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You're putting everything into building your business. But if you're paying yourself through drawings, is anyone actually putting anything aside for future you?
For a lot of tradies, KiwiSaver ends up in the ‘I'll sort that later’ pile. There's no employer making contributions automatically, the business always seems to need the money, and the plan is to sell up one day. But what happens if the business isn't where you want it to be when it's time to retire?
In this episode of the Hey Tradies Podcast, Amanda is joined by Jake Mickleson, KiwiSaver and managed fund specialist at Generate KiwiSaver, to talk about why KiwiSaver should be the foundation of your retirement plan, not an afterthought. They also cover how you can help your team (and your kids) get a head start too.
In This Episode
Why business owners on drawings need to take ownership of their own KiwiSaver contributions
Setting up an automatic payment or direct debit when there's no employer contributing for you
Contribution options if you pay yourself through PAYE (and why to check the structure with your accountant)
KiwiSaver as the backstop if the business doesn't sell, or isn't the retirement plan you hoped it would be
Treating KiwiSaver as the foundation of retirement and working backwards from a goal
Why it's never too late to start, and why the right fund and strategy matter
How fund choice can make a big difference to your balance over a working life
What employers can do to help apprentices and staff understand KiwiSaver
Using KiwiSaver as a staff retention tool
What a financial wellbeing toolbox talk looks like on site
KiwiSaver for kids and teenagers, and getting a head start on a first home
KiwiSaver Is Your Backstop
A lot of tradies hope to sell the business one day, then realise there's not much to sell when the business is really just them.
As Jake puts it, KiwiSaver can be the backstop. If everything else falls over, you've still put something aside, so you're not pushing your body on the tools well into your 70s.
Help Your Team Get a Head Start
Most of us wish someone had explained KiwiSaver to us when we were 16.
As an employer, you're in a great position to help your apprentices and team understand what's going into their KiwiSaver and how to make the most of it. A short financial wellbeing session on the back of a toolbox meeting is an easy way to do that without disrupting the working day.
It builds goodwill, it can help with retention, and your team might just leave you a little more financially literate than when they started.
This Week’s Action Step
Check what's actually going into your KiwiSaver.
If you're on drawings and nothing's going in, set up a regular automatic payment, even if it's small to start with.
Then check which fund you're in and whether it still suits your goals. If you're not sure, book a free, no-obligation session with an adviser. Jake's details are below.
Key Takeaway
Your business might be your biggest asset, but it shouldn't be your only retirement plan.
Get the foundation in place first, so whatever happens with the business, future you is still taken care of.
Connect with Jake
Jake Mickleson is a KiwiSaver and managed fund specialist with Generate KiwiSaver, an award-winning KiwiSaver provider helping New Zealanders retire on their terms. Jake is based in Auckland, and Generate has advisers nationwide who can visit your team on site or meet with you over Zoom.
Want to book a free, no-obligation KiwiSaver session or a toolbox talk for your team? Get in touch with Jake:
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 021 125 0944
Website: www.generatewealth.co.nz
Nothing in this episode is financial advice. It's general information only. For advice specific to your situation, talk to a financial adviser.
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
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:
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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:
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
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:
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:
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:
Find out more at www.virtualcoastie.co.nz
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
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:
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
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:
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
Terms of Trade: If You Don’t Set the Rules, Your Customers Will
A local Facebook post about paying tradies invoices sparked a huge debate online this week — and honestly, it highlighted a massive issue for small trade businesses.
Some people argued:
"If the invoice says 14-day terms, I’ll pay on day 14."
Others said:
"Pay tradies immediately — small businesses are struggling."
And the reality is… both sides have a point.
In this episode, Amanda talks about why terms of trade matter so much for tradies, why cashflow pressure hits small businesses hard, and how setting clear payment expectations upfront can completely change your business.
Because at the end of the day, you get to choose the terms you work under.
In this episode:
Key takeaway
If customers are constantly paying late, sometimes the issue isn’t the customer — it’s the process.
Clear payment expectations, deposits, stronger systems, and better communication can massively improve your cashflow and reduce stress.
Because you are allowed to decide the terms you work under.
Action step
This week, review your terms of trade.
Ask yourself:
✔ Are they clear?
✔ Are they realistic?
✔ Are you communicating them upfront?
✔ Should you require deposits?
✔ Should you move to payment on completion for maintenance work?
✔ Do your invoices clearly state payment expectations?
Small changes to your payment process can make a huge difference to cashflow.
Work With Virtual Coastie
Monthly Admin & Bookkeeping Support
Need help tightening up your invoicing, payment processes, accounts receivable, or admin systems? We help tradies get organised and get paid faster.
Fergus Setup & Implementation
Get Fergus working properly with workflows and systems that help your team stay on top of jobs, invoicing, and communication.
Fergus Power Hour
Need help reviewing your cashflow systems, payment terms, or admin processes? Book a practical working session with Amanda.
Learn more at www.virtualcoastie.co.nz
From the publisher's feed
Helping Tradies run better businesses
Running a trade business isn’t just about being good on the tools — it’s about systems, numbers, decisions, and leadership.
Hey Tradies! Podcast is for Tradies who want to run a better business without drowning in admin, working every night, or guessing where the money’s going.
Each short, practical episode dives into the business side of trade life — from job management, cash flow, quoting, and getting paid, to systems, leadership, and real-world lessons from other tradies and industry experts.
You’ll hear straight-talk advice, honest opinions, and conversations designed to get you thinking differently about how you run your business — whether you’re just getting started or already leading a growing team.
No fluff. No corporate jargon. Just practical business thinking to help you build a trade business that actually works.
🎧 New episodes released weekly.