collision-repair industry can incorporate Paul’s ideas The importance of legacy Show links: ** Find Paul on Linkedin: ** Go to for more information ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP141: The Past, The Present and The Future of the industry - Panel Chat
02/05/2024
PAP141: The Past, The Present and The Future of the industry - Panel Chat
This week’s key takeaway: The past present and future of the industry - panel chat Episode intro: We’re doing something a bit different this week: a roundtable discussion with Ben, Editor Sam and two esteemed industry guests. We’ll be reflecting on the good and the bad of 2023 and giving you the headsup on what to expect in 2024. Joining Ben and Sam: Glenn O’Donnell: Bodyshop Awards winner and GM of Northshore BMW Bodyshop and Macarthur Prestige Bodyshop Jason Trewin: COO at I-CAR Australia During the show you will hear the prediction that there will be more changes in the industry in the next 5 years than there have been in the last 25; so strap yourself in, listen up, and find out what those changes might be. In this week’s episode you will learn: Details about the Women in Collision Awards New award categories in the Bodyshop Awards The importance of staff development and technical training The impact of a four-day work week Is TAFE training still relevant? Why there is less welding these days The viability of hydrogen cars Trends for 2024 Show links: ** Find North Shore BMW on Linkedin: ** Find Jason on Linkedin: ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP140: How to get the most out of LinkedIn with Adam Houlahan
01/29/2024
PAP140: How to get the most out of LinkedIn with Adam Houlahan
This week’s key takeaway: How to get the most out of Linkedin with Adam Houlahan Episode intro: You might be wondering how Linkedin can be useful in a practical business like collision repair, but rest assured, there is so much you can do! Regular listeners will know how difficult it is to find the right talent in this industry. So many of our guests talk to us about recruitment, but this is the first time we’ve brought you a masterclass on Linkedin: one of the most active recruitment marketplaces on the internet. And it’s not just recruitment that our esteemed Linkedin expert, Adam Houlihan, can help you with. By the end of the episode, you’ll know how to optimise your profile and how to attract new business on the platform. In this week’s episode you will learn: How to generate leads on Linkedin What your Linkedin profile needs to look like Why you have to keep your profile image up to date How to align your team members on Linkedin How often you should post content on Linkedin The importance of Sales Navigator How to use company pages Linkedin ads explained What’s new on Linkedin Show links: ** Find Adam on Linkedin: ** Check out Adam’s free Linkedin resources on his website: ** If you want to know more about business coaching from Ben, email: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP139: How being curious and looking after your people will lead to your success
01/22/2024
PAP139: How being curious and looking after your people will lead to your success
This week’s key takeaway: How being curious and looking after people will lead to your success Episode intro: Our guest this week was the superstar of Paint & Panel Live, Mr David Shepherd. His keynote address wowed everybody in the room, so we thought we’d get him on the show to give you the chance to learn from one of the best. David started in the industry as a panel beater in the UK, before eventually building up one of the biggest collision-repair businesses in the country (which he sold for a tidy £11m). This man can inspire you to do great things! In this week’s episode you will learn: How David built up his own business How David changed the way insurance companies would inspect his vehicles Why employees should know the reasons why The importance of quality control How recruitment has changed down the years How to talk to customers and industry colleagues Why we should promote good shops more How the industry should appeal to a younger audience Show links: ** Find David on Linkedin: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP138: How to Achieve More in 2024
01/15/2024
PAP138: How to Achieve More in 2024
This week’s key takeaway: How to achieve more in 2024 Episode intro: We’re kicking off 2024 with something a bit different… a little spot of business coaching from someone outside of collision repair. David Carlin is the other half of presenter-Ben’s coaching business, Max My Profit, and he’s an expert on goal setting and long-term planning. Now is the best time to get your team together, make plans and thrash out your goals. New year, new start! By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to set your goals for 2024 and be confident you can achieve them. In this week’s episode you will learn: How to delegate How short-term goals should match up with long-term goals SMART goal setting How to measure the progress of your goals How to get buy-in from your team How to find the time to make long-term change The importance of business coaching Recruitment hacks Show links: ** Go to and do a free quiz to help you understand the coaching you need ** The Max Your Business podcast featuring a collision repairer who changed his life thanks to business coaching: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP137: Wrapping up 2023 with Sam Street and our Hall of Fame Inductees
12/18/2023
PAP137: Wrapping up 2023 with Sam Street and our Hall of Fame Inductees
This week’s key takeaway: Wrapping up 2023 with Sam Street and our Hall of Famers Episode intro: It's that time of the year again… it’s time for Paint & Panel’s roundup of 2023. It’s been an eventful year of high demand, more cars on the road and not enough parts to go around. We welcome back two industry-friends of the show who are both Paint & Panel Awards Hall of Famers. Robin Taylor (Performance Services Development Consultant at Axalta) and Steve O’Brien (MD at iBodyshop) join Ben and editor Sam for a roundtable discussion about the good and the bad of 2023 and what we can expect for 2024. We’d like to say a big thank you to all of our listeners in 2023 - we hope you had a good year. See you all on the other side! In this week’s episode you will learn: How the industry dealt with high demand with a skills shortage Is COVID still an issue for the industry? The scale of the part-supply problem How the industry has made itself more efficient lately Why there are more cars on the road at the moment How smash repairers are reinvesting in their futures The most popular podcast topics of 2023 What the industry is doing to attract new talent Predictions for 2024 How independents can stand out in 2024 Show links: ** Find Robin on Linkedin: ** Find Steve on Linkedin: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP136: Modernize your repair processes using the cloud based LINQ platform
12/11/2023
PAP136: Modernize your repair processes using the cloud based LINQ platform
This week’s key takeaway: Modernise your repair processes with the cloud-based LINQ platform Episode intro: Isn’t it great when new tech can help us do things better? In this episode you’ll hear how the PPG LINQ system is an absolute game-changer for mixing paint. We welcome back a good friend of the show, John Hristias (Sales Director, PPG Refinish), and one of his delighted customers, Lewis Richards (Geoff Richards Panel Beating) to explain how LINQ can make day-to-day work more accurate and efficient. One of the biggest costs in your business will be paint. If you use a system like LINQ to optimise this, you could save yourself a load of money! In this week’s episode you will learn: What’s new in LINQ How much paint you can save by using LINQ What you can do on a screen/simulation before you spray anything How the role of the estimator can change How easy it is to adopt LINQ How Geoff Richards Panel Beating came up from nothing Why you should build up a colour library How LINQ is saving Lewis time and money How you can make changes in a visualiser without spraying out onto card Why a change to LINQ is more popular on the floor than most changes Show links: ** Find John on Linkedin: ** Find out more about LINQ by contacting your local PPG agent ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP135: How WorldSkills Australia is Driving Excellence in the Industry
12/04/2023
PAP135: How WorldSkills Australia is Driving Excellence in the Industry
This week’s key takeaway: How Worldskills Australia is driving excellence in the industry Episode intro: Our industry has no future unless we nurture young talent. In this episode we shine a light on the excellent work of Worldskills Australia, who are changing the game for some of our best apprentices. By winning local and national competitions, the best in Australia are given the chance to travel and compete on the world stage. As we hear from one of our guests, Maxine Colligan, former WorldSkills champion, this process can inspire a thriving career, and give the confidence to sharpen skills and persist when the going gets tough. Our other guests are: Brigitte Collins (GM of WorldSkills Australia) Robbie Cross (WorldSkills Body repair chief judge) In this week’s episode you will learn: How employers can benefit and benchmark with Worldskills How Worldskills can bring the industry together How a competition winner’s career was transformed with Worldskills How a competition winner improved her confidence and resilience The difference between the workshop mindset and the competition mindset Where Australia’s training ranks among the rest of the world How to enter the competition How national competition links to international competition Show links: ** Find more info on: ** Find Brigitte on Linkedin: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP134: Driving Performance, Productivity and Profitability with Robin Taylor
11/27/2023
PAP134: Driving Performance, Productivity and Profitability with Robin Taylor
This week’s key takeaway: Driving performance, productivity and profitability - with Robin Taylor Episode intro: If you can’t measure your business effectively, you’re not going to improve. On the show this week is Robin Taylor from Axalta: a man who is helping businesses across the country measure their paint costs. Paint is something that can catch people out - sometimes a body shop will only notice the creep of paint jobs after they’ve completed unprofitable work. Robin talks us through Axalta’s Drivus program: a suite of digital utilities that can help you nail your KPIs and keep costs down. In this week’s episode you will learn: The importance of KPIs How Axalta is keeping up with the times How the Australian market compares to the US and UK Axalta’s Drivus Program The dangers of volume How to measure your success How to get access to Axalta’s program Why you need buy-in from your team The highlights from the Paint & Panel Awards Show links: ** Find Robin on Linkedin: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP133: The Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Estimator
11/20/2023
PAP133: The Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Estimator
This week’s key takeaway: The benefits of hiring a virtual estimator - with Jim Damatopoulos Episode intro: How would you feel about saving 40% and paying no payroll tax or super on your estimator? Jim Damatopoulos is just about to tell you how. Jim has joined forces with one of our previous guests, Ash Jardine, to offer a virtual estimator service that is already changing the game for innovative body shops in Australia. There will be no quick fix for the skills shortage in our industry, but maybe just maybe you can find a quick fix for your own business. If you like the sound of being ahead of the curve and becoming an early adopter... listen up! In this week’s episode you will learn: How a virtual estimator proves their ability Situations where a virtual estimator doesn’t work How to overcome the language barrier How triage is done with a virtual estimator How a virtual estimator can free up your time to perform other tasks How to communicate with the virtual estimator The possible work rate of the virtual estimator Which jobs are the most appropriate for a virtual estimator The kind of shop that is best suited to a virtual estimator Show links ** Find more info at: http://www,bodyshoprecruit.com.au ** Email Jim at: [email protected] ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP132: Creating Sustainability in the Collision Repair Industry
11/13/2023
PAP132: Creating Sustainability in the Collision Repair Industry
This week’s key takeaway: Creating sustainability in the collision repair industry - with Kirsten Dodd Episode intro: Our environmental impact is becoming more important by the day. Business owners are increasingly aware of their responsibility, and so too are the customers. That’s why we spoke to Kirsten Dodd (BASF’s Product Launch Manager) about the brand-new products that are using rigorous European standards to help body shops reduce their footprint. Imagine if you could reduce your run time in spray booths and your usage of drying equipment? Not only would you be helping the environment, you would also improve your own efficiency and profitability. And how good would it be to validate this with impartial and transparent figures? Kirsten gives us the lowdown on how you can do all of the above. In this week’s episode you will learn: The work of a Product Launch Manager How things are changing at a quicker rate than ever How European legislation on sustainability differs from Australia What it truly means to be sustainable BASF’s sustainability targets How the ‘Biomass balance’ approach is reducing emissions BASF and Glasurit's uniquely sustainable products The demand for sustainable products in Australia Show links: ** Find Kirsten on Linkedin: ** Glasurit’s website: ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP131: Give your business a clear advantage with Novus Glass
10/30/2023
PAP131: Give your business a clear advantage with Novus Glass
This week’s key takeaway: Give your business a clear advantage, with Novus Glass Episode intro: How much do you really know about windscreen repair? We’re going to dissect this all-important part of the collision-repair mix with our esteemed guest, Stuart Faid (Regional VP of Fix Network Australia). Stuart introduces us to Fix Network’s sister brand, Novus Glass, and tells us the interesting story of how the Novus founder got so sick of windscreen chips on his Ford Bronco, he went out and invented a whole new way of repairing windscreens. And just for good measure, he also invented the ski boot! It was great to have Stuart back on the show - he really knows his stuff. And maybe your repair shop might just need to work with someone like him? In this week’s episode you will learn: How Novus got started How insurance companies changed their stance to windscreen repair How the business has changed in the last five years The chances of repair V replacement with Novus How mobile operatives can help fixed sites Real-life examples of panel shops working with Novus The difference between Novus and Fix Network The average margin for a windscreen business Show links: ** Would you like to be a franchise partner with Novus? Contact Stuart: [email protected] ** Find Stuart on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-faid-67070012/ ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Get your tickets to the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP130: How the QLD MTA is helping to Future Proof the Industry
10/23/2023
PAP130: How the QLD MTA is helping to Future Proof the Industry
This week’s key takeaway: How the QLD MTA is helping to future proof the industry Episode intro: Editor Sam is out and about with her recorder once again, this time to the impressive Motor Trade’s Association HQ in Queensland for a nice chat with Rod Camm (Group CEO). Rod is a real innovator who works tirelessly to tackle the age-old problems in our industry, such as recruitment and the education of insurers. We hear about the workgroup he built up for industry thinkers to debate these issues, and some of his other solutions to help the industry move with the times and be an attractive proposition for the next generation. In this week’s episode you will learn: How Rod built up his group How to attract young people to the industry The challenge of engaging with insurers How to educate estimators Why you must know your cost of business How Rod’s website can help you find the right talent The Workforce Connect programme The benefits of school-based apprenticeships How to utilise connections with local schools Show links: ** Find Rod on Linkedin: ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Get your tickets to the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP129: Exploring Bold Strategies with Ben Chesterfield
10/16/2023
PAP129: Exploring Bold Strategies with Ben Chesterfield
This week’s key takeaway: Exploring Bold Strategies with Ben Chesterfield Episode intro: This week we give you one heck of a success story from Ben Chesterfield: the man who took the bold move to diversify and jump into hail repair. Seeing as our theme for Paint & Panel L!ve this year is Bold Strategies and Total Hail Solutions are a sponsor, Sam Street paid him a visit and asked him how he pulled it off. Ben is the GM of Total Hail Solutions in Queensland, who are part of the Car Craft Group. As more and more insurance companies give hail work to specialist hail companies, it’s really worth hearing how Ben is making it work and why it benefits the Car Craft network. In this week’s episode you will learn: Why Ben branched out into hail Where Total Hail get their business from How to work on hail with fleets The average work rate of a hail technician The advantage of being part of a wider group How conventional repair work meshes with hail work How hail repair can be delivered in multiple locations The difficulty for conventional repairers to manage hail The most common repairs from hail damage Show links: ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Get your tickets to the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP128: The Women in Collision Awards
10/09/2023
PAP128: The Women in Collision Awards
This week’s key takeaway: The Women in Collision Awards, with George Manos & Keira Dyer Episode intro: It’s that time of the year again - the time when we celebrate the contribution of women in our industry with the Women in Collision Awards. We speak to two people from our platinum event sponsors, IAG. George Manos (industry risk and governance manager) and Keira Dyer (manager of motor assessing operations). We get a great insight into what it’s like to be part of an organisation that is driving inclusivity, why IAG are sponsoring the awards, and what it has been like for Keira in a male-dominated industry. PS: Nominations for the Women in Collision Awards are now open. If you know any women who deserve recognition for their excellent work, go to the Events & Awards section of the Paint & Panel website and get those nominations in! In this week’s episode you will learn: How to make change in a male-dominated industry The success of the previous awards What is was like for a young female to work for the NRMA The inner workings of motor assessment The value of an MBA for Keira What the industry can do to improve inclusion Keira’s own strategies for getting on in the industry Why industry pathways should be promoted better How industry culture has modernised to be more inclusive Why you should nominate someone for the awards Show links: ** Find out more about the Women in Collision Awards here: https://www.paintandpanel.com.au/page/women-in-collision ** Find George on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-manos-2b3b39a/?originalSubdomain=au ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Get your tickets to the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP127: Upskill your team to future proof your business
10/03/2023
PAP127: Upskill your team to future proof your business
This week’s key takeaway: Upskill your team to future proof your business Episode intro: We cannot overstate the importance of training to your business and the industry as a whole. Complaining about a skills shortage is all well and good, but what are you doing about it? This week, we're speaking to I-CAR’s Jason Trewin (COO) and Gary Wood (Senior Training Specialist) about their increasingly diverse range of training. We’ve been trying to get these boys on the podcast since we started, but they’ve always been too busy training people to find the time to do an interview. But they hadn’t bargained on our editor Sam Street going all the way to Melbourne and literally turning up on their doorstep! Sam's cross-country trip certainly paid off. Jason and Gary shared so much great insight about what we can do as an industry to upskill our workers. In this week’s episode you will learn: Why the welding program is so important for any technician How industry roles are diversifying Why more shops are achieving I-CAR Gold Class What I-CAR can offer via their industry partners The rapid growth of multi-skilling The importance of front-of-house training Why I-CAR is diversifying its training offering How training can be a badge of honour for your business Why it’s worth the risk of staff leaving after you’ve trained them up Show links: ** Find Jason on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-trewin-8b8b9959/ ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Get your tickets to the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP126: A deep dive into the world of body filler
09/25/2023
PAP126: A deep dive into the world of body filler
This week’s key takeaway: A deep dive into the world of body filler - with James Lawson Episode intro: This week we give you the lowdown on an essential-but-often-misunderstood aspect of our process; body filler. There is much more to body filler than meets the eye. If you don’t apply your bog correctly, it can have disastrous consequences for both the shop and the vehicle owner. Editor Sam gets the insight from our favourite Specialist Educator, James Lawson, who you may recognise from a recent Paint & Panel episode about training at 3M. If you want to make your next body-filler application a work of art, listen hard and take notes! In this week’s episode you will learn: Essential PPE when applying body filler How to avoid skin diseases How to prepare the panel for filler How to avoid films forming on a panel The right cleaner to use Why you should use a multi-leaf mixing board The most common failures How to protect your work from damp and humidity The chemical makeup of a body filler What is the correct amount of hardener? Show links: ** Find James on Linkedin: ** 3M’s free training academy: ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Get your tickets to the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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PAP125: Celebrating 60 years of the Bathurst 1000
09/18/2023
PAP125: Celebrating 60 years of the Bathurst 1000
This week’s key takeaway: Celebrating 25 years of the Bathurst 1000 with Steve Normoyle Episode intro: We’ve got something a bit different on the show this week: a trip down memory lane about the world-famous Aussie institution, the Bathurst 1000. Our guest Steve Normoyle has covered the Bathurst for three decades. As one of Australia’s most eminent motorsport enthusiasts, Steve has just published a new version of a book chronicling the sights and stories of the legendary race since 1963. Even if you don’t follow the Bathurst, you’ll enjoy hearing the ever-charismatic Steve tell the story behind it, and how it was so fundamental to the success and failure of car manufacturers on the forecourt. In this week’s episode you will learn: How the Bathurst started Steve’s journey into motorsport writing What's new in Steve’s book How the Bathurst functioned as a marketing exercise for cars in the showroom How the cars have evolved down the years The original circuit for the Bathurst How the Mount Panorama track has changed Show links: ** Find Steve on Linkedin: ** Buy Steve’s book: ‘Bathurst - 60 Years of the Great Race’ here: ** Get your tickets to Paint & Panel Live: ** Get your tickets to the Paint & Panel Bodyshop Awards: ** Do you have something unique you want to share with us? Contact Paint & Panel editor Sam Street at: ** Go to to sign up for our weekly E-newsletter ** Go to to catch up on past shows and access show notes from every episode.
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