If you run a trade business, you already know the hustle. It’s early starts, back-to-back jobs, materials to order, invoices to chase—and that’s all before you’ve even had your second coffee. But here’s the kicker: admin doesn’t pay the bills. And for many tradies, it’s the silent killer of productivity and profit.

So what if we told you there’s a smarter way? One that’s cost-effective, scalable, and already transforming businesses just like yours?

Welcome to the world of offshore Virtual Assistants (VAs)—the secret weapon of tradies who are ready to stop drowning in paperwork and start running their business like a boss.

What’s an Offshore VA—and Why Should You Care?

A Virtual Assistant is a skilled remote worker who can handle the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that take you away from the tools. And when we say “offshore,” we mean professionals based overseas who deliver high-quality support at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house.

Think of them as your behind-the-scenes admin gun—keeping your day moving, your jobs organised, and your inbox under control.

Where Offshore VAs Deliver the Goods

Here’s just a sample of what a VA can take off your plate:

• ✉️ Inbox management – Never miss a lead or supplier email again
• 🧾 Invoicing and follow-ups – Stay on top of your cashflow
• 📑 Tender support – Prep and polish your tenders using Esti-mate
• 🗓️ Booking jobs and managing your calendar – Keep your days organised
• 📱 Social media and customer comms – Keep your online presence ticking over
• 📊 Data entry, CRM updates, document formatting – All the fiddly stuff you don’t want to deal with

Bottom line? Less admin for you. More time for the site, the team, or your family.

How Esti-mate and SUMO Are Leading by Example

At Esti-mate Electrical, we walk the talk. We’ve partnered with SUMO, one of the best in the business when it comes to providing offshore VAs. They support our marketing, admin, and customer service needs so we can focus on what we do best—helping tradies streamline their tendering with our software.

Our VA team has become an essential part of our workflow, and we can confidently say: it works.

If it works for us, it can work for your electrical or trade business too.

How to Get the Most Out of Your VA

Here’s how to set your VA (and your business) up for success:

1. 🛠 Be clear about the tasks you want to hand over
2. 📋 Use SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) so your VA knows exactly how you want things done
3. 🗣 Communicate regularly – Treat your VA like part of the team
4. 🧰 Use the right tools – Slack, Trello, Esti-mate, Google Workspace all help make remote work seamless

You don’t need to have it all figured out before you start—just take the first step.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

You didn’t start your business to spend your nights on admin and your weekends on catch-up. With the right offshore VA in your corner, you can get back to what you love—and grow your business in the process.

👉 Want to see how a VA could work for you?

Reach out to Jess Bufa at jess@setupmyoffshore.com.au and the team at SUMO (Tell her we sent you) or drop us a line at Esti-mate Electrical. We’re happy to share how we make it work—and how you can too.