Tips from our own London local to help you make the most of Xerocon

LAST UPDATED: May 28, 2024

Xerocon London 2024 is nearly here! World class speakers, innovative new tools and workflows, and a chance to connect with community peers, thought leaders and industry experts. From embracing uncertainty and the new frontiers of technology, to mastering app stacks, this year’s Xerocon is set to bring more inspiration and innovation than ever before.

With so much on offer, we talked to our General Manager of Partnerships (and London local), Michael Green, for his top Xerocon tips to help you get the most out of the event. 

How many Xerocons have you been to? 

Well I’ve been at Xero over 10 years now – in fact my Xero journey started as a plus one to another great Xero event, the annual Christmas party (find me at Xerocon if you want to know the story!). And I’ve been lucky enough to attend a few Xerocons in that time. It’s a coveted opportunity for us Xeros and I’m looking forward to being back this year.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s Xerocon?

Xerocon offers many things, but one of the most important is human connection. I love seeing all our amazing accounting and bookkeeping partners, and app partners, in one place for a magical two days. I learn so much in those two days – about our customers, our partners, and the broader landscape. It’s unbeatable.

One of my favourite things to do each year is walk around the floor and talk to our app partner exhibitors and see the incredible products and solutions on show. It’s always inspiring to me how our app partners identify and build innovative ways to help our joint customers connect their data, drive better insights, and work smarter.

What’s your number one tip for Xerocon attendees?

Come prepared! There is so much going on that it’s definitely worth putting a little planning time in before you hit the event floor, so you get what you want out of it. 

Some come to network with the community and share notes, or connect with our amazing ecosystem of app partners and exhibitors. Some come to see Xero’s latest innovations. Some just come for the party! 

Whatever your driving purpose is, make sure you have a plan to achieve what you want in the jam-packed two days. The agenda planner in the app is really useful for planning, but make sure you leave time around sessions for coffee breaks, exploring the exhibition hall, and checking out some of the fun activities on offer.

What are some of your must-see sessions at Xerocon this year?

Well, first off, I’ll give a shameless plug for the session I’ll be running because it’ll be a goodie.

Myself and Xero’s Vice President of Product – Ecosystem, Madhu Gupta, are presenting Mastering an app stack to supercharge your practice on day one (12 June), at Breakout Stage 2 at 3:45pm. 

We’ll be joined by two incredible accountants who will be sharing their journey with apps and app stacks. You’ll be getting a real-life view into how some practices are using the Xero App Store to connect apps, build app stacks and thrive in a new area of business. Whether it’s your first step into the world of apps or you want to grow your advisory services, come along!

Aside from that shameless plug, I wish I could choose them all, but here are a few more of my unmissable sessions:

• The Xerocon opening showcase (Day 1) and In conversation with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (Day 2) will be the kick-off sessions on each day and can’t be missed.
• I love a metaphor, and so does Xero’s own James Bergin, so check out his Catalyst of Innovation session on Day 2.
• I always love going along to our sponsored sessions, and this year there are some truly great ones! Head over to GoCardless’ session on Removing Unpredictability within your cash flow, and Scrutton Bland’s journey to success with Dext and Xero, both on Day 2.
• I also wouldn’t miss our special guest, Sam Conniff’s Keynote on Day 1 and Masterclass on Day 2, all about embracing uncertainty.
  

Any final pointers for accountants and bookkeepers attending Xerocon?

Use the event to your advantage! Once you’ve recovered from a remarkable two days, make sure you take everything you’ve learned back into your practice. That’s why we do Xerocon, to give you new knowledge and connections to use in your practice and with your clients.

What do I mean by that? Well, as a quick example, you could try using the learnings from our app stack session to start getting confident in your app use and knowledge. This could enable you to start or grow your advisory service offering, if that’s something you’re interested in. Or, you could gain valuable efficiencies in your own practice so you can spend more time on what matters – your clients!

Xerocon exhibitor checklist

We’ve put together a checklist to help you get the most out of app partners exhibiting at Xerocon:

• Write down what some of your goals are for this event. Whether you want to meet a few exhibitors, see some exclusive demos or ask some long-awaited questions to find the right solutions, write down your key deliverables and check them off as you go. 
• Trial some of the exhibitor apps ahead of time. There are over 50 app partners coming from all over the globe to exhibit at Xerocon, which can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to find a solution. We’ve put together a list of every app exhibitor you can find on the Xero App Store so you can start a few free trials ahead of time and come with a shortlist.
• Put together your own curated Xerocon agenda ahead of time. Xerocon’s a big event, which is why you can scroll through the sessions and add the ones of interest to your agenda, so you can stay focused on what you want to get out of the days.
• Attend a few app demos. Xerocon will be full of our app partners demoing their products. Add the ones you want to see to your schedule, so you can see their solution up close, ask questions and come away feeling confident in your choices. 
• Keep notes on your favourite sessions to share later. It can be hard to keep up with all of the insights and stories shared at Xerocon, but it’s always a good idea to keep short note summaries to look back on. It makes sharing your thoughts and personal takeaways across social channels later easy, and as a bonus you won’t forget a thing when you get back to the office.

Turn those trials into connections and recommendations. Saw your shortlisted apps in action and ticked off your questions? Head back to their listing on the Xero App Store and start a free trial or start a subscription in seconds. Found the perfect apps for your clients? Learn how to recommend apps directly from the Xero App Store and open up your advisory services today.