Behind the Brush with Danielle Donaghy | Business, Family, Sacrifice & What Success Really Means

This might be one of the most important and personal conversations we’ve had on Behind the Brush.

I’m joined by my wife and business partner, Danielle, for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build a business while trying to build a life and raise a family at the same time.

We look back at our journey from two young people trying to figure it all out, through growing Paintworks, taking risks, employing teams, investing in vans, equipment and premises, making mistakes and learning some very expensive lessons along the way.

But this episode is about much more than business.

We talk about the pressure that comes home with you, being physically present but mentally still at work, the sacrifices families make behind successful businesses, money, parenting, relationships, learning when bigger isn’t necessarily better, and how our definition of success has completely changed over the years.

Danielle also shares her side of the journey - raising our family, working behind the scenes in the business, supporting my ambitions and carrying responsibilities that people on the outside rarely see.

This conversation isn’t about pretending we got everything right. We absolutely didn’t.

It’s about sharing what we’ve learned so that another painter, tradesperson, business owner, husband, wife or young couple starting out might recognise themselves in our story and perhaps avoid some of the mistakes we made.

If you’re building a business and a family at the same time, this episode is for you.

What are you actually building - a bigger business, or a better life?

🎙️ Behind the Brush – Adam Hughes | Starting From Scratch at 26

This week I’m joined by Adam Hughes from AH Painting for a really raw, relatable and good craic episode.

Adam has a teaching degree, travelled through Thailand and eventually came home with a decision made -he was going to back himself and start his own painting business.

Only six months in, we talk about the reality of starting out at 26. Buying his first van outright to keep his overheads down, struggling to get his pricing right, becoming VAT registered, finding a good accountant, dealing with a customer who didn’t pay and learning the hard way why terms and conditions matter.

We also go right back to where it started — the painter who took Adam under his wing when he was younger, the lessons that stuck with him, his hunger to earn money and how those early experiences shaped the way he works today.

We get into his love for spraying, where he wants to take AH Painting, what success actually means to him and the pressures and pain points that come with trying to build a business in your 20s.

What made this one especially interesting for me is that Adam started his business at 26 - exactly the same age I was when I went out on my own.

Two completely different stages of the journey, but a lot of the same lessons.

Over two hours of honest conversation, plenty of laughs and absolutely no pretending to have it all figured out.

If you’re a young painter, recently self-employed or even thinking about going out on your own, there’s plenty in this one for you. 

This week on Behind The Brush, I sit down with Tony Pearson-Young for a fantastic conversation about a career that has taken him from apprentice to decorator, business owner, sales, qualified tutor at the Dulux Academy and now Business Development Manager with A J Systems, helping bring Corona Brushes to decorators across the UK.

We go right back to Tony’s apprenticeship and ask how training has changed over the last 30-40 years, whether the decorating trade needs licensing, and the real pain points of running your own business.

Tony opens up about stepping away from decorating into sales, the skills that gave him, returning to the tools, and eventually taking the leap to apply for the Dulux Academy -overcoming his own limiting beliefs along the way.

We talk about the fulfilment of becoming a qualified tutor and trainer, helping hundreds of decorators develop new skills, confidence and push themselves further than they thought possible.

And now, another chapter - back on the road, back in sales and helping grow Corona Brushes in the UK with A J Systems.

A brilliant story about change, experience, self-belief and never being afraid to start another chapter.

Real. Raw. Relatable. This is Behind The Brush with Tony Pearson-Young. 🎙️

A real, raw and relatable solo episode about being too busy, struggling to find good people, dealing with negativity and underperformance, charging the right rates and becoming more efficient. No filters-just honest lessons, practical solutions and plenty of craic from life behind the brush.

In this episode of Behind The Brush, I’m joined by James Wildish-founder of XOX Coatings, trainer at the Dulux Academy, and founder of the UK Sprayers Association.

James shares his incredible journey from starting out as a "chancer" / decorator to building a large commercial decorating business, only to face a devastating six-figure financial setback that changed the course of his career. We discuss the lessons learned from scaling too quickly, the pressures of running a business, and how he rebuilt through specialist spraying, education and raising standards across the industry.

We also dive into the growth of kitchen and uPVC spraying, training the next generation, the purpose behind the UK Sprayers Association, and why community, professionalism and continuous learning are so important for the future of the trade.

Whether you’re a painter, decorator, sprayer or business owner, this episode is packed with honest conversations, practical advice and valuable insights from someone who has experienced both the highs and the lows of business.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow Behind The Brush, leave a rating and share it with someone in the trade who’ll get value from the conversation.

Connect with James Wildish:
• XOX Coatings
• Dulux Academy
• UK Sprayers Association

Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you on the next episode of Behind The Brush.

What a brilliant conversation with Kiara Fitzgerald on this week’s episode of Behind the Brush. 🎙️

We talked about everything from redundancy and taking the leap into self-employment, to teaching herself how to paint and install panelling, building a business from scratch, and navigating the trade as a female decorator for the last 18 months.

Kiara was refreshingly honest about the realities of self-employment, including the pressure of having a month with no work and no income, while sharing why she still genuinely loves what she does. We also chatted about finding support through the Irish Paint Fam, meeting Paint Warrior at a trade show, and why having good people around you makes such a difference.

As always, it was a real, raw and relatable conversation with plenty of laughs along the way.

If you’re a painter, decorator, tradesperson, or simply enjoy hearing inspiring business journeys, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Watch now on YouTube: Behind the Brush Podcast

If you enjoyed the episode, please Like, Share and Subscribe. Every share helps us reach more people across the decorating industry.

#BehindTheBrush #PaintingAndDecorating #IrishPaintFam #WomenInConstruction #WomenInTrades #SelfEmployment #BusinessJourney #Decorator #Painter #Tradespeople #RealRawRelatable

Not every success story starts the same.

In this episode of Behind the Brush, Georgie Baker shares his incredible journey-from serving time in prison and discovering a passion for joinery and decorating, to rebuilding his life and creating one of the UK’s most respected decorating businesses.

We talk about the setbacks that shaped him, including missed opportunities, business partnerships that didn’t work out, and the difficult decisions that ultimately led him to go out on his own. Georgie also shares how opportunities with Dulux opened doors to television, leading to work on programmes including Changing Rooms and Sort Your Life Out, as well as projects in France and recognition through multiple industry awards.

This isn’t just a conversation about painting and decorating. It’s about second chances, resilience, backing yourself when life doesn’t go to plan, and proving that your past doesn’t have to define your future.

Whether you’re in the trades, running a business, or simply looking for inspiration, Georgie’s story is a powerful reminder that where you start doesn’t determine where you can end up.

🎙️ Behind the Brush - Real. Raw. Relatable.

This week on Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast, I’m joined by Tommy Huston from Houston’s Decorators.

Tommy shares his journey from starting in the trade at just 16 years old, working as part of a large team, spending time away from home, and making sacrifices to help build someone else’s business before eventually taking the leap into self-employment.

We discuss whether that same loyalty still exists today, the pros and cons of being employed versus running your own business, pricing, the challenges of the first four years in business, and the lessons that only experience can teach.

The conversation also explores investing for the future beyond painting, why thinking long-term matters, the importance of apprenticeships, the future of the trade, and the vision behind creating a stronger community through an industry association.

One of my favourite parts of the conversation is about giving back-how, as you climb the ladder in your own career, you should never forget to reach back and help the next person up.

This is a real, honest conversation about business, mindset, sacrifice, leadership and what it takes to build a successful future in our industry.

If you’re a painter, decorator, business owner or apprentice, there’s plenty of value in this one.

As always, thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone else in the trade-it genuinely helps the podcast grow.

Episode 20 – Vincent Mulligan | Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Vincent Mulligan to chat about his journey through the painting and decorating industry. We discuss how he stepped away from the trade into management roles and even owned a restaurant before returning to painting with a fresh perspective, new skills, and a greater appreciation for the profession.

We also dive into the realities of running your own business, from dealing with the weather and scheduling work to favourite brushes, tools, and the lessons Vincent has learned during his four years of self-employment.

Beyond business, we talk about what really matters: family, switching off, enjoying movie nights, and why spending quality time with the people you love is the biggest win of all.

We finish by discussing the incredible value of community through the Irish Paint Fam, the hike for autism , and why being part of supportive groups can make such a difference-both personally and professionally.

If you’re a painter, decorator, tradesperson, or simply enjoy honest conversations about business, life, and the trade, this episode is for you.

🎙️ Behind the Brush – The Painter & Decorator Podcast
Real. Raw. Relatable.

🎙️ Behind the Brush Episode 19 with your host Gerry Donaghy

This week there’s no guest - just me.

I’m currently on holiday, and for the first time in a long time I’ve genuinely switched off. That time away has given me the chance to reflect on where I’ve been, where Paintworks NI Academy is heading, and what I believe the future of our industry could look like.

In this episode I talk openly about debt, health, the importance of slowing down, and some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years. I also share why Paint It Forward has become so important to me and why I believe our trade is capable of so much more when we work together.

I discuss an idea that’s been growing in my mind - a potential association for painters and decorators across Ireland and Northern Ireland (name still to be decided). An organisation where the future of the industry is shaped by the industry itself, through education, networking, live events, awards, mentoring, and the power of thousands of decorators pulling in the same direction.

This isn’t an announcement - it’s the start of a conversation.

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone else in the trade.

Real Raw Relatable

Thank you as always for the support.