Xerocon 2025: What I Really Took Away (Hint: Not Just Apps)
By Sarah Pilling
Here’s the thing about Xerocon: the most valuable insights don’t come from the platform itself.
Don’t get me wrong, Xero is brilliant, but the real gold is in the professional development — those moments that force you to step back and look at your business from every angle.
This year’s sessions covered everything from team leadership, process improvement, exits and succession, through to the way our whole profession is evolving. And what it does is make you question all the micro-assumptions you’ve been carrying quietly in the background. The kind that build up while you’re buried in day-to-day operations.
By the end, you’re not just thinking about “tech strategy” or “marketing strategy”, instead you’re re-evaluating how the entire machine fits together. It’s like giving your business a full reset button for the next 12 months.
Highlights from the sessions:
The Creator of Bluey
Yes, the actual person behind Bluey. Aside from confirming my total love for the show, their message hit: sometimes you make tiny decisions because “it looks better” without knowing the consequences. You won’t always understand those ripple effects, but if you stay true to your vision (and keep joy in the work), you’ll land where you need to. Also… have I mentioned I love Bluey?
The Future of Taxation
Riveting? Surprisingly, yes. For us at Bramble & Briar, these insights shape how we prepare strategically for our clients. And honestly, nothing says “accountant party trick” quite like a conversation about tax reform.
Team Mentoring & Retention
The reminder that culture is about giving people active reasons to stay. (PS to our team: we adore you. Please never leave. We will ply you with ever better snacks if necessary.)
AI – The Reality Check
No, AI won’t magically fix your business. But it can help you speed-run process automation that used to feel impossible. Less “AI overlords” and more “AI assistant who quietly makes the boring stuff disappear.”
Stepping out of the trees
One of the most underrated benefits? The leadership team having space away from day-to-day pressures. Hours of free-flow conversation, forest-level thinking instead of tree-level firefighting. Those chats in between sessions were just as valuable as the sessions themselves.
So, what did we walk away with?
Two years ago, at Xercon 2023 in Sydney we left with a massive to-do list that felt like moving mountains. This year, we walked away with something even better: clarity. Just a handful of tweaks and refinements that will help us deliver better for our clients, keep our business sustainable, and yes… a couple of new apps to trial (because it wouldn’t be Xerocon without that).
We left inspired, not overwhelmed. Reset, not overhauled. And maybe with a little Bluey soundtrack playing in our heads.