An employee tells: How Xerocon changed my career

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The year was 2017, and then-intermediate accountant Belinda Albert had been tasked with moving her entire practice over to Xero. So when presented with the opportunity to attend Xerocon – the largest accounting technology conference in all of Australasia – she went ahead and signed herself up.

Not entirely sure what to expect, she assumed it would be all about upskilling and learning to master the software. You know, standard corporate convention kind of stuff. Instead, what she came away with was an entirely new perspective. Belinda explains, “That first Xerocon opened up a whole new world for me. I discovered where technology and innovation were heading within the accounting and bookkeeping industry. And I was just so inspired by what I saw.”

Discovering a whole new world view

That big picture insight has guided her ever since. ”As an employee, it’s really easy to get stuck in a bubble of focusing only on the day-to-day aspects of your role. Now, I take every opportunity that comes my way and run with it. That means always thinking about what I can do bigger and better”, Belinda details.

Fellow Xerocon repeat attender, Hai Trang of OneLedger agrees: “There’s so much movement in the business of technology and compliance – it can be hard to keep up. Not only does Xerocon help you stay on top of everything, but you get to learn firsthand from the people who are setting the pace (and get out there and mingle with them too).”

Fast forward to today and Belinda is now senior client manager at Melbourne’s Financially Sorted of the Chan Naylor Group. Ahead of her third Xerocon, she has some sage advice for those considering sending their employees: “You’ve got nothing to lose, only something to gain. Beyond discovering exactly what it is clients are looking for, everyone gets the opportunity to build on their soft skills. Xerocon is very much geared towards personal development and growth.”

Making connections and forging careers

Sharing Belinda’s viewpoint, Hai and his co-director Andrew Hubbard have made a habit of bringing a number of their people along for the ride each year. “It’s just such a worthwhile investment. Not only does it mean your team can stay up-to-date with the latest software and app partners, but they can make genuine connections with other bookkeepers and accountants.”

And those connections can make all the difference. Hai explains, “As an industry, we just love to share our stories! Our team members have come home with invaluable insights from other firms who’ve faced similar hurdles.” Belinda adds, “Any question you might have, there’s someone at Xerocon who can answer it.”

This year’s program is all about inspiring a new generation of industry leaders and pioneering a new era of cloud solutions. And with 15 high-energy hours of content to soak up and over 3,000 people to network and connect with, Xerocon Brisbane 2019 promises to be nothing short of career-changing.

Taking place at the Brisbane Convention Centre on 4 to 5 September, Xerocon 2019 is fast approaching. Register and secure your place now.

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