Cyberbacker is an innovative and mission-driven company connecting entrepreneurs with high-quality virtual assistants. It created 23 franchises last year and is on track to double that number in 2022. A real estate executive went from hiring one virtual assistant to founding a company that provides world-class administrative support to thousands. CEO Craig Goodliffe and Vice President of Franchise Development Jason Stowe share insights that can scale a business and take it to the next level.
Ensure customer satisfaction for new franchisees
Goodliffe and Stowe have 48 franchises ready to launch in 2022, and each new partner is chomping at the bit. “Every franchise we have sold is in love with Cyberbacker,” Goodliffe says. “When I give them the exclusive opportunity to get in early and be the brand ambassador for that market area, they catch the vision right away.”
Much of Cyberbacker’s success is attributed to satisfied customers who spread the word. Old-fashioned organic word of mouth is how his company was born.
In 2012, Goodlife placed a Craigslist ad for an assistant to help with overflow real estate work. He sold homes in Utah but took a chance on hiring a candidate from the Philippines. His new hire was a single mother who desperately needed the work. With her new salary, she provided a home for her baby and even added on to her parents’ house.
Goodliffe’s new assistant was not the only one benefiting from the relationship. In no time, she revolutionized his work life. “I could go days without touching my keyboard,” Goodliffe says. “If I told you I would do something, she put it on my to-do list, and it got done 100% of the time.”
It was not long before a friend asked Goodlife for his secret. “You’re selling 200 homes a year, and you take nights and weekends off,” she observed. “I’m doing the same job, but I work from sunup to sundown.”
That request quickly turned into more inquiries. Within months, word of mouth created a loyal customer base. During 2018, Goodliffe founded Cyberbacker and placed 100 remote assistants.
Cyberbacker’s franchising growth has been just as rapid. The Vice President of franchise development believes investing in Cyberbacker is an easy decision because the return is clear. “Any potential franchisee has to consider whether buying into a company will meet a revenue threshold worth the investment,” explains Stowe. “In the case of Cyberbacker, our investment is on the low end, and our franchisees earn at least two to three times what they put in during the first year.”
Offer a support system to new franchises
Stowe offers support to ensure a smooth startup for each new franchise. “Whether you hire the services of a personal Cyberbacker or buy a franchise, your investment comes with a support team,” he says. “If you haven’t looked at leveraging yourself to compound your interest in life, you should. We’re going to compound your interest in a way that gives you time back with family, more monetary gain, and greater personal growth. We’re here to reduce the chaos in your life.”
Goodliffe started Cyberbacker to make life more manageable for entrepreneurs, and that mission has not changed. “Our franchisees are not left to build independently,” he promises. “We supply a support team that does 80 percent of the work. The only responsibility of our franchisees is to network and refer people to us.”
Hire qualified staff
As CEO of Cyberbacker, Goodliffe knows the value of hiring to do a job well. Time was the commodity he needed more than anything else when he placed that ad for an assistant almost five years ago.
With Cyberbacker’s rapid scaling, Goodliffe knew he needed help; hence, Cyberbacker’s new Vice President of Franchise Development. “The smartest thing I did during franchising was hiring an expert,” he says. “If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is to get into business with the right people. One of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make is not hiring the help they need or not relinquishing responsibility to the help they hire.”
Define a mission that aligns with company values
Both Goodliffe and Stowe are committed to Cyberbacker’s growth, but their motivation stems from something more profound than a competitive drive or material gain. Goodliffe built a company that aligns with his core values and hired people who shared those values.
Goodliffe created Cyberbacker to give back to the people of the Philippines. “When I first visited the country, I learned about street children,” he recalls. “I saw kids making their homes in garbage dumps and rummaging for things to sell.”
The poverty of the tiny nation struck Goodlife especially hard as he battled a lawsuit during the company’s first year. “PayPal froze $136,000,” recalls Goodliffe. “They mistakenly flagged us for money laundering since we pay overseas employees. I flew over there to make sure our people were paid, but I was certain the company was going down.”
In the midst of Goodliffe’s business crisis, he noticed a little girl selling a yellow Sampaguita flower. At that moment, he gained perspective. He knew that no matter how bad things got for his company, he would eat dinner and sleep in a hotel that night. The little girl would be on the street. Goodliffe prayed then and there that Cyberbacker would survive the lawsuit and grow to offer something for this girl’s future.
“You have to ensure your values align,” agrees Stowe. “We all know our end goal is supporting our people in the Philippines and other parts of the world. Whenever I create a job or a franchise, I first ask if it will be a win for the people who work for us.”
Scaling a small business is no small undertaking. Ensuring customer satisfaction, offering support, hiring qualified staff, and defining mission-driven values are tips that point any entrepreneur toward sustainable growth. To learn more about Craig Goodliffe and Cyberbacker, readers can visit the company’s website.
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