Help for Small Businesses in Lorton Area

After retiring from the military last year at age 42, Joy Bolluyt was ready for a second career - but one with more flexibility to balance work and family. As a lieutenant colonel and mother of 12-year-old twin daughters, Bolluyt was used to juggling many balls.

But she wanted to settle down in her native Northern Virginia and take her life in a new direction.  As a military leader, Bolluyt (pronounced Beloit) knew she was marketable, yet yearned to “build something from scratch” and always wanted her own business. And she had a lofty goal – profitability in a year, when it can take anywhere from five to 10 years to make money in a new business.

“A small business can achieve big business results without the big business price tag,” she said, adding that “small-business owners can achieve a better quality of life by focusing solely on their business, rather than keeping up with tasks outside their comfort zone.”

Bolluyt decided to buy a franchise and after months of searching, found the right fit with Cybertary. In February, she launched the franchise that serves Lorton, Springfield and Newington. And with her contacts from her Army days and elsewhere, Bolluyt has gained clients in other parts of the county as well.    

Cybertary is a home-based business that provides small business owners and clients with back office support. Cybertary Franchising was founded in 2005, to provide administrative support and specialized services to businesses, entrepreneurs and executives and is the only virtual assisting franchise system in the country, according to its founder.

“I really felt like it would be the right fit,” said Bolluyt, who liked that she could work from home. The price was right: Bolluyt paid $34,000 for the franchise, while others were far more expensive (as much as $2 million) or required a lot of overhead. Furthermore, there are only two other Cybertary franchises in the Washington metropolitan area, which gives her room to grow.

“With the skills I bring to the table, I could contribute to the company,” Bolluyt said, adding that her Cybertary staff work more efficiently and cost effectively than a regular brick and mortar staff, because clients are spared the expense of office equipment, overhead and benefits.

“I become their online business manager and hopefully part of their team,” Bolluyt said, and joked: “I should be on their speed-dial.”

As the online business manager, Bolluyt has a staff of 10 that handle graphic design, event planning, bookkeeping and social media. And because business is conducted online, some team members live as far away as Texas and California. Web-based services that allow freelancers, virtual professionals and small businesses with remote teams to collaborate on projects.

Bolluyt has several clients and is negotiating for others, including a restaurant and beauty salon in the Lorton area.

Al Lesko, president of Best Bet Franchise in Oregon, is one of Bolluyt’s clients. He also connected her with Cybertary. Bolluyt's team handles his social media outreach. “No other client has put so much time and thought into their effort,” Lesko said. “There is no one I have more confidence in.”

Bolluyt earned her first paycheck after two months in business. As her own boss, it was no problem to recently take a day off for a school field trip. She has finally achieved that work-life balance that she wanted for so many years.