Why our Xeros love Toronto
Today, we announced the official opening of our new Xero office in downtown Toronto. We’re excited about our growth in Canada since we officially launched Xero last May, and our new space will hold our growing Toronto team as we continue to develop in the region.
I’m proud to call Toronto home and it’s an amazing place to live and work. While it was quite a change leaving the beach lifestyle in Australia and landing in Toronto in the middle of winter, I’ve been overwhelmed by how Xero has been received in Canada. We’re very happy to be here helping small businesses and their advisors succeed and see an amazing opportunity in front of us.
For anyone who’s passionate about changing the game for small businesses in Canada, I sat down with some of my fellow Toronto colleagues to learn more about what drew them to the city and why they call Toronto home.
Avinash Dutt, Practice Implementation Lead
How long have you been at Xero and what is your role?
I’ve been working at Xero for 5 years, and I work on the Partner Consulting team. My role is to help our accounting and bookkeeping partners as they move on to the Xero platform. I previously worked for Xero in New Zealand and transferred to become part of the growing team in Canada. Five years ago, I never would have thought I’d be living in Canada and doing product demos in front of 250-odd people, but here I am. Having these career opportunities is a big reason why I’ve stayed with Xero for so long, and I know a number of other Xeros who have seen similar growth in their careers here.
Can you pinpoint what it is about Toronto that makes you excited to be a resident?
Toronto is a really diverse city, and there’s always something going on, no matter your interests. I like how diverse each season is, as you don’t really get that in New Zealand, and because each season is so short, people really make the most of it. There’s always street festivals and concerts going on in summer, awesome colours in the fall, ice skating and sledding in the winter, and seeing the city start to come back to life in the spring.
What is your favorite thing about the Toronto office?
It’s awesome having all the Toronto team together in one big office, and having our own space. Xero is starting to build some momentum in Canada, and you can sense the team buzzing at the good thing we’ve got going on here.
Where will we most likely find you on the weekend?
Probably exploring a new or favorite neighborhood, grabbing a bite, finding a low key bar with good beers, or catching some live music or a show.
What are your go-to spots in the city?
Allwyns for Jerk Chicken sandwiches, King Slice for pizza. Danforth Music Hall with it’s sloped floor for gigs, RBC Echo Beach for summer shows. Ontario Place down by the water is also a nice spot for a run.
What would be your advice for anyone thinking of moving to Toronto?
I was genuinely worried about the winter, but as long you have the right gear, it’s not actually that bad. I enjoy the winter because it’s still such a novelty to me, and there’s skating rinks everywhere, so pick up a cheap pair of skates and try be Canadian. Be sure to throw in a couple of extra o’s when saying ‘sorry’, and if you’ve never written a cheque before, better start practicing…
Dina Jankovic, Data Analyst
How long have you been at Xero and what is your role?
I’ve been at Hubdoc/Xero for a little over a year, and I’m a Data Analyst in the Machine Learning Team. I help my team analyze our data and algorithms to make better future decisions.
What is your favorite thing about working for Xero?
It is undoubtedly the brilliant minds I’m surrounded by. I love a good challenge, and there are plenty of them at Xero.
What do you enjoy the most about the team you’re on?
We use cutting-edge AI technology to achieve our results, and constantly work on enhancing our metrics and figuring out the best solutions. It’s a pleasure to see our hard work paying off and improving the overall user experience.
Can you pinpoint what it is about Toronto that has made you interested in living or working here?
I like the fact that Toronto is a very international city, where I get the chance to meet people from all over the world (literally)! I constantly get to learn about different cultures and traditions.
What is your favorite thing about the Toronto office?
There’s plenty of friendly, enthusiastic, and helpful people, and we’re always growing – we thrive to build a great product together!
Where will we most likely find you on the weekend?
In the morning, probably at the gym – I enjoy a good physical exercise. If the weather is sunny, a long walk or hike outdoors is inevitable. In the afternoon, I usually end up reading a good book!
What are your go-to spots in the city?
I enjoy hanging out around the St. George campus and High Park, where I live.
What would be your advice for anyone thinking of moving to Toronto?
Well – it’s not the coldest place in Canada, but get ready for a long winter! Luckily, despite the cold weather, there are plenty of friendly and welcoming people.
Kyla Vanderhart, Small Business Onboarding Specialist
How long have you been at Xero and what is your role?
I’ve been at Xero just over a year as a small business onboarding specialist.
What is your favorite thing about working for Xero?
My favourite thing about working for Xero is the culture and how much they care about their employees.
What do you enjoy the most about the team you’re on?
We work hard but we have fun and laugh a lot.
Can you pinpoint what it is about Toronto that has made you a lifelong resident?
There is always something to do. Lots of events and great food to try.
What is your favorite thing about the Toronto office?
Definitely the people, there is a really great energy in the office.
What would be your advice for anyone thinking of moving to Toronto?
Check out the events that go on in the city, lots of them are free. Also check out all the great restaurants.
Where will we most likely find you on the weekend?
Trying out a new restaurant or trying new wine with friends for our wine club.
Bryan Gamble, Full Stack Developer
How long have you been at Xero and what is your role?
I have been with Hubdoc and now Xero for 18 months as a Fullstack Developer on the Robot Platform team, which builds and maintains the infrastructure that powers our automated fetching.
What is your favorite thing about working for Xero?
I love that we get to help small businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers get back more time so that they can focus on the things that matter most to them. It’s great that I am able to see the work I do make a difference for the customers we care so much about.
What do you enjoy the most about the team you’re on?
The combination of incredibly smart teammates and challenging problems that our team faces leads to work always being interesting and no shortage of ways to grow and learn.
Can you pinpoint what it is about Toronto that has made you interested in living or working here?
The diversity of the people and the endless amounts of things to see and do mean I would be bored anywhere else. I love being in such a diverse city and want my daughter to grow up in a place where she is exposed to different cultures and people from different backgrounds.
What is your favorite thing about the Toronto office?
The people. It doesn’t matter the time, place, or what team someone is on, everyone is always super open to help out or even have a friendly conversation to make the workday a bit better. A close second is the coffee. Our coffee machine is amazing, and as the father of a young child, delicious coffee goes a long way to keeping me happy and awake.
Where will we most likely find you on the weekend?
Exploring the city and relaxing with my family. Whether its taking my daughter to soccer, having a picnic in the park, checking out a new restaurant, or having a lazy day at home to make blanket forts and watch movies (yay Canadian winters and having small children).
What are your go-to spots in the city?
I love my neighbourhood of West Queen West. There are endless options of coffee shops, restaurants, bars, little shops, and parks which make it impossible to be bored. Trinity Bellwoods Park and Ossington Street are must go places.
What would be your advice for anyone thinking of moving to Toronto?
If you hate being bored, love good food, and are ready to be (or already are) a fan of the Toronto sports teams, then you will love it here, just make sure to live near good public transit so that you can take advantage of all the amazing things happening around the city.
Interested in a career with Xero in Toronto? Find out more and check out our openings.
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Source: Xero Blog
