Xero

Xero CEO: The Strategy to Achieve 31% Revenue Growth in 12 Months

Aug 16, 2026 · 52:18

Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO of Xero, explains how the cloud accounting platform reached $2.7 billion in revenue, 31% growth, and 5 million customers by cracking the US through the Milio acquisition, building product from the US, and narrowing focus to a "US unicorn" number. She details why the US took 20 years—Intuit's entrenched home-market advantage and the need for local engineers—and why she treats "respected vs. liked" as a false choice, backing layoffs with data and speed. On AI, she argues thin application wrappers can't replicate Xero's tens of thousands of edge cases, regulatory connections, payment rails, and trusted data across 180 countries, making infrastructure the real moat. She also answers whether accountants stay relevant by pointing to Client Advisory Services, and describes the customer spectrum from AI-native builders to those needing basic AI chat support.

A16Z Partner: Why "Just Capital" Is Not Enough Anymore (The Firm of 2030) | David Haber

Jan 25, 2026 · 56:58

David Haber, a16z general partner, argues most venture investors run funds but few build firms, and explains how a16z operates as a firm with compounding competitive advantage. The firm reinvests fees into a 600-person platform giving founders distribution, credibility, and leverage. Haber shares his founder story: Bond Street raised $900M in debt, sold to Goldman Sachs, teaching him inside a 40,000-person organization. On AI, he says software becomes labor, expanding TAM beyond IT spend—portfolio company Salient's voice agents achieve 50% better collection rates. He also highlights a16z's decentralized model with no single CIO, where specialist partners run divisions, making the firm more resilient than traditional funds.