Fathom’s Guide to Xerocon London 2024

London calling! Xero’s flagship event returns to UK this year, landing at ExCeL in London’s Docklands. Read on to learn more about what to expect from Xerocon London 2024.  

Now a truly global event rotating across different cities worldwide, Xerocon returns to the banks of the Thames for what promises to be another inspiring instalment.  

For those planning on heading along, the Fathom team cannot wait to join you. If you haven’t already, you can still pick up a ticket here. For those who can't be at the event in person, our team will be bringing you the latest news and key insights from the two days. Follow us on LinkedIn to stay across all the action.

In the meantime, here’s a handy guide of our recommendations and tips to make the most of Xerocon London 2024.

Recommended Sessions

Has hourly billing had its day? Valuing outcomes over time

An important session for any accountant or business advisor, all about value-based pricing. The discussion will focus on why it’s so important to define your value, how to price and package up that value, and getting comfortable with the idea of ‘selling’ your services.

Day 1, 2:30pm – 3:30pm, Main Stage. Add it to your agenda here.

Crafting an exceptional client experience

Fresh Financials’ Emma Fox joins Xero’s Louise Kirk and Sophia McKay for a discussion to explore actionable and best practices for building strong relationships and enhancing client satisfaction.

Day 1, 3:45pm – 4:15pm, Breakout Stage 3. Add it to your agenda here.

Xerocon Party

Held after Day 1 at ExCeL London, the party starts at 7:30pm. Featuring live music, entertainment (think trapeze artists, stilt walkers and fire breathers), and drinks on offer, the Xerocon Party is a conference highlight for a reason. You can add your pass for free entry when you buy your Xerocon ticket.  

In Conversation with Sukhinder Singh Cassidy

This session is widely tipped to be the most-attended for Xerocon London 2024. Sue Perkins will delve into Sukhinder’s journey to becoming CEO of Xero, sharing the lessons she’s learned along the way and providing inspiration to see your own career path in a new light.  

Day 2, 10:10am – 10:40am, Main Stage. Add it to your agenda here.

Small Business Productivity: Recent trends and insights into the UK economy

Join presenter Louise Southall for a lively session on small business productivity in the UK. The session will explore the latest trends, share valuable insights, and discuss emerging opportunities and challenges. Discover what’s driving productivity and how small business can thrive in today’s dynamic economy.

Day 2, 1:00pm - 1:30pm, Breakout Stage 3. Add it to your agenda here.

The catalysts of innovation: using technology to accelerate your practice

Featuring an expert panel of Alex Falcon Huerta, Lara Manton and James Bergin, this session aims to explore the latest tech trends and capabilities, and what these mean for innovation and growth in your practice.  

Day 2, 1:45pm - 2:15pm, Breakout Stage 1. Add it to your agenda here.

Fathom App Sessions

We couldn’t leave these out! Featuring some familiar Fathom faces, these sessions will help you explore the possibilities afforded by Fathom’s class-leading functionality.

• Day 1: ‘Turn Your Forecast into a Decision-Making Tool’ with Shivani Chheda, held on App Demo Stage 1 at 3:40pm. Add it to your agenda here.
• Day 2: 'Four Ways to Improve Your Management Reports’ with Antoni Gomez, held on App Demo Stage 3 at 1:10pm. Add it to your agenda here.

You can come by the Fathom booth (E+5) at any time for a chat and a demonstration, too!

To see the complete session offering for 2024, check out the full agenda here.  

Top tips for Xerocon London 2024

An event like Xerocon is a marathon, not a sprint. With so much on across the two days, it's a good idea to plan ahead and arrive well-rested and feeling prepared. In collaboration with industry afficionado Heather Smith, we’ve compiled our top tips you may want to consider before the event kicks off.

Preparing for Xerocon

• Pre-Event Planning: Review the agenda in advance and plan which sessions to attend, particularly around any pain points you or your clients may be experiencing. Be flexible and open to changes based on who you meet and new interests that arise.
• Selective Attendance: Don't try to attend every session. Prioritise key sessions for you whilst allowing time for networking and social events, which are crucial to the full Xerocon experience.
• Physical and Mental Preparation: Pace yourself to avoid exhaustion over the two days. Heather emphasises the importance of packing light but smartly, including essentials like a phone charger, comfortable shoes, a printed-out venue map, and a water bottle.

Making the Most of the Event

• Networking: Engage in genuine conversations that can benefit you or your clients. Listen in on vendor stands to identify relevant services and solutions.
• App Exhibitor Area: Study the exhibitor list beforehand and focus on finding solutions to specific pain points in your business. Use networking events to discover interesting solutions.
• Social Media Use: Heather is a strong advocate of using platforms like LinkedIn to make the most of your conference experience. She recommends that, before the event, post about your attendance to connect with others. During the event, capture and share fun photos. Afterward, post three highlights of the event on your main social media platforms, along with your favourite photo. These can all be amalgamated under the hashtag #Xerocon to share with others and see content from the event!

Retaining and Applying Learnings

• Post-Event Reflection: Spend time after the conference to reflect and write up your notes about key learnings and pain point solutions. Add new ideas to a list for consideration and implementation.
• Team Involvement: Share your learnings with your team through demos and summaries. Encourage team members to present learnings about new systems to enhance collective knowledge.

Additional Tips

• Stay Balanced: Enjoy the event but maintain balance to keep your energy levels high (and your day job on track).
• Maximise Opportunities: Meet new people, gather useful swag only, and explore potential new business contacts and opportunities throughout the conference.

Pro tip: Use breaks for networking!  Chance encounters at the lunch table can be great, but so can planning to catch up with new connections, or finally coming good on those ‘we must catch up at Xerocon’ intentions! Meeting over the breaks is a clever way to ensure you make the most of this time; see the breaks below.  

Day 1 breaks

• Lunch: 12:00pm - 1:30 pm
• Afternoon break: 3:00pm - 3:45 pm

Day 2 breaks

• Lunch: 11:45pm - 1:00 pm
• Afternoon break: 3:00pm - 3:45 pm

Where to find us?

You’ll find the Fathom team at booth E+5, as per the map below (and at our App Demo sessions, previously mentioned). We’re always up for a chat, make sure you stop by at some stage and say hello!

There’s so much to look forward to at Xerocon London this year. We hope you’ve found this mini guide helpful, and we’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Learn more

• Xerocon London website
• Xerocon London agenda