"It's really been a great experience. I'm thankful for the opportunity to endorse BELAY and be able to share my experience because it's been great. The customer service has been great. Responsiveness has been great. The work conducted by representatives has been top-notch. I have a high personal standard and for those that I work with – and BELAY has met and exceeded those expectations."
— Tom DuFore, CEO
The Challenge
Tom DuFore, CEO of Big Sky Franchise Team, had built his company into an award-winning franchise consultancy — but rapid growth came at a cost. As the person responsible for company strategy, vision, and growth, Tom found himself stretched thin and recognized he needed to duplicate himself with dedicated support. He turned to BELAY for a Virtual Assistant, but the first placement didn't take hold.
"It just was not a good fit – and it kind of fell apart in the first six weeks. It really was noticeable. I tried pushing through, but it wasn't working. I needed a right hand, and help with not just administrative duties but a mix of everything."
Despite his frustration, Tom was understandably hesitant about going through the matching process again. It was only at the encouragement of his BELAY Client Success Consultant that he agreed to trust the process a second time. He also had a very specific need: someone who could operate fluidly across multiple registers — from boardroom-level executive conversations to everyday administrative tasks.
"There are times I'm [having] very high-level conversations with large business executives. And then there are times where you're making copies. So, we needed someone that could work within that dynamic."
The Solution
Armed with a clear picture of what hadn't worked and what Tom truly needed, BELAY went back to the drawing board. The result was a match with VA Evonne — and the fit was immediately apparent. Evonne brought an entrepreneurial mindset, a marketing focus, and strong customer service instincts that aligned perfectly with Big Sky Franchise Team's values and culture.
"She's just been fantastic, absolutely amazing. It's a perfect fit for our needs. She is entrepreneurial-minded, she's marketing-focused, customer service-oriented – all of the things that are important to me and our values."
Evonne started by taking over the tasks Tom dreaded most — accounting, billing, and other administrative pain points — freeing him to focus on higher-level priorities. When a long-tenured administrative professional at Tom's restoration company retired, he turned to Evonne again rather than hiring externally. She stepped in without missing a beat, taking on billing, collections, general administrative support, and even hiring for the second business.
When bookkeeping needs arose across both companies, Tom returned to BELAY once more. BELAY bookkeeper Sam took over the books for both businesses, and because Evonne had already established shared workflows and cultural alignment, Sam's onboarding was seamless. Together, the three formed a cohesive support system:
"Evonne, Sam and BELAY – we've got this whole support system for these companies we're running and managing together."
"She's just been fantastic, absolutely amazing. It's a perfect fit for our needs. She is entrepreneurial-minded, she's marketing-focused, customer service-oriented – all of the things that are important to me and our values. She fits in so, so well with us."
— Tom DuFore, CEOThe Impact
With Evonne and Sam handling operations across both Big Sky Franchise Team and his restoration company, Tom was free to think strategically and pursue growth with full focus. The results were measurable and significant.
"She definitely was part of the reason that 2018 to 2019, we doubled our growth and the year after had a 50-percent growth rate. There's no doubt she was a big part of that, helping to clear some of those things out of my mind to jump into it."
Beyond the revenue milestones, Tom gained something equally valuable: a trusted team that could grow with him. Evonne's deep familiarity with his preferences, culture, and working style made it easy to expand the BELAY relationship to include bookkeeping, and then to a second business — all without losing momentum or cohesion.
Tom now speaks of BELAY not just as a vendor, but as a genuine partner — one that has consistently met and exceeded his high personal standards.
"The customer service has been great. Responsiveness has been great. The work conducted by representatives has been top-notch. I have a high personal standard and for those that I work with – and BELAY has met and exceeded those expectations."