Growing Kiwi Giants - Trade Me & Xero

New Zealand’s tech sector has produced major success stories, and Rowan Simpson has been behind many of them. As a founding team member of Trade Me and Xero, and an investor in firms like Vend and Timely, Rowan has helped shape a generation of Kiwi innovation. He shares the lessons learned in his new book, How to Be Wrong – A Crash Course in Start Up Success.

Rowan was Trade Me’s third employee and helped grow it into a national icon. He then became a pre-IPO investor and executive at Xero, now one of New Zealand’s most successful global tech companies with millions of subscribers. These experiences gave him firsthand insight into the messy reality of scaling a business.

Rowan joins us this week to discuss the mindset behind his success, share stories from the front lines, and inspire founders and business owners. From choosing the right team to scaling with confidence, Rowan brings a unique blend of optimism and clarity. If you are involved in building a business – or backing someone who is – this is a must-listen episode.