Xero on a mission to help Kiwi small businesses thrive

8 October 2018 – A nationwide roadshow will kick off this month with the aim of increasing New Zealand’s productivity and business success by focusing on the country’s small businesses and their trusted advisors - accountants and bookkeepers.

Small businesses make up 97 percent of all enterprises in New Zealand and contribute around 28 percent of GDP. But Craig Hudson, Xero’s Managing Director for New Zealand and Pacific Islands, believes that with the right advice and support they could one day contribute 50 percent of GDP.

Xero will take to the road to meet accountants, bookkeepers and small businesses across 14 regions, providing them with valuable information about how to increase their productivity, grow their business and best use the technology tools at their disposal.

Craig Hudson said: “As a country we need to foster growth and innovation. We know that Kiwis are exceptionally hard workers, but we struggle with low productivity levels. We believe that, by working together, this can change.

“Accountants and bookkeepers have a huge opportunity here to provide support and advice that enables small businesses to be successful. Imagine if every one of our Kiwi small businesses hired even half a new employee - what that would do to economic growth and GDP contribution? The potential is here and I’m challenging every accountant and bookkeeper to review how they operate and explore new ways to support their clients - whether that’s leveraging data from Xero Small Business Insights to inform decisions or branching into app advisory services.”

The Xero Roadshow is an annual event for Xero’s partners, connecting them with product experts and partner consultants and for the first time this year it will also be open to small businesses. It will provide key strategy updates and deliver breakout content sessions to accountants, bookkeepers and small business owners from Whangarei to Invercargill.

Each event has a tailored agenda so that both advisors and small businesses can get the most from each day, including one-on-one sessions, networking events and customised keynotes. One-on-one sessions will also be held on a drop-in basis so small businesses can get help with any specific requests.

Leaine Jones, Founder of Jones Business Solutions, has been a Xero partner for more than eight years and regularly attends the roadshows. Leaine says they provide small business owners, accountants and bookkeepers with the opportunity to rub shoulders with their peers and build new and existing relationships.

“The roadshows are packed full of engaging and relatable content which ensures visitors leave with a wealth of fresh knowledge and understanding. It’s not just a static conversation. There’s always a host of Xero representatives on the ground to speak with small business, bookkeepers and accountants about their unique needs, which makes it all the more personal. Xero invests a lot of time listening to the needs of their partners, which I believe is why they get it right every time.”

The Xero Roadshow runs from 16 October to 6 December, and will visit; Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown.

To register, go to: https://www.xero.com/nz/events/roadshow-2018/

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