Zirtual

Busy professionals and entrepreneurs lack time for administrative tasks like scheduling, emails, travel, and research, hindering business growth.

Provides dedicated, US-based, college-educated virtual assistants trained to handle these tasks efficiently and professionally.

High burn rate from switching to full-time employees, accounting errors missing payroll cycles, and an investor withdrawing from a $3m cash infusion.

Zirtual aimed to alleviate the administrative burdens faced by busy professionals and entrepreneurs. Recognizing that tasks such as scheduling, email management, travel arrangements, and research consumed valuable time and hindered business growth, Zirtual offered a solution: dedicated, US-based, college-educated virtual assistants. These assistants were trained to efficiently and professionally handle a range of administrative duties, allowing clients to focus on core business activities. However, Zirtual ceased operations abruptly in August 2015 following the collapse of a funding round, resulting in the overnight layoff of 400 employees. The company subsequently sold its brand and assets to Startups.co. The shutdown was attributed to a high burn rate stemming from a transition to full-time employees, coupled with accounting errors that led to missed payroll cycles, and ultimately, the withdrawal of a committed $3 million investment.