A New Chapter for Virtual Gurus: A Message from Bobbie Racette

I have some news to share, after eight incredible years as CEO of Virtual Gurus, I’m stepping into my next chapter as Founder & President.

What began as a $300 idea at my kitchen table because no one would give me a job is now a platform that has delivered over 800,000 hours of work, created thousands of jobs, and generated more than $15,000,000 in earned wages for diverse talent. When everyone told me no, I kept going and stayed true to my vision, and I’m so thankful it has grown into something that has touched and transformed thousands of lives.

From living on the edges of poverty to being named Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year, Indigenous Entrepreneur of the Year, and receiving the EY Special Citation Entrepreneur Award, completing executive programs at Harvard and INSEAD, becoming the first Indigenous woman in Canada to close a Series A, and sharing my story as a world-renowned speaker.

Virtual Gurus has been more than a company to me. It has been my medicine.

This transition isn’t about stepping away; it’s about taking a step back from the day-to-day operations and focusing on my sweet spot. I’ll be dedicating my energy to telling the Virtual Gurus story, deepening our Purpose & Impact strategy, and forging partnerships that will shape the future of work for diverse talent. I’ll also be working closely with our majority-female Board of Directors and our new CEO as we navigate this next stage of growth, combining the power of our AI agents with our talented Virtual Assistants to create a truly integrated platform.

Virtual Gurus was born from a deep belief that work should be inclusive for everyone. As an Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ founder, I was told ‘no’ 170 times before I heard my first ‘yes.’ What began with a mission to create space for underrepresented talent has grown into an international platform delivering real economic impact. This next chapter allows me to expand that impact while empowering new leadership to take us further.

I’m thrilled to congratulate Elliot Schneier on becoming Virtual Gurus’ new CEO.

Almost two years ago, he joined Virtual Gurus because we knew we wanted to work together. With a track record of scaling and exiting large scale-ups, Elliot brings knowledge of scale and strategy, and I’m excited to see where he takes VG.

To our team, our clients, our community, and every founder building something from scratch: the kitchen table was just the beginning. The best chapters are still ahead, and I can’t wait to help write them.

As I sign off as CEO and step fully into this next chapter, I’ll continue to live by the words that have guided me since the beginning: Be bold. Be brave. Be you.

With deep gratitude and even bigger dreams,

Bobbie Racette
Founder & President