Virtual Gurus: Reflecting on 2023 with gratitude

“What were you grateful for over the past year?”

It’s a question that Virtual Gurus founder and CEO Bobbie Racette reflects on at the close of each year. No, make that each day. It’s a central principle that has guided Bobbie throughout her career and personal life, and has become a mantra for all of us as a team.

Gratitude is a deep appreciation that ties us to the world and to each other. It helps us recognize the positives in our lives, encouraging kindness and humility. At Virtual Gurus, gratitude isn’t just a sentiment; it’s a foundational value that guides our actions and relationships.

As 2023 winds down, we proudly reflect on a year our team had much to be grateful for.

We’re Grateful For…

1. The opportunity to help the overworked and overwhelmed.

Virtual Gurus was founded with a mission to simplify work lives for others.

By handling the tasks that consume time and energy, we help our clients to excel in what they do best – driving their business growth. This year, we reached a milestone in serving a record number of clients.

We’ve been moved by all the feedback, which reflects the significant, positive change we’ve brought to their professional lives. And the dedication of our visual assistants.

2. A talented staff and rapidly expanding team of virtual assistants.

Nothing beats working with great people. Our team is the absolute best and the heart of our success. As we’ve grown, we have been able to offer economic opportunities to virtual assistants across North America – many of whom come from underserved and underrepresented communities.

This year marked a significant milestone for us, as we have now provided our virtual assistants with over 500,000 hours of work.

3. Expanding services to meet client needs.

This year, we wanted to find new ways to expand our service offering to support our clients’ diverse needs. As a result, we introduced three new virtual assistant services: human resources, customer support, and e-commerce assistants.

The positive feedback we’ve received on these new services has been incredibly affirming, showing us that we’re on the right track in supporting client growth and helping to enhance their operational efficiency.

4. Discovering new opportunities to improve our services.

Thanks to our innovative VG tech team, 2023 has been a year of exciting advancements. We launched three services that have significantly elevated our clients’ experience. Highlights include:

• The launch of Talentplace as a comprehensive, user-friendly integrated platform for managing virtual assistants.
• The launch of VG OnDemand—a project-based service for those seeking a virtual assistant but with the flexibility of an on-demand service. Including:
  • Simple, straightforward, transparent pricing
  • Easy tracking and reporting
  • 24/7 Customer Support

5. Strengthening impact through partnerships

Our partnership with MasterCard® goes beyond business. MasterCard World Elite® Small Business cardholders receive a 20% discount over the first three months of a Virtual Gurus monthly subscription. Together, we are working to support entrepreneurs from all backgrounds, including those from the First Nations & Metis communities, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and female entrepreneurs who traditionally face employment barriers.

We’ve been blessed to have the backing and support of the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good.  The Fund invests in startups that are driving social and environmental change and has supported Virtual Gurus for our commitment to DEI initiatives in the workplace.

Finally, this year we teamed up with The Scotiabank Women Initiative. All participants in the program will receive a 3-month discount on Virtual Guru’s diverse virtual assistant services. This will help female entrepreneurs tap into our support services so they can focus on growing their businesses.

Looking ahead: embracing 2024 with vision and purpose

As we step into 2024, Virtual Gurus will continue to expand our services across North America and discover more innovative ways to fulfill our clients’ diverse needs.

We have several exciting upgrades and innovations planned for the new year, with the goal of offering clients a bigger, better and even more benefit-driven experience.

Continuing our commitment, we’ll remain a voice for underrepresented communities, both through our employment practices and social initiatives.

Looking back at 2023 with gratitude, we’re so excited by the prospects of the coming year. We have a lot to be grateful for and thank everyone who has been part of this journey.