We are excited to welcome Lil Roberts, the Founder of Xendoo, as our guest today.
Lil is an exceptional entrepreneur with a sharp instinct for people and the confidence to speak the truth. She has served as President of the South Florida chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) and recently published a book called Small Business Defined: The Ultimate Guide for Small Business Owners.
Stay tuned to hear about her inspiring journey and learn how Xendoo makes accounting easier for small business owners.
Resilience, Purpose, and Heart
By the age of 24, Lil had lost most of her siblings. That instilled in her a deep urgency to live with purpose and make an impact. Her passion for business stems from a commitment to improving lives, starting with her team and creating positive ripple effects that extend beyond her company’s walls. Over the years, she has launched and led various businesses, spanning systems integration, product development, and accounting. Lil has a mission to build ventures that deliver exceptional service, foster internal culture, and empower teams. She views entrepreneurs as strategists, purpose-led leaders, and culture-setters who shape how people feel and function at work.
Building a Support System
Lil credits much of her success to her support network, especially the Entrepreneurs Organization. Her forum and broader EO network have provided invaluable guidance through major decisions, including scaling, selling, or exiting businesses. She believes no entrepreneur can thrive alone and encourages others to create a trusted circle, regardless of business size.
Knowing When to Pivot or Exit
Lil sold some of her businesses, and others sunsetted when conditions changed. She encourages business owners to treat their companies as separate entities and to make decisions based on timing, scalability, and personal fit. She does not think all businesses should get sold or that every business owner should try to be an entrepreneur, as some people are better suited to lifestyle businesses that provide sustainable incomes.
The Birth of Xendoo
After exiting her previous venture, Lil took a structured approach to choosing her next business. She built a scorecard and identified accounting as a legacy industry ripe for disruption. Her goal was to create a tech-enabled, customer-first accounting service for small business owners, combining her love of technology, her passion for small business, and her drive to scale a venture-backed company.
Using AI Smartly
Xendoo uses AI as a helper, not as a decision-maker. AI assists in transaction predictions and marketing content, but humans remain essential for oversight and quality. Lil cautions against over-automating, especially in accounting, where accuracy and context are vital. While optimistic about AI and its potential, she believes guardrails are necessary as technology continues to rapidly evolve.
A Handbook for Entrepreneurs
Her new book, Small Business Defined, is a comprehensive guide for entrepreneurs. Inspired by industry handbooks from her days in print manufacturing, the book covers HR, operations, marketing, financials, and more. She created it as a reference guide that includes tools, charts, and checklists for hands-on application. To make things even easier, a chatbot is available to assist users in navigating and interacting with the content.
The Value of Systems and Data
Lil strongly recommends adopting frameworks like EOS, OKRs, or the Rockefeller Habits for business owners aiming to scale. She emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making and process-oriented thinking. She explains that even if the goal is a lifestyle business, having systems in place can help free up time and increase profitability.
People First, Always
Lil considers people the most essential asset in any business, and her recruiting process is deliberate. She prefers to hunt for talent rather than post jobs, and she uses phone screenings to assess energy and character, asking candidates to reflect on the company’s core values in writing. She refuses to settle for lukewarm hires and encourages others to do the same.
A Culture Built on Action and Care
The culture at Xendoo is built around five core values: care deeply, be curious, think critically, own it, and be relentless. Their hiring process emphasizes values alignment, action orientation, and human connection, and Lil remains involved in the hiring process.
Bio: Lil Roberts
Lil Roberts prides herself on building customer-centric companies built on teamwork, technology, and integrity. A serial entrepreneur with a passion for small business, she is known as an innovator with an enviable ability to foresee market trends. After a successful exit from the manufacturing industry, Lillian serves as CEO and Founder of Xendoo, a VC-backed cloud-based Fintech company based in the Greater Miami Region.
Xendoo specializes in online bookkeeping and accounting, focusing on the small business owner. Leveraging technology and proprietary software, Xendoo provides financial visibility at unprecedented speed, enabling business owners to make informed decisions, grow their businesses, and do what they love.
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Small Business Defined: The Ultimate Guide for Small Business Owners
