Sep 22

29 - You Don’t Have to Win - Why Your Trade Business Should Enter Industry Awards

You Don’t Have to Win: Why Your Trade Business Should Enter Industry Awards Last weekend, Virtual Coastie was a finalist for Top Performing Virtual Assistant Agency at the 2026 Virtual Assistant Awards. We didn’t win. Did Amanda want to? Of course she bloody did. But walking away without the trophy didn’t make entering a waste of time. In fact, the process highlighted just how much Virtual Coastie has changed in 12 months — and gave Amanda some very useful feedback about where the business can improve next. In this episode of the Hey Tradies Podcast, Amanda shares why she thinks more trade businesses should put themselves forward for industry awards — even if you don’t think you’re big enough, polished enough or likely to win. Because sometimes the real value isn’t the trophy. It’s being forced to stop and recognise what you’ve built. In This Episode Why Virtual Coastie entered the 2026 VA Awards The reality of being disappointed without being devastated about not winning Why entering an award forces you to reflect on the previous 12 months The growth Amanda almost overlooked because it had become the new normal Why Amanda admits her application was a little half-arsed What the judges loved about Virtual Coastie — and where they wanted more evidence Why saying “we’ve grown” isn’t enough: show the numbers The importance of tracking client results, marketing leads and conversions Why smaller businesses shouldn't assume they don't belong alongside bigger competitors How to start preparing for next year’s awards now Why every trade business should have an Awards Evidence folder Don’t Just Tell Them — Prove It One of Amanda’s biggest lessons from the judges’ feedback was the importance of evidence. Don’t say: “We’ve grown.” Show from what to what. “Our customers love us.” Show the reviews and testimonials. “Our marketing works.” Show the leads, discovery calls and conversions. “We’ve got a great team.” Show what that actually means. And, as Amanda learnt this year, check your bloody links before submitting the application. Start Your Next Application Now If there’s an industry award you'd love to enter, don't wait until entries are about to close. Create an Awards 2027 folder now and start collecting: Great project photos Google reviews and testimonials Customer results Team and apprentice achievements Business growth numbers Improvements to systems and processes Training, community work and industry involvement When applications open, you’ll have 12 months of evidence ready instead of trying to remember everything at the last minute. This Week’s Action Step Look at the awards available within your trade or local business community. Choose one you'd be proud to enter. Look at the previous categories and judging criteria, create your evidence folder, and add your first piece of evidence this week. You don't have to decide today whether you'll enter. Just start keeping the proof. Key Takeaway Putting yourself forward means somebody gets to judge what you've built — and somebody else might be better. That doesn't diminish what you've achieved. Virtual Coastie didn't take home the trophy this year. But Amanda walked away with independent feedback, a chance to recognise how far the business has come, and a clear idea of what she wants to do better next time. And yes — she'll be entering again next year. Work With Virtual Coastie Need better systems behind your trade business? Virtual Coastie can help with Fergus Power Hours, Fergus Setup & Implementation, and Monthly Admin & Bookkeeping Support. Find out more at Virtual Coastie. If you got something out of this episode, share it with another tradie. And if you're enjoying Hey Tradies, a quick follow or rating on your favourite podcast app helps more tradies find the show. #HeyTradiesPodcast #TradieBusiness #TradeBusiness #BusinessAwards #NZTradies #BusinessGrowth #VirtualCoastie #Fergus

Sep 8

28 - Stop Letting Your Business Run Your Calendar - How to Actually Plan Ahead

Stop Letting Your Business Run Your Calendar: How to Actually Plan Ahead If you don’t deliberately decide where your time is going, someone else will. A customer. Your team. An urgent job. Your inbox. And before you know it, another week — or another year — has disappeared. In this episode of the Hey Tradies Podcast, Amanda shares the planning habits that have changed how she runs her business and her life. From her Friday Power Hour and blocking time for the work that actually moves the business forward, to using an A1 annual planner to map out holidays, school holidays, business priorities and everything in between — this episode is about getting out of reactive mode. Amanda also shares why she blocked out time for her 20th wedding anniversary before knowing where they were going or what the budget would look like. That protected week eventually became five days in Samoa. Because sometimes you need to put your life in the calendar first — and then make the business work around it. In This Episode Amanda’s Friday Power Hour and weekly planning routineUrgent work vs work that actually moves the business forwardWhy important work needs a place in your calendar, not just your to-do listPlanning around school holidays, public holidays, team leave and seasonalityUsing an annual wall planner to see your year at a glanceWhy holidays and important life events should go in the calendar firstPlanning business capacity around the days you actually have availableBreaking bigger projects into manageable six-week chunksPlanning ahead for GST, tax, shutdowns and cashflowUsing a weekly team look-ahead to prevent firefightingWhy you need some white space in your plan when running a trade business Plan Your Life First Stop putting all the work in first and trying to squeeze your life into whatever is left. Put the important stuff in the calendar — holidays, kids, anniversaries, health, events and experiences — then ask: What needs to happen in the business to make this possible? Want a week off? Work backwards. Who runs the team? Who handles customer issues? Who can quote? Who keeps invoicing moving? Your holiday might actually become the deadline you need to sort your systems and delegation. This Week’s Action Step Get the next 12 months somewhere you can see them. Add the things that aren't moving first: public holidays, school holidays, Christmas shutdown, known leave, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. Then choose one business priority for the next six weeks, break it into smaller steps and put the first step in your actual calendar. Because if something is genuinely a priority, it needs time allocated to it. Key Takeaway Planning isn't about creating a perfect calendar. It's about deciding what matters before everybody else starts deciding for you. Your business should support the life you're trying to build — not consume the whole bloody thing. Work With Virtual Coastie Need to create more space in your week? Virtual Coastie can help with Fergus Power Hours, Fergus Setup & Implementation, and Monthly Admin & Bookkeeping Support to get your systems and back-office processes working better. Find out more at Virtual Coastie. If you got something out of this episode, share it with another tradie. And if you're enjoying the podcast, follow or rate Hey Tradies on your favourite podcast app. #HeyTradiesPodcast #TradeBusiness #TradieBusiness #BusinessPlanning #TimeManagement #VirtualCoastie #NZTradies

Aug 25

27 - How to Get More Google Reviews Without Feeling Awkward Asking

How to Get More Google Reviews Without Feeling Awkward Asking How many customers did you actually ask for a Google review last week? Not how many reviews you received — how many people did you ask? Google reviews are one of the most powerful forms of social proof for a trade business, particularly if you're working with residential customers. Before someone even picks up the phone, there's a good chance they've already Googled you, checked your reviews and compared you with other tradies in the area. But getting more reviews shouldn't rely on someone in the office remembering to ask every few months. It needs to become part of your job completion process. In this episode of the Hey Tradies podcast, Amanda shares a simple process for consistently asking for Google reviews without it feeling awkward or pushy — including how to involve your field team, automate your follow-up and make asking for a review part of every suitable job. In This Episode Why Google reviews are so important for residential trade businesses Why you should start asking for a review while you're still on site A simple script your field team can use with customers Why asking once often isn't enough How to follow up by text, email and after payment Using Fergus alongside your email marketing or CRM system to automate review requests Why you should give customers a direct review link instead of making them search for you How to make Google reviews part of your job completion checklist Getting your field team involved — and even turning reviews into a team competition Why you should track how many customers you ask, not just how many reviews you receive Responding to positive and negative reviews professionally Why consistent recent reviews can become an incredibly valuable marketing asset Make Asking Part of the Process Don't wait until you suddenly decide your business needs more Google reviews. Build the request into your normal customer journey: Finish the job → Check the customer is happy → Ask for the review → Send the direct link → Invoice → Follow up after payment → Respond when the review arrives. Your customer might genuinely want to leave you a great review but forget. They're busy too. That's why multiple friendly reminders can make such a difference. Get Your Team Involved Google reviews don't have to be the office team's responsibility. Give your field team a short, simple script they can comfortably use before leaving site and make it part of your job completion checklist. You could even create a team incentive when a customer mentions a team member by name in their review. It's not just about getting another five-star review. It gets your team thinking about the entire customer experience. This Week's Action Step Create one simple Google review script for your business this week. Share it with your team, give everyone easy access to your direct Google review link and add “Ask for Google review” to your job completion process. Once you're doing that consistently, look at how you can automate the follow-up. Work With Virtual Coastie If customer follow-up, invoicing and admin are still relying on you remembering to do everything, we can help you build better processes. Through Fergus Power Hours, Fergus implementation and our monthly support, Virtual Coastie helps trade businesses put practical systems in place so the right things happen consistently — without you having to remember them at the end of another long day. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with another tradie. And if you're enjoying the Hey Tradies podcast, follow the show and leave a quick rating on your favourite podcast app.

Aug 18

26 - Your Team Can't Read Your Mind - Why Clear Systems and Expectations Matter

Your Team Can’t Read Your Mind: Systems, Expectations & Accountability Have you ever found yourself saying, “But that’s just common sense!” when a team member hasn’t done something the way you expected? The problem is, your version of common sense comes from your own experience — and your team can’t read your mind. In this episode of the Hey Tradies podcast, Amanda talks about why clear expectations, proper onboarding and documented systems are so important as your trade business grows. From timesheets and vehicle checks to customer communication and job completion checklists, if you want something done a certain way, you need to show your team what “good” actually looks like. But this isn’t about removing accountability from your team either. Once you’ve explained the process, trained them, documented it and made it easy to access, your team has a responsibility to follow it — and when they don’t, you need to address it. In This Episode Why a 15-minute induction isn’t enough for a new team member The problem with saying, “It’s just common sense” Why every employee brings different life and work experience What should be included in your onboarding and SOPs Why your processes don’t need to be 100-page documents Using videos, photos, screenshots and checklists for different learning styles Why your systems need to be easy to access from site The importance of explaining why a process needs to be followed How better timesheet descriptions help both the field and office teams Why the person actually doing the job can be the best person to document the process How to use AI tools to help get processes out of your head and documented The difference between a broken system and a performance problem How to give a simple performance nudge when someone doesn’t follow the agreed process Why documented systems make it easier for you to take holidays, cover key staff and eventually sell your business The Simple Framework When you're creating or improving a process, keep it simple: Explain it → Show it → Document it → Check it → Improve it Your first version doesn't need to be perfect. Start by documenting what happens now, then improve it as your business and team grow. Holding Your Team Accountable Clear systems don’t mean accepting poor performance. If someone has been trained, understands the process and has access to it but doesn’t follow it, address it early. A simple performance conversation might be: “I noticed X happened and step two of our process wasn’t followed. My expectation is that this process is followed every time. The impact of missing that step was X. What are you going to do differently next time to meet that expectation?” Explain the impact too. A missed step could mean a callback, another trip to the customer, lost billable hours, disruption to the schedule and a poorer customer experience. This Week’s Action Step Choose one process that causes frustration in your business every week. It could be timesheets, finishing jobs, vehicle checks, invoicing or communicating when a job runs over. Document version one — even if it’s just a page in Word. Then give it to someone on your team and ask: “Could you follow this without having to ask me what I mean?” If not, keep improving it. Work With Virtual Coastie If half your business is still living inside your head, we can help you start getting it out. Through Fergus Power Hours, Fergus implementation and our ongoing monthly support, we help trade businesses create better systems, remove bottlenecks and build processes their team can actually follow. Because your team can’t read your mind — and they shouldn’t have to. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with another tradie. And don’t forget to follow and rate the Hey Tradies podcast on your favourite podcast app.

Aug 4

25 - Why Every Business Owner Needs a Reset Weekend

Why Every Business Owner Needs a Reset Weekend When was the last time you stepped away from your business—not to work on a job, attend a conference, or catch up on admin—but simply to think? In this episode of the Hey Tradies Podcast, Amanda shares the experience of taking her second solo business retreat. What started as a last-minute decision while her son was away at school camp turned into one of the most valuable weekends she's had all year. From reflecting on the year so far to celebrating wins she'd forgotten about, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do for your business is step away from it. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in the day-to-day, or constantly reacting instead of leading, this episode will encourage you to press pause, reset, and refocus on where you're heading. In This Episode Why every business owner needs time away from the daily noise How a solo business retreat created clarity and renewed focus The importance of reflecting on your highlights, lowlights and lessons learnt Why celebrating your wins is just as important as setting new goals How reviewing annual goals can remind you how far you've already come Working backwards from your business goals using capacity and conversion rates The power of creating space to think instead of constantly reacting Why slowing down can actually help you move your business forward faster Key Takeaway Running a successful business isn't just about staying busy—it's about making sure you're heading in the right direction. Taking time away to reflect, review your progress and plan your next steps gives you the clarity to make better decisions and reminds you just how much you've already achieved. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stop. This Week's Action Step Before the end of the year, schedule yourself a reset day. It doesn't need to be expensive or extravagant. Book a night away, head to your favourite café, or spend a day somewhere quiet with your laptop or notebook. Use the time to: Reflect on your wins and lessons learnt Review your goals Celebrate your progress Set three priorities for the next month Your business deserves more than surviving week to week—and so do you. Work With Virtual Coastie If you're spending all your time working in your business and never getting the chance to work on it, we'd love to help. Whether you need better systems, Fergus implementation, or ongoing admin support, our goal is simple: to create the headspace you need to lead your business instead of constantly putting out fires. Our services include: ✔ Monthly Admin Support – Ongoing support with invoicing, scheduling, supplier bills, accounts receivable and bookkeeping. ✔ Fergus Implementation – We'll customise Fergus to suit your business and help your team get the most from it. ✔ Fergus Power Hour – A focused one-on-one session to improve your systems, identify bottlenecks and create an action plan for your business. Learn more at www.virtualcoastie.co.nz

Jul 28

24 – Five Fergus Features That Could Save You Hours Every Week

Five Fergus Features You're Probably Not Using (But Should Be) Most tradies use Fergus every day—but are you actually getting the most out of it? In this episode of the Hey Tradies Podcast, Amanda shares five of her favourite Fergus features that can save you hours every week, improve your cash flow, and make running your trade business a whole lot easier. These aren't complicated features either. They're practical tools that many businesses already have access to but simply aren't using. If you've ever thought, "I'm probably only scratching the surface with Fergus," this episode is for you. In this episode: Why most trade businesses are only using a fraction of Fergus's capabilities How the Enquiries feature can eliminate double handling and speed up your quoting process Using Favourites to create quotes in minutes instead of starting from scratch every time How Fergus Pay helps you get paid faster with Apple Pay, Google Pay, direct debit, Afterpay and more Why Checklists create consistency across your team and reduce costly mistakes How automatic Deposit Invoices save admin time and improve your cash flow Why small system improvements create big long-term results Key Takeaway You don't need to completely overhaul your business to save time. Sometimes, one small change—like creating a Favourite, adding a Checklist, or turning on Fergus Pay—can save hours every single week. The goal isn't to use every feature overnight. The goal is to start using the tools you've already got to build a business that runs more efficiently. This Week's Action Step Choose one Fergus feature you aren't currently using and commit to setting it up this week. Whether it's: Enquiries Favourites Fergus Pay Checklists Deposit Invoices Start with one. Master it. Then move on to the next. Small improvements add up quickly. Work With Virtual Coastie Need help getting the most out of Fergus? We work with tradies across New Zealand to streamline their systems, improve cash flow, and reduce admin through practical Fergus implementation and support. Our services include: Fergus Power Hour – One-on-one coaching to improve your Fergus setup and workflows. Fergus Implementation – We'll help you customise Fergus to suit the way your business operates. Monthly Admin Support – Ongoing support with invoicing, supplier bills, scheduling, job costing, debt collection, and bookkeeping. Find out more at www.virtualcoastie.co.nz

Jul 21

23 - How to Get Your Evenings Back (Without Growing a Smaller Business)

How to Get Your Evenings Back (Without Growing a Smaller Business) When was the last time you finished work, shut your laptop, and actually enjoyed your evening? For many tradies, working after dinner has become the norm. There's always another quote to send, invoices to process, emails to answer, or paperwork to catch up on. But what if getting your evenings back wasn't about working harder—it was about building a better business? In this episode of the Hey Tradies Podcast, Amanda shares her own journey of breaking the habit of working every night, the lessons she learned from one of her very first clients, and why getting your evenings back is often the result of improving your systems, planning your day better, and letting go of the idea that you have to do everything yourself. If you're tired of finishing one workday only to start another after dinner, this episode is for you. In This Episode Why working every evening shouldn't be the goal of running a business Amanda's own struggle with breaking the habit of working nights The simple change one client made that transformed his workday Why getting your evenings back is a "domino goal" How better systems and planning reduce after-hours admin Why small improvements are more realistic than aiming for perfection The importance of setting boundaries around your time How to plan your day backwards so the paperwork doesn't spill into the evening What your evenings are really costing you beyond just time Key Takeaway Getting your evenings back isn't about doing less work—it's about designing your business so the work gets done at the right time. When you improve your systems, delegate where you can, plan your days with intention, and protect your personal time, you create a business that supports your life instead of taking it over. This Week's Action Step Choose one evening this week where you won't open your laptop after dinner. Treat it like any other important appointment and plan your day around protecting that time. Once you've proven you can protect one evening, challenge yourself to make it two. Small changes lead to lasting habits. Work With Virtual Coastie Feeling like you're constantly catching up after hours? At Virtual Coastie, we help tradies streamline their admin, improve their systems, and free up more time to focus on what matters most. Our services include: Fergus Power Hour Fergus Setup & Implementation Monthly Admin & Bookkeeping Support Find out more at www.virtualcoastie.co.nz If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating, or share it with another tradie. It helps more trade business owners discover the show and build businesses that are more profitable, organised, and give them more time back. #HeyTradiesPodcast #TradieBusiness #WorkLifeBalance #BusinessSystems #FergusSoftware #SmallBusinessNZ #TradieLife #BusinessOwner #VirtualCoastie #TimeManagement

Jul 7

22 - You're Not Just a Tradie Anymore – The Mindset Shift Every Business Owner Needs to Make

You're Not Just a Tradie Anymore – The Mindset Shift Every Business Owner Needs to Make At some point in every growing trade business, something changes. You stop being "just the tradie" and become the business owner. The problem? Most of us never make that mental shift. In this episode, Amanda shares her own journey from starting Virtual Coastie simply to create a better life, to building a team and realising that her role had completely changed. She also talks about the common challenges she sees tradies face as they grow their businesses—and why working harder isn't the answer. If you're constantly putting out fires, working nights, and feeling like the business can't function without you, this episode is for you. In this episode: Amanda's personal journey from employee to business ownerWhy most business owners accidentally create themselves a bigger jobThe mindset shift from doing the work to leading the businessWhy being the best tradie isn't enough once your business starts growingThe difference between working in your business and working on itWhy systems create freedom—not more adminHow delegation helps your business growWhy business owners often become the biggest bottleneckWhat success looks like beyond simply being busyHow building the right team creates more freedom for everyone Key Takeaway The business doesn't need you to do everything. It needs you to lead. As your business grows, your role has to grow too. The sooner you start letting go of tasks that others can do, the more time you'll have to focus on building a business that supports your team, your family, and your long-term goals. This Week's Action Step Write down everything you do in a normal week. Then ask yourself: "Is this something only I can do... or is it something I've simply never let go of?" You'll probably find there are more tasks you can delegate than you realise. Every task you hand over creates space for you to become the business owner your business needs. Work With Virtual Coastie If you're ready to stop working nights and start building systems that give you more time back, we'd love to help. Our services include: ✔ Monthly Admin Support From invoicing and supplier bills to scheduling, accounts receivable, job costing and bookkeeping—we become part of your team and help keep your business running smoothly. ✔ Fergus Implementation We'll customise Fergus to suit the way your business operates, helping you improve efficiency, visibility and cash flow. ✔ Fergus Power Hour A practical one-on-one coaching session where we'll work through your biggest business bottlenecks and create a plan to move you forward. Learn more at www.virtualcoastie.co.nz

Hey Tradies! Podcast

29 - You Don’t Have to Win - Why Your Trade Business Should Enter Industry Awards

28 - Stop Letting Your Business Run Your Calendar - How to Actually Plan Ahead

27 - How to Get More Google Reviews Without Feeling Awkward Asking

26 - Your Team Can't Read Your Mind - Why Clear Systems and Expectations Matter

25 - Why Every Business Owner Needs a Reset Weekend

24 – Five Fergus Features That Could Save You Hours Every Week

23 - How to Get Your Evenings Back (Without Growing a Smaller Business)

22 - You're Not Just a Tradie Anymore – The Mindset Shift Every Business Owner Needs to Make

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Hey Tradies! Podcast

Episodes

29 - You Don’t Have to Win - Why Your Trade Business Should Enter Industry Awards

28 - Stop Letting Your Business Run Your Calendar - How to Actually Plan Ahead

27 - How to Get More Google Reviews Without Feeling Awkward Asking

26 - Your Team Can't Read Your Mind - Why Clear Systems and Expectations Matter

25 - Why Every Business Owner Needs a Reset Weekend

24 – Five Fergus Features That Could Save You Hours Every Week

23 - How to Get Your Evenings Back (Without Growing a Smaller Business)

22 - You're Not Just a Tradie Anymore – The Mindset Shift Every Business Owner Needs to Make

About

Information