Inspirations for painting sorted

By Jaci Hicken

Apr 5, 2024

Family business: Inspirations Paint Echuca’s Josh, Angus and Perri Smerdon. Photo by Aidan Briggs

Inspirations Paint Echuca owner Josh Smerdon has worked in the paint industry and across different paint stores, watching how they operate, for a long time.

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“My father was always in paint stores in the western suburbs of Melbourne, and I always worked for him when I was a kid,” Josh said.

“I went to study something outside of paint, which he wanted me to do, which was agricultural science.

“But I fell back into paint.

“I worked for a year or two up in the Mallee, then came back for a bit of a break, a gap year, and started working for Dad for what I thought would only be a few months.

“Ten years went by, and that was that; I was in the paint business then.

“I ended up buying into the business with Dad, and we sold those stores five years ago to Dulux.

“So, then I went on and worked for Dulux in various roles until now when I’ve got hold of a paint store again.”

Josh’s wife, Perri, grew up on the family farm at Bunnaloo. They moved to Moama five years ago to be closer to family and now have a young son.

“I guess the move behind getting a paint store locally was being closer to family and not having to travel back and forth in the corporate gig,” Josh said.

“And wanting to offer a decent service to the community.”