The first thing people ask after I attend a Xerocon event is, “Well, how was it?” It’s such a simple question, and yet if you’ve ever attended Xerocon, you’ll understand why it’s so hard to answer.

How do I describe the excitement around Xero’s latest innovations? The in-depth discussions on industry trends? The connections made while wandering the exhibition floor? The new ideas sparked while chatting to app partners? The friendships formed at the wrap party?

I usually say, “It was incredible, I loved it,” knowing that it doesn’t come close to explaining the true value that I believe this kind of event brings to our industry.

And so, as we wrap up Xerocon Nashville, pack away our cowboy hats, say farewell to new friends and fly home to all corners of the globe, I thought I’d share a few reflections on what I learned from the event, and will take with me as I dive back into the day-to-day.

We’re all here to make an impact

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, our CEO, opened Xerocon with a powerful reminder that Xero is — at its heart — a purpose-driven company. She touched on Xero’s strategy, ‘Winning on Purpose’ and how we believe there’s a huge opportunity to really help small businesses thrive, in partnership with accountants and bookkeepers.

It made me reflect on why I became an accountant in the first place — to help the small businesses that my family owned, and other entrepreneurs like them. And as I looked around the room, I could see that for all of us, the work we do isn’t just a career choice — it’s personal.

In my own keynote, I challenged everyone to really think about what their purpose is and what brings them joy, because I believe there’s so much opportunity in this industry to make a real impact, and so many pathways to use the extraordinary skills you’ve developed.

As I go back to the daily grind, I’m going to spend more time thinking about the aspects of my own role that bring me joy (connecting with customers and listening to their needs, then feeding that back into the business) and what tasks I can perhaps automate or delegate. I encourage you to do the same.

You are at the forefront of the industry

At Xerocon, I was struck by how many small businesses across North America are served by the accountants, bookkeepers and app partners who attended Xerocon. It’s not often that you get so many cloud accounting leaders in the same room.

And these partners aren’t sticking to the status quo — they’re out there every day, innovating and empowering small businesses to take the next step. Staying one step ahead was a common theme across our sessions, too. Jordan Vos, a certified change practitioner in our Canadian team, shared some ways to get clients over the line when it comes to adopting digital tools.

The one phrase that stood out to me was when he said “change is a personal decision.” Without a strong (and personal) “why,” then the client is unlikely to see the long-term value in the change. It’s such a great insight and one that I’m going to keep in mind as we help Xero customers continue to navigate change.

When it came to innovation, our EGM Technology Research & Advocacy, James Bergin, reminded us that, at the end of the day, technology is just a tool. Its true value lies in amplifying the work that we do and accelerating the innovation that we create. So when thinking about how to stay innovative, he challenged us all not to focus on the technology itself, but rather on what problems it can help us solve.

Understanding not only what drives true innovation, but also how to bring clients (and your team) on that journey, is a valuable skill set in any modern practice. Both of these sessions left many people in the audience madly taking notes, because the insights were both simple and profound.

It’s all about the human connection

Connecting with our accounting, bookkeeping and app partners is by far the highlight of Xerocon for me, and what I believe makes it so special. I learned so much from simply listening — to what you’re looking for in our product, the challenges you’re facing, how we can support you and what you’re excited about in the future.

The vulnerability shown by many of you in your conversations with me was inspiring. But it was also embraced by our speakers on stage. Liz Mason, one of our national ambassadors, delivered a powerful keynote on the transformation (and retransformation) of her practice into a CAS firm.

When it comes to CAS, Liz is ahead of the game. She’s been doing it for more than 10 years, and has always encouraged advisors to embrace it at scale.

But when it comes to sharing that journey, I love how she didn’t just highlight the successes, but acknowledged the failures — the things that didn’t go well, the lessons she learned. Overall, it was an incredible success story, but it was a valuable reminder that to support each other — and the small businesses we all serve — we need to learn from each other.

It’s why I was so excited to announce that soon, we’ll be launching a mentoring program for Xero partners across the US and Canada, where you can share your strengths and learn from others in areas you want to develop. We’re really proud to play a role in continuing those important conversations, so stay tuned for more details.

Thank you for being part of our community

When Ashley Hansen Grech, our Chief Revenue Officer, was presenting the Xero Awards with me today, she noted that it’s not often accountants and bookkeepers get to celebrate their own success. Often, they are so busy celebrating the success of their clients that their hard work behind the scenes goes unnoticed.

I’m proud that Xero is committed to supporting you — our accounting, bookkeeping and app partners — and the incredibly valuable work that you do for small businesses every day. And, I hope that Xerocon Nashville gave you an opportunity to celebrate your own success, and the success of your industry peers, as you continue to lead this industry into the future.

Overall, my biggest reflection of Xerocon Nashville is gratitude. Thank you for taking time away from your work and family to spend it with us. Thank you for making Xero more than a place to work, but where I can feel as though I’m among friends. And if you couldn’t join us, I hope you’ll come along and be part of the magic next time.