This year, Wiser Tax Solutions had the privilege of attending Xerocon 2024 in the lively city of Nashville, Tennessee. Xerocon gathered thousands of accounting and bookkeeping professionals from around the world for two days filled with learning, networking, and inspiration. As a Gold Champion Partner with Xero, we truly value the personal connections we’ve built with the Xero team, ensuring our clients receive top-notch support.
Kicking Off with Insights and Innovations
The conference kicked off on August 14th at the Music City Center, with an opening keynote that set the tone for the event. We were thrilled to hear from industry leaders about the latest trends and innovations in accounting technology. The sessions on digital transformation and the future of bookkeeping were particularly insightful, providing us with new strategies to enhance our services.
Engaging Sessions and Networking
Throughout the conference, we attended various keynote and breakout sessions that covered a wide range of topics, from improving workflow efficiency with integrated apps to strategies for supporting clients through digital transformation.
Charting AI’s Journey: From Humble Beginnings to Technological Transformation
AI Keynote Speaker Zack Kass provides a comprehensive roadmap that charts the trajectory of AI from its humble beginnings in ChatGPT to its future potential. He condenses his vast experience and deep knowledge into a practical guide that demystifies the complexities of AI, offering an insightful perspective on the evolution of this disruptive technology. Delivering pragmatic strategies, Zack demonstrates how organizations can adapt and thrive amidst the rapid advancements in AI. This keynote arms your leaders with an understanding of AI’s past to leverage its present and shape your future, positioning your organization at the forefront of this technological revolution.
We loved when he said “Design your life around the things AI cannot do.” He is an inspiring believer in the good at which AI will bring, allowing us more time to do whatever it is that we enjoy.
Zack Kass is an AI Futurist, keynote speaker, consultant, adjunct professor and the former Head of Go To Market for OpenAI. He has spent over 14 years in AI, leading large teams at some of the industry’s most important companies. His mission is to ensure individuals, businesses, and governments are active participants in the AI-powered future by demystifying AI, making it accessible and understandable for everyone, and helping leaders navigate the rapidly evolving environment.
Adopting a cybersecurity mindset for business protection
On the flip side of the session we got a sneak peak at what future cyber threats are looking like with the use of AI.
Get into the mindset of a cybercriminal to identify gaps that can help you protect your practice. With the rise of AI and deepfake technology, there are a growing number of data breaches and scams. It’s never been more important to keep cybersecurity top of mind. Our experts will share some of the latest information and tools to assist you in staying one step ahead and help protect your business now and in the future.
Led by the outstanding Mark Knowles GM Security Assurance. Being here allowed us the opportunity on multiple occasions to have one on one time with Mark to discuss cybersecurity not just at a firm level but on a global level.
Networking
Networking was another key aspect of the event. We connected with like-minded professionals and explored potential collaborations that could benefit our clients. The energy and enthusiasm of the attendees were truly infectious, making it a memorable experience. It is always great to see face to face other industry leaders. Being able to discuss with them in a truly iron sharpening iron way. Our common goal is to improve our client’s lives.
Beyond Networking is having Partnerships
We were able to spend significant time with two of our key banking partners:
Not only did we have the privilege of speaking directly with their founder, but we also spent significant time building relationships with our account management team and senior developers. We shared insights on potential improvements in the banking industry, encouraging them to pioneer even more innovative solutions. They are a banking partner that continually enhances the integration between banking and accounting platforms, making them one of our top choices for clients who need the flexibility of multiple checking accounts. This is particularly beneficial for those following the Profit First method, as their partnership with Relay makes it easy to adopt this system.
Another partner we had the pleasure of spending extra time with is Brex, a leader in banking technology for startups. We were honored to be guests at the Brex Supper Club, where a regional ecosystem of founders, angel investors, accountants, consultants, and other contributors to the startup community come together to share a meal and learn more about each other. Having the Brex team assist with startups is a tremendous asset to our team.
Exploring the Exhibitors
One of the highlights of Xerocon 2024 was the exhibitor hall, where we had the chance to meet with a variety of innovative companies showcasing their latest products and services. From billing and expense management to payroll and HR solutions, the exhibitors provided a wealth of resources to help streamline our operations and better serve our clients.
Some standout exhibitors included:
- GoCardless: A service that helps end late payments by automatically debiting customers’ bank accounts when invoices are due. We have begun using them ourselves this year, so it was nice to be able to discuss our thoughts with one another.
- Ramp: Everything you need to control spend and optimize finance operations, all on a single platform.
- Syft: Xero Award Winning Partner! Syft is a partner that allows us to dig deeper into numbers and provide fractional cfo level reporting for our clients.
- Plooto: An all-in-one accounts payable and receivable software that gives your business total control over cash management
- Avalara: Avalara makes tax compliance easier for any business type or size, with cloud-based, scalable technology
These exhibitors, among many others, provided us with valuable insights and tools that we are excited to integrate into our practice.
We also had the opportunity to attend an intimate business panel at the stunning Hermitage Hotel. During this event, we heard from a local Xero firm, State Senator Jeff Yarbro, and Jamari Brown, Senior Director of Economic and Community Development for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Looking Ahead
Attending Xerocon 2024 was an incredibly enriching experience for Wiser Tax Solutions. We left Nashville brimming with new ideas, valuable connections, and a renewed sense of purpose. We’re eager to implement the insights we gained and continue providing top-notch service to our clients.
Thank you, Xero, for hosting such an inspiring event. We can’t wait to see what next year has in store!
As for Nashville, we absolutely love you! We look forward to what the future holds together. I promise we’ll be back to return the love you showed us.
One of our favorite spots to relax and enjoy live music between events was The Listening Room Cafe. We can’t wait to visit again soon and who knows, maybe even share the stage someday. The staff there truly embodies Southern hospitality at its finest, making you wish you didn’t have plans for the rest of the day.
Nashville Live Music Venue – Listening Room Cafe
Capping off the conference was a performance by the amazing Ashland Craft! Below you will find her performance of You Are My Sunshine that advanced her in Season 13 of the Voice.
