She has the midas touch

I first met Gillian Rossouw when we made a video back in February 2009. While relatively new to Xero her enthusiasm knew no bounds. Within minutes she had the young film crew hanging off her every word and all but signed up to Xero.

Two years on she is the first bookkeeper in the Xero network to reach gold partner status. (Gillian is pictured with Xero Australia’s Chris Ridd and Wayne Schmidt when we announced this at our recent Roadshow.) To become a gold partner you need to convert and continue to service 100 clients on Xero – not bad for a one-woman band whose services include tackling challenging IT issues for clients.

Getting started

Gillian first did a trial of Xero in May 2009, but it wasn’t until the September that she signed up. “I’d broken my wrist and couldn’t drive,” she says. “I thought how am I going to see clients? I can’t catch cabs everywhere.” While she had liked what she saw, this clinched the deal. “I’ve been a sponge for more knowledge of Xero ever since.”

Gillian has created a diverse portfolio of clients on Xero including an oncologist, retirement village, fish and chip shop, caravan park, furniture manufacturer, pool fencing company and an opal mining company — to name a few! While many of these are based on the Gold Coast, Australia where Gillian lives, Xero has allowed her to take on clients in other regions and even offshore.

Gillian’s services go well beyond bookkeeping and she’s carved quite a niche helping clients choose and integrate add-on solutions. “Xero’s API really is such a bowl of candy now that there is always something to offer a client who has a different need,” she says.

Other bookkeepers can do this too

Gillian believes this is an exciting time for bookkeepers. “I’ve been quite overwhelmed with the support I’ve received about this and I hope it will encourage other bookkeepers to become a gold partner.” While she admits it’s been hard work there’s been a lot of fun along the way.

We can certainly vouch for her fun and stamina. A self confessed “Xero Groupie,” Gillian is the only partner who has been to four Xerocons. And while it’s a given that she’ll be at Xerocon Australia in July (last year she scooped the Xero Knowledge Award), watch out world. Now that 27 September has been locked in for Xerocon UK, Gillian’s booking her flight.