Xero’s Rod Drury Promotes the Global Ecosystem

“As the world becomes more tribal, global platforms, which enable the flow of global commerce, will help build communities, foster understanding and deliver economic prosperity,” Xero founder and chief executive officer, New Zealander Rod Drury writes in a piece for the Huffington Post.

“Working to build a vibrant, global community, the common ground is business. We need to teach small businesses how to export and trade globally so that they can service markets beyond their geographical vicinity. Leveraging technology, a small business in the Rust Belt of the United States can provide services across the world, from Asia to the Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Americas. By collaborating, we can build that understanding which will make the world a better place.

“But to do it, we need to improve productivity within these entities and open up lines of capital – something technology is already doing.

“Hilary Clinton said recently that ‘way too many dreams die in the parking lots of banks. In America, if you can dream it, you should be able to build it.’ Clinton explained that for entrepreneurs’ business dreams to come true, they need to be able to access the capital they need to grow.

“Small Business cloud software is where the rubber hits the road. The data-driven nature of the financial web, where information flows between accounting and global banking systems, is starting to unlock productivity and growth in small business markets, especially when it comes to accessing capital. A small business in Middle America can connect their bank account to the platform, transact with a customer in Asia, another in the UK and have all the information flow into one place.

“Growing the small business economy is the best way to materially address major social issues like youth unemployment, economic disparity, and discriminatory practices, making the world a better and more prosperous place. But we can’t do it on our own; we need to work with like-minded companies to establish a global ecosystem.”

Xero was founded in 2006. Forbes identified Xero as the World’s Most Innovative Growth Company in 2014 and 2015.

Original article by Rod Drury, The Huffington Post, April 26, 2017.