After years of working in operations in the U.S. Air Force, Dida Clifton was armed with the know-how to run an office correctly, especially when the stakes are high. She used that knowledge to build TheOfficeSquad, a company with the mission of bringing the bookkeeping and administrative support that large corporations have in-house to small businesses. By Kelsi Trinidad
After years of working in operations in the U.S. Air Force, Dida Clifton was armed with the know-how to run an office correctly, especially when the stakes are high. She used that knowledge to build TheOfficeSquad, a company with the mission of bringing the bookkeeping and administrative support that large corporations have in-house to small businesses.
“I found this niche where people needed the same support that I gave fighter pilots so that they could accomplish their mission,” said Clifton. “I wanted small-business owners to have that same power. They can have dependable, honest support in every aspect of growing their business so that they can fly the plane.”
Since 2001, Clifton has grown TheOfficeSquad to include offices and executive suites to rent. In 2021, the National Association of Women Business Owners recognized her in the entrepreneur category at the Women of Distinction Awards. “I see how it’s really hard for women to do what they want to do with home and family and husband and business. I want everybody to be on the same playing field,” said Clifton, crediting a lot of the success she experienced early on in her business to her husband and family.
Clifton prides herself on her franchisee collective, or what she calls “The Wing,” another concept she carried over from her time in the Air Force.
“We at headquarters are the overall mother bird, protecting all of our squadrons,” Clifton said. “They grow under our wings. We want everybody to support each other, and we want to be the one consistent support for our franchisee, no matter where they are in their growth.”
The concept of The Wing represents the ongoing support that the corporate office provides to franchisees across operations, marketing, business development and leadership.
TheOfficeSquad just opened its second corporate location in Henderson, Nevada, partially as a natural business expansion but also to prove that the franchise model does, in fact, work. Clifton took the sum of money required to open a TheOfficeSquad franchise and did just that with this location. The company stands behind its method and has a declining royalty over time to support and incentivize its long-standing franchises. Clifton wants to show franchisees she’s in it for the long haul with them.
With future growth in mind, Clifton hopes to start a school to help aspiring bookkeepers gain training and build a career. “It’s been challenging to find the bookkeepers that I need, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m going to have to create my own,” she said. The school would supply TheOfficeSquad franchises with bookkeeping and administrative staff, and it would even give students the knowledge to eventually own a franchise one day.
From serving in the Air Force to being a pilot of her own company, Clifton has a clear vision for TheOfficeSquad’s next chapter and is always looking toward expanding the squad and solidifying its culture.
“We want to recruit the future, and it’s all coming together,” she said.
Kelsi Trinidad