Xero’s Mentor Match: Building the Future of Accounting & Bookkeeping
with Caitlin Thomas,
Communications Team at Xero
Mentorloop Impact Award Winner 2025
With Mentor Match, they created a program for the community, by the community — connecting accountants and bookkeepers with inspiring role models and peers to build confidence, share knowledge, and lead the next generation forward. In just over a year, Mentor Match has grown across Australia and North America, delivering hundreds of powerful success stories and proving that mentoring can help transform not just careers, but the future of an entire industry.
Xero is a global small business platform trusted by millions of small businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers around the world. Their mission: to make life better for people in small business, their advisors, and their communities.
In 2023, Xero launched Mentor Match — a program designed to help their partner community (accountants and bookkeepers) connect, transfer skills, and inspire the next generation of talent. What started in Australia has already expanded to North America, with hundreds of participants and countless success stories.
Why Mentoring, Why Now?
The accounting and bookkeeping industry has been under immense pressure:
- Skill shortages and declining numbers of new entrants
- High attrition rates and widespread burnout
- Research showing nearly 1 in 2 professionals believe the industry has an “image problem”
Xero’s Partner Advisory Council confirmed what many were experiencing: the industry needed more than just tools — it needed connection, role models, and a stronger sense of community.
"Mentor Match is a program for the community, by the community. It’s all about building meaningful connections and showing the opportunities that exist for today’s professionals"
The Impact: From Bundaberg to Bold Ambitions
One of the program’s most powerful stories comes from mentor Jarrod Morris, founder of Bolden, and his mentee Alex Maggacis.
When they were matched in September 2023, Alex was a humble bookkeeper in Bundaberg, working from home. Just one year later:
He launched Visify, his own finance firm
Took out office space and built a team
Completed an MBA
Became a dad — all while growing his business
"It’s been a privilege to mentor Alex through Mentor Match — to see him step out of his comfort zone and create a business that reflects his vision and values. Xero and its incredible community really are the village where founders like Alex can thrive"
Results Since Launching the Program 📈
The numbers tell a compelling story:
- 422+ participants and growing rapidly
- 80%+ match rate (10% above recommended minimum)
- 4.8/5 post-meeting survey scores
- Expanded reach: from Australia to North America in just one year
Mentor Match has also become a headline feature at Xerocon, with dedicated spaces where mentors and mentees connect, share stories, and inspire peers
Ultimately, what’s changed since launching Mentor Match isn’t just the number of connections — it’s witnessing the impact these relationships are having on a deeply personal level for our partners."
Why Mentorloop Was the Key to Success 🔑
Mentorloop made scaling Mentor Match simple, structured, and impactful:
- Milestones guide mentors and mentees step-by-step, even if they’re new to mentoring
- Dashboards & reports make impact visible to stakeholders
- Help Hub & Resource Library provide ready-made guidance for participants
- Seamless UX reduces admin and makes joining easy for busy professionals
"The milestones give real structure, even for people new to mentoring. It’s light-touch for us as coordinators, and powerful for participants."
What’s Next 🚀
Xero is already preparing the next evolution of Mentor Match:
- Group mentoring led by expert mentors in fields like AI, sustainability, ESG, and marketing
- Expanding access to thousands more accountants and bookkeepers globally
- Continuing to share authentic success stories across events, media, and partner networks
Community, Confidence & Career Growth
With Mentorloop, Xero has transformed mentoring from a concept into a global movement within the accounting and bookkeeping industry. Mentor Match is helping professionals build confidence, find clarity, and shape the future of the industry — together.
📌 Ready to build a mentoring program that connects your community and transforms your industry?
Caitlin Thomas
Xero
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"Mentorloop made it simple to scale what was once a small, manual process into a thriving global mentoring community. The automation, visibility, and feedback tools give us confidence that every participant is having a meaningful experience — without adding more admin."
– Caitlin Thomas, Xero
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