In my first uploaded blog I gave some insight into my business 'Bardall Decorating Services', it’s origins and also shared a little about myself personally including another painting and decorating passion of mine… which does not actually involve being on the tools or working with paints or everything else associated with it…
And that is of course Fix Radio!
If you are unaware of Fix Radio, then in a nutshell it is a DAB radio station (also found online) that is designed and targeted at the building and construction trades. The station went NATIONAL back in April 2022 which is a massive achievement for modern radio and now drawing in impressive listening figures all while continuously becoming bigger and better.
Fix radio has a daily breakfast show, music, news.. everything you would expect from a big and established radio station.
But what sets it apart from the rest?
The breakfast show is hosted by social media sensations The Bald Builders and an afternoon slot is filled by media and tv personality Clive Holland who has an extensive knowledge of the construction industry and is also a really top bloke... as I’ve got to know!
Also daily trade related shows including:
The Carpentry Show
The Heating & Plumbing Show
The Electrical Show
The Plastering Show
And of course THE PAINTING AND DECORATING SHOW on Fix Radio
Hosted by… yes you guessed it, yours truly, Joel Bardall of Bardall Decorating Services.
Joined by a great team including my co host Todd Von Joel (I know, you wait for one Joel and then two turn up at once) and legendary radio producer Mark Williams.
The show airs every Tuesday… and I’ll let you into a little secret, most of the trade shows including the painting and decorating show is recorded in advance and outside of ‘normal’ work hours meaning I am still very much working my day job as a painter and decorator and not interrupting my normal Monday — Friday work schedule.
We cover a wide range of topics associated with the painting and decorating trade / industry including the latest goings ons with paints, tools and materials including the latest innovations available. We discuss topics on how to successfully run a P&D Business and the sales & marketing involved. Something that we believe is not addressed enough in colleges while up and comers are doing their apprenticeships!
We speak with guests across the nation who are some of the most talented in the industry, some who have created new products for our trade and some who just have an interesting story to tell.
We’ve even had the CEO of the PDA (The Painting & Decorating Association) on to talk with us on a few occasions!
But we also discuss other very important topics like mental health and thanks to my colleague and friend on the show, Todd Von Joel and the many guests we’ve had on to discuss it, it’s opened my ears and eyes to the seriousness of this discussion and how it affects so many of us in our day to day lives and the difficulties we can face running a business.
Another subject I’m passionate about is the current crises surrounding van and tool theft. Again we’ve spoken with guests that have been severely affected by this (I was a victim myself and testify how big of a problem it is) and along with the team at Fix Radio we have been bringing more awareness of the serious problem this is and every tradesperson is facing.
And although we do cover the important and serious topics, there is one thing we really do try to focus on too… and that is to make it fun.
We joke, laugh and do our utmost to make it entertaining. Yes it’s aimed at the P&D trade but we get responses from a variety of people listening. Even listeners from outside the UK! We’ve even had the drummer from a successful UK based indie rock band message us and actually come on the show to tell us about his passion for painting and decorating!
So how did it come to be? (and how did I get involved?)
The genius and unique idea for a radio station dedicated to the building trade was the brainchild of Fix Radio's CEO and founder Louis Timpany, creating a station that begun with relatively humble beginnings in the world of radio. Initially airing in the London area, the station then progressed further to include Manchester and as previously mentioned, now has become a fully National radio station which is no easy feat for any radio station in the modern age.
Around July 2020 and not long after getting back on my feet after the pandemic initially hit, causing many of us in the construction industry to put a hold on our businesses while we was in lockdown, I was approached by Mark, the producer of the trade shows on Fix radio asking if I wanted to do an interview on the phone with the then current host Clive Holland (Clive was doing a few of the trade shows during that period)
I agreed to do it but only after some convincing from my friends who said it would be a good opportunity to promote my business.
I won’t lie, I was very very nervous. It certainly wasn’t something I had ever done before.
Not only did it go well, I was shortly asked afterwards if I would like to take over hosting duties.
Little old me? Who paints houses for a living, who has never had any aspirations or even thought it would be possible to host a show on radio??
Well of course I said YES!
I was nervous beforehand when I was just coming on as a phone in guest but I can tell you now it was on another level when I actually had to be on hosting duties doing my own show and talk with guests. This was however still during lockdowns and the pandemic so the shows all took place remotely at home via laptops and home microphones. We made it work but the endgame for everyone at Fix radio was to get back into the studio as soon as it was possible and safe to do so.
And in March 2022 the studio was reopened and plans were in place to get us into the studio to do it all properly. I mentioned being nervous before… but yet again this was on another level. It was so ‘alien’ to me, being in a fancy studio with recording equipment, cameras, a big desk and all the other bells and whistles that come with it. Even meeting my producer Mark face to face for the first time, it was surreal after the only interaction we had for nearly two years was on the phone or an online Zoom call.
But there was another change (for the better I might add) that would be implemented. A right hand man, a partner in crime, a yin to my yang… and that was Mr ‘TVJ’ aka Todd Von Joel … the self declared ‘Housewives choice’ who would join me to become a co host on the show.
Over a year later with our little team working together in the studio, we’ve created some great content as mentioned previously and had quite a few laughs along the way, all while generating some great feedback too.
So along with my own painting and decorating business, I’m also very proud of the radio show.
The show airs every Tuesday at 3pm and is also released immediately afterwards as a podcast with an extensive back catalogue available from wherever you normally stream your podcasts, music etc from. There's also an app you can download for your mobile / tablet / device or can listen in directly via the Fix Radio website:
https://www.fixradio.co.uk/shows/the-painting-and-decorating-show-with-joel-bardall/#:~:text=Catch%2
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