Is Highline Admin the Right Fit for You?

At Highline Admin, based right here in Princeton, Minnesota, we believe that every great business deserves a solid support system. Whether you’re on the job site, running from meeting to meeting, or buried under a pile of paperwork, we’re here to take care of the office work for you, so you can get back to doing what you do best.

But who do we serve best? In this post, we’re giving you a peek at who our ideal customers are, and how we make life a whole lot easier for them.

💼 Small Business Owners with Too Much on Their Plate

You started your business to do what you love—not to drown in emails, invoices, or scheduling headaches. Our ideal clients are small business owners who know the value of their time and want to stay focused on their customers, not their computer screens.

🛠️ Tradespeople & Service Providers

From electricians and contractors to cleaning services and landscapers, trades professionals are some of our favorite people to support. You’re out there getting the real work done while we’re in the office keeping your appointments straight, your billing on track, and your paperwork organized.

👩‍💻 Solo Entrepreneurs & Consultants

Working for yourself doesn’t mean you have to do everything alone. Many of our clients work independently and need part-time admin help without hiring a full-time employee. We offer reliable support that fits your budget and workload.

❤️ Local Nonprofits & Community Builders

We love working with nonprofits and community organizations that need a trusted admin partner. Whether it’s grant tracking, communication support, or project coordination, we’re proud to assist organizations making a difference in our region.

📍 Locally-Based and Community-Focused

We’re rooted in Princeton, Minnesota, and we serve businesses and organizations in our surrounding rural communities. Our ideal clients appreciate the value of local support with someone nearby who knows the area, shows up when needed, and genuinely cares about helping their neighbors succeed.

⏳ Common Struggles We Solve

If any of these sound like you, we’re probably a great fit:

You’re spending hours each week on emails, calendars, or invoicing
You feel overwhelmed by the back-office side of running your business
You wish you had someone organized and reliable to take admin off your plate
You’ve tried to do it all, but you’re ready to get help that makes a difference

🎯 Let’s Take the Stress Out of Admin Work

If you’re reading this and nodding along—let’s chat! Highline Admin exists to bring calm to the chaos and structure to your systems. No need is too small, and every client relationship matters to us.

📞 Reach out anytime as we’re ready to help you get back to what you love.

Why Admin Work Is the Backbone of a Successful Trades Business

You didn’t get into the trades to sit at a desk. Whether you’re an electrician, plumber, builder, or run your own crew, chances are you thrive working with your hands not with spreadsheets and filing systems. But behind every successful trades business is something less exciting but absolutely essential: solid administrative work.

At Highline Admin, we work with small businesses to help lighten that admin load. Here’s why it matters, what tends to fall through the cracks, and how to keep your business running like a well-oiled machine.

What Counts as Admin Work (and Why It Matters)

Administrative work isn’t just about paperwork. It includes:

Scheduling jobs and managing your calendar
Sending invoices and tracking payments
Ordering supplies and keeping receipts organized
Responding to customer calls and emails
Keeping your licenses, permits, and insurance up to date

When these tasks are handled consistently, you avoid job delays, get paid faster, and keep your customers happy. Think of admin like your toolbox—it’s not flashy, but when everything’s in its place, your work flows better.

Common Admin Challenges in the Trades

Let’s be real: you’re juggling job sites, client calls, and 12-hour days. Admin tasks often get pushed to the bottom of the to-do list which can lead to:

Paperwork piling up
Forgetting to send or follow up on invoices
Missed appointments or double-bookings
Losing track of materials or receipts
No clear system for customer follow-up

None of this means you’re disorganized, it means you’re busy. Without a process, things can fall through the cracks and cost you time, money, or even your reputation.

Simple Ways to Stay on Top of Admin Work

You don’t need a full-time office staff to stay organized. Here are small steps that make a big impact:

1. Block Admin Time Weekly

Set aside even just 30 minutes a day or a couple of hours a week to handle paperwork, invoicing, and follow-ups.

2. Use Smart Tools

Apps like QuickBooks, Jobber, or Google Calendar help manage jobs, clients, and payments from your phone.

3. Create Templates

Save time with reusable templates for quotes, invoices, and customer emails.

4. Go Digital

Scan receipts, sign contracts electronically, and ditch the paper piles.

5. Get Support

If you’re overwhelmed, hire admin help—even part-time. That’s where Highline Admin comes in.

Signs It’s Time to Ask for Help

If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone:

You’re working all weekend just to catch up
You’ve lost money due to missed invoices or disorganized records
Admin stress keeps you up at night
Your business is growing, but your systems aren’t keeping up

You built your business with skill and grit. Don’t let paperwork be the thing that slows you down.

How Highline Admin Can Help

At Highline Admin, we specialize in providing virtual admin support for small businesses—especially those in the trades. We handle the behind-the-scenes tasks so you can focus on the work that actually brings in revenue.

Whether you need help with scheduling, invoicing, customer communications, or organizing your systems, we’re here to help you run a smoother, more profitable business.

Ready to Hand Off the Admin Work?

Let us take it from here.

📩 Contact Highline Admin today to set up a free consultation. We’ll talk through your biggest admin pain points and help you find simple, affordable solutions.

Work smarter, not harder with Highline Admin at your side.

Monthly or One-Time Grant Support: Find Your Fit

Grant writing is one of our favorite things to do. We offer two flexible options:

✔️️ A monthly retainer for a set number of hours
✔️️ A flat-rate fee to complete a specific grant

Ongoing support is ideal if you need help with bandwidth and want a partner to manage the grant process alongside you. With our monthly option, we’ll meet with you via Zoom each month to review progress, discuss strategy, and plan next steps.

One-time support is a great fit if you have the team to write and submit, but need help identifying the right opportunities or getting started.

Whether you choose ongoing support or a one-time project, we always begin with a clear list of deliverables—typically including a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) and a list of potential grant opportunities.

📩 Ready to Find Grants That Fit?

Contact Highline Admin today for a free consult or ask about our grant research packages.

You focus on the mission. We’ll help find the funding.

Flight Expo Inc. Receives Generous Donations for Aviation Programs

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Thank you to CenterPoint Energy Foundation & City of Princeton!

We are thrilled to share some exciting news for our client, Flight Expo.

Thanks to the generous support of the CenterPoint Energy Foundation and the City of Princeton, Flight Expo Inc. is soaring to new heights!

Their recent donations are making a real impact:

✈️ Funding from CenterPoint Energy Foundation will allow us to purchase vital tools and equipment for our Build A Plane class, giving students more hands-on opportunities to learn, build, and grow in aviation.

✈️ A generous $2000 donation from the City of Princeton helped us purchase a G5 Flight Instrument for one of our Flying Club airplanes, making flights safer and more modern for our student pilots and club members.

Their investment is helping us inspire the next generation of aviators and strengthen aviation opportunities right here in our community. Thank you for being part of our journey.

Together, we’re making aviation dreams take flight!

With heartfelt appreciation,

The Highline Admin Team

Inclusive Outdoor Experiences: A Grant for Kids’ Safety and Fun

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Thank You, MN DNR and No Child Left Inside!

Highline Admin wants to express gratitude to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR). They also thank the No Child Left Inside Grant Program for helping our client, Cast Outdoor Adventures Inc. Your support means so much!

Your generous grant funding will allow Cast Outdoor Adventures to buy life jackets. They will also purchase fishing gear for their Adaptive Canoe Trip in August 2025. This special trip is for kids with different abilities. It gives them the chance to enjoy Minnesota’s beautiful lakes in a safe and fun way.

Spending time outside is really good for kids. It helps them feel brave, make friends, and enjoy nature. Thanks to your support, every child on this trip will have the gear they need to be safe. They will also have fun.

Every child should get the chance to paddle across a peaceful lake, try fishing, and make awesome memories. Your gift is helping make that possible!

Together, we are breaking down barriers and ensuring that no child is left inside.

With heartfelt appreciation,

The Highline Admin Team

Found: Kindness in an Envelope

A Surprising Act of Kindness at the Save the Boundary Waters Gala

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Recently, I attended the Save the Boundary Waters Gala in Minneapolis. To be honest, I wasn’t overly excited about going. I grew up in an inner-ring suburb, and while I used to love trips into the city, the last five years have changed a lot. Some of it hard to see.

When we arrived, all the close parking lots were already full. We circled a few times before finally finding a spot on the street several blocks away in front of DeLaSalle High School, home of the “Islanders.” Not exactly convenient, but we were grateful to find anything nearby.

Still, once we got to the venue, my hesitation melted away. The setting was stunning, the event beautifully put together, and the company we kept was even better. We had the pleasure of spending the evening with the folks from Cast Outdoors Adventures Inc. and the owners of North of North Resort—truly outstanding people.

But as these things often go, the night took a small turn.

When we got back to the car to head home, I reached for my driver’s license but it was nowhere to be found. We tore the car apart, retraced steps in our minds, checked pockets, bags, under seats. Nothing. The sinking feeling in my stomach confirmed what I didn’t want to admit: it was gone.

It was late (way past my bedtime!) and we had a long drive home on a weeknight. The stress started to creep in during that quiet hour-long ride. The next morning, I turned to Google (as one does) and found the standard advice: request a duplicate license and file a police report. Simple enough, but my brain wouldn’t stop spiraling through worst-case scenarios. Identity theft. Long lines at the DMV. The inconvenience of it all.

I tried to remind myself that in the grand scheme of things, this was a minor hiccup. No one was hurt. It was just a lost card. But that didn’t stop the weight of it from hanging over my head.

And then, something unexpected happened.

A week later, after getting back from a walk through the neighborhood, I stopped by the mailbox to grab the usual stack of flyers and bills. Nestled in the middle of the pile was an envelope addressed to me—from DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis.

Curious and confused, I tore it open—and there it was. My driver’s license.

No note, no explanation. Just someone who had found it, taken the time to look me up, and gone out of their way to return it. I stood on the driveway smiling like a kid who just found a surprise gift.

In a world where it’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong, this simple act reminded me that there are still so many people quietly doing good.

So to whoever at DeLaSalle High School found my license and made sure it got back to me—thank you. You turned a stressful week into a reminder that kindness still shows up, sometimes in the most unexpected envelopes.

Go Islanders.

With heartfelt appreciation,

The Highline Admin Team

Highline Admin: Your Solution for Managing Trade Business Paperwork

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Discover how Highline Admin can help. They manage permits and admin tasks. This allows trade businesses to stay focused on what they do best—getting the job done.

If you run a trade business—plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing, landscaping, or anything in between—you know how quickly the paperwork piles up. Permits, licenses, inspections, scheduling, invoices, contracts, and follow-ups. And let’s be honest: you didn’t start your business to sit behind a desk.

You started your business because you’re good at what you do—hands-on, boots-on-the-ground, problem-solving work. The kind of work that keeps the world running. But managing permits and staying compliant with local codes? That’s a full-time job on its own. And for many trade business owners, it’s one of the biggest pain points of running the business.

That’s where Highline Admin comes in.

The Problem: Paperwork That Keeps You Off the Job

Most cities and counties have different rules, forms, and timelines when it comes to construction and trade permits. If you’re working across jurisdictions or juggling multiple projects, that can quickly turn into a major time sink. Add to that:

Rejected or delayed permits due to incorrect paperwork
Missed deadlines
Clients waiting longer because of permit delays
Stress from trying to “figure it all out” between jobs

You know the cost of downtime. Every minute spent tracking down a permit is time you’re not billing, not building, not growing.

The Solution: Hire Highline Admin to Handle Permits and Back-Office Tasks

At Highline, we specialize in helping small trade businesses like yours stay on top of the paperwork. We do this without pulling you off the job site. Whether you need help once in a while, or just for a few hours a week, we fit into your business seamlessly. You won’t face the overhead of a full-time hire.

Here’s what we can help with:

✅ Permit applications and tracking
✅ Scheduling inspections
✅ Renewals and compliance paperwork
✅ Invoicing and follow-ups
✅ Vendor communication
✅ Any admin task that keeps you stuck at a desk instead of on the job

We speak “contractor.” That means we know your time is valuable, and we’ll keep the admin side moving so your projects stay on schedule.

Why Tradespeople Love Working with Highline

You get your time back. Focus on your crew, your clients, and the work you love—not the paper trail.

No training required. We already know the systems and red tape. You hand it off, and we take it from there.

Affordable flexibility. Whether you need 5 hours a week or just help with a specific project, we offer custom support to fit your needs and budget.

Professional support, warm communication. You’ll always have a real person in your corner, ready to tackle whatever’s clogging your to-do list.

Ready to Get Back to the Work You Love?

If you’re tired of chasing permits or getting stuck at the computer late at night, it’s time to bring in Highline. Let us take care of the back office so you can stay focused on the job site.

💬 Got questions or want to learn more?

A Night of Wilderness and Purpose: Attending the Save the Boundary Waters Gala with Cast Outdoor Adventures Inc.

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Last week, I had the honor of attending the Save the Boundary Waters Gala alongside my clients at Cast Outdoor Adventures Inc.—a night that was as inspiring as it was unforgettable.

The evening was hosted by Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness (NMW), the largest conservation organization in Minnesota dedicated to protecting and preserving the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the greater Quetico-Superior ecosystem.

Their mission resonates deeply with those of us who work in and around the outdoors: to ensure these wild and precious places remain intact for generations to come.

For those unfamiliar, NMW launched the Save the Boundary Waters national coalition in 2013 to create widespread awareness and action against threats like sulfide-ore copper mining, which poses a serious risk to this fragile ecosystem. The work they do is critical—not just for Minnesota, but for the national conservation movement.

“Speak loudly for this quiet place.”
Terry Tempest williams, keynote speaker

Attending with Cast Outdoor Adventures Inc. made the evening even more meaningful. As passionate outdoor guides and educators, their work directly connects people with the Boundary Waters and the profound peace and perspective that nature offers. Their commitment to environmental stewardship isn’t just something they talk about—it’s something they live out in every paddle stroke and every guided trip.

The gala was a celebration of this shared love for wilderness, filled with powerful stories, community energy, and renewed calls to action. From moving speeches to meaningful conversations with fellow advocates, the event underscored just how important it is that we continue to stand up for our wild spaces.

Walking away from the gala, I felt both grateful and galvanized. Grateful for organizations like NMW who have dedicated decades to this cause. Grateful for clients like Cast Outdoor Adventures who make conservation a part of their business DNA. And galvanized to continue supporting, amplifying, and standing with those who work tirelessly to protect the Boundary Waters.

Here’s to wild places—and the incredible people fighting to keep them that way. 🛶🌲

Learn more or get involved at www.savetheboundarywaters.org.

With heartfelt appreciation,

The Highline Admin Team

Running a nonprofit isn’t always easy – and it’s definitely not something you should do alone.

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Hosted by Sherburne County United Way, this monthly nonprofit leadership group is something truly special.

It’s not just about networking – it’s about building real, lasting friendships among nonprofit leaders who understand the highs and lows of this work.

We come together each month to share the good, the bad, and the ugly:

✔ Successes we’re proud of
✔ Challenges we’re working through
✔ Questions we’re not afraid to ask

This group is about more than professional development. It’s about cheering each other on at events, lifting each other up during hard times, and reminding one another why we do this work in the first place.

A huge thank you to Sherburne County Area United Way for organizing this group. What a wonderful idea to bring like-minded nonprofit leaders together to support one another – we’re so grateful for the connection, encouragement, and community you’ve made possible. 💛

If you’re a nonprofit leader looking for honest conversations and genuine support, you belong here.

#NonprofitLeadership #StrongerTogether #NonprofitSupport #LeadershipCircle #SherburneCountyUnitedWay

With heartfelt appreciation,

The Highline Admin Team

Client Love: Behind the Scenes with Highline Admin

ON THE BLOG

️One of the most rewarding parts of running Highline is building real relationships with the clients I serve.

Recently, two kind words came in that reminded me exactly why I do what I do.

“Faith is a pleasure to work with. She has excellent listening skills and is an effective communicator, which makes her an invaluable asset to any team. Her dedication and collaborative spirit make her a joy to work with, ensuring that every project she takes on succeeds.“

-Dawn Bordeaux, Bordeaux Enterprises Inc.

“For the past two years, Faith Connors, owner of Highline Admin, has been an incredible part of our extended team. With creativity, dedication, and a true passion for our mission, Faith has contributed across a wide range of areas—from grant writing and email marketing to event planning and community outreach.

She’s the talent behind many of our communications, helping us connect with supporters through thoughtful messaging and fresh ideas. Whether she’s drafting a campaign letter, setting up for a big event, or helping tear down our garage sale and man cave space, Faith brings energy and excellence to everything she does.

Her behind-the-scenes work has made a meaningful impact, and we’re so thankful to have her as part of our mission.”

-Flight Expo Inc.

These kind words mean so much. At Highline, my goal is to show up with purpose—whether I’m writing grants, planning events, or rolling up my sleeves to help out wherever I’m needed. Every email sent, spreadsheet cleaned up, or event prepped is done with intention to move your mission forward.

If you’re a small business owner or nonprofit leader who could use a reliable hand behind the scenes, I’d love to connect.

📩 Reach out any time: faith@highlineadmin.com

Let’s make your mission lighter—and your impact stronger.

highlinevirtual@gmail.com