Behind Billy’s business
As part of the Xero #behindyourbusiness series, we spoke to Billy, the brains behind software company Assemble.
On the fence
Billy Einkamerer is the sort of person who looks, measures, then analyses the data before he leaps.
He says, “My favourite quote is by a guy called G. K. Chesterton. He said, ‘Before you remove a fence, you need to know why it was put there in the first place.'”
So, when Billy quit the rat race to start his own business, you know the decision was based on more than a feeling.
Billy recalls, “I was very tired of being overworked and underpaid and I got into a place where I had just had enough. I realised that it was a good time to start my own business because I didn't have a lot of expenses. So I decided to give it a stab.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the decision was well-judged. Assemble, a software solutions company, now has a team of eleven and is going from strength to strength with Billy at the wheel.
He says, “I love the ability to be in control of where the business is going, to make good decisions for our clients, as well as our staff, and to steer the ship.”
But, as well as seeing the big picture, Billy understands that it’s the little things that make a difference, smiling as he says, “The best part of being my own boss is being able to tell the staff that they can go home early.”
“The purpose of our business is to use technology to make a difference and it makes a difference in the lives of our clients and, hopefully, other people as well.”
– Billy Einkamerer, Assemble
You first
A pragmatic generosity is central to Billy’s outlook on life: “I don't think you can make a difference to everyone in the world but you can definitely make a difference to the people near you.”
And it’s a theme that carries through to Assemble’s work with clients: “The purpose of our business is to use technology to make a difference and it makes a difference in the lives of our clients and, hopefully, other people as well.”
So it’s great that Xero – Assemble’s online accounting software – can give a little back to Billy: “Xero has changed my life in that I can quickly access the financial info that I need in order to make key decisions in my business. Before Xero, it was a mystery. I had to ask someone to help.”
With the help of Billy’s accountant from Maverick, Xero has changed accounting from a chore into something that makes a difference to Assemble.
Billy says, “Maverick are fantastic. In partnership with Xero, they’ve turned accounting into something really powerful and, actually, exciting.”
It all helps Billy to spend less time confused about his numbers and more time delivering the service his clients love.
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Behind your business is a Xero series celebrating the people who power the South Africa’s small business economy.
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The small business owners featured in this series all use Xero – online accounting software that helps them to save time and get paid faster. It’s a helping hand that makes it easier to run your business and write your own story.
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