Virtual Gurus named as one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies

Calgary, Alberta – September 29, 2023

Virtual Gurus places in the top 100 of Canada’s Top Growing Companies

Virtual Gurus is pleased to announce they are in the top 100 out of 425 companies on the 2023 Report on Business ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies.

This is a highly respected national achievement for the lead echelon of Canadian businesses given by the Globe and Mail yearly. The distinction ranks companies on three-year revenue growth. Virtual Gurus earned its spot with a growth of 512%.

This distinction adds to Virtual Gurus’ growing reputation across North America as a company with clients who are Fortune 500 executives, startup entrepreneurs, and small business owners alike. Virtual Gurus’ strategic scale and early adoption with founders and larger enterprise companies has also garnered them accolades from Forbes, who announced Virtual Gurus as being one of the top 19 Innovative Tech Startups to watch.

The Indigenous, female-founded, tech-enabled company (founded in 2016), is known for its commitment to building an inclusivity-first company, championing Indigenous people and the 2SLGBTQI+ community, as well as female-founded businesses, which traditionally face greater barriers.

U.S. Offering

Canada’s Top Growing Companies distinction comes at a time when Virtual Gurus is proud to be expanding offerings to their customers in the U.S. market, which is growing to be nearly half of the total Virtual Guru clientele base.

As a subscription-based model, Virtual Gurus curates matches between businesses and onshore North American assistants using proprietary technology that combines machine learning, algorithms and human expertise.

“We’ve had incredible early adoption by startups to enterprise-level companies, especially in Western Canada where we are founded. Our customers know firsthand the impact a Virtual Guru can have on their business. It’s a perfect time to expand and offer more options for our customers in the United States,” says Rob Shaw, Virtual Gurus Chief Technology Officer,  adding that this beautiful, symbiotic relationship between serving business owners and helping under-served communities has enabled The Virtual Gurus to grow at an amazing pace. 

When we think of remote assistants, what may first come to mind is executive assistant support, bookkeeping and the like. Virtual Gurus offers all of these services, but what people don’t often realize is that a virtual guru can also include sales support, marketing and social media assistance, and even industry-specific support for legal, real estate and medical offices.

Background on Canada’s Top Growing Companies

Canada’s Top Growing Companies is an editorial ranking that was launched in 2019. It aims to bring the accomplishments of innovative businesses in Canada to the forefront. To qualify for this voluntary program, companies had to complete an in-depth application process and fulfill requirements. In total, 425 companies earned a spot on this year’s ranking.

“This year’s Report on Business magazine’s list of Top Growing Companies shows how innovative ideas always rise to the top, perhaps even more so in times of uncertainty,” says Andrew Saunders, CEO of The Globe and Mail. “The Globe and Mail congratulates this year’s winners for meeting and surpassing those economic challenges.”

Bobbie Racette, Virtual Gurus Founder and CEO 

Virtual Gurus founder Bobbie Racette is a Cree-Metis woman and an unstoppable force in the Canadian startup community. She is named Indigenous Entrepreneur of the Year by PowWow Pitch (2022), and an E&Y Entrepreneurial Woman, North America Class of 2022.

In recognition of The Report on Business ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies, Racette is featured in the October 2023 issue of Report on Business magazine. The list is out now and online here.

Racette prides herself on building an inclusivity-first company and championing others.

“As a female founder and indigenous woman I know firsthand what it is to live through barriers. I’m someone who has always been told ‘no’ when my goal has always been to live a successful life, follow my passion and contribute,” says Racette. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that Virtual Gurus supports not only entrepreneurs and businesses on their journey, but also our remote virtual assistants (gurus) by providing work-from-home opportunities through the platform and breaking down those barriers to career and job opportunities.”

Racette is a passionate advocate for female founders, entrepreneurs of all genders and backgrounds, as well as Indigenous people and the 2SLGBTQI+ community. She is a sought-after speaker and expert in the above areas who prides herself on helping to advocate for and collaborate with these communities while showing line-of-sight to success through example and a commitment to give as much as one takes.

She is a passionate and unapologetic media pundit and speaker. A great interview, and an advocate for all entrepreneurs!

Racette is available to media to speak on:

• Entrepreneurship and startup culture
• Indigenous people as well as 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurship and equity issues
• Building successful technology and tech-adjacent scaleups
• Female empowerment in businesses

Bobbie Racette’s 2023 speaking and award announcements:

• Racette will speak at the Native Women Lead Growth Capital Summit in early October 2023
• She is a finalist for Canada’s Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 and will speak at their event in Palm Springs in November
• Received the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business 2023 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the University of Victoria
• Featured as a guest judge on an upcoming episode of ATPN’s Bears Lair TV reality series, about Indigenous entrepreneurs
• Speaker, Scotiabank Women Initiative® Strikeup Conference 2023

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Virtual Gurus has several exciting major partnerships and milestone announcements in 2023.

For more information and to schedule interviews with Bobbie Racette, or another member of the Virtual Gurus team please contact:

THERESA TAYLER | PRINCIPAL & FOUNDER, STARTMEUP PR

[email protected]

and/or

[email protected]

+1 403 818 9689

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About Virtual Gurus

Virtual Gurus is a subscription-based talent marketplace that leverages proprietary technology to match organizations with highly skilled remote assistants from Canada and the U.S. We recruit talented remote assistants from traditionally underrepresented communities who may have faced barriers to employment. Then we curate personalized matches between organizations and assistants using a combination of our own algorithm, machine learning and human expertise – all within a monthly subscription. It’s a win-win-win for businesses, assistants, and diversity. Learn more at www.thevirtualgurus.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn