Lil Roberts: Timely Financial Data Can Level the Playing Field

Hi, friends! It’s Spiffy, back again on Planet Earth with an eye on entrepreneurs making a difference in the world! Today, I’m excited to cruise over to Fort Lauderdale, FL, and chat with Lil Roberts, the founder and CEO of Xendoo. Are you ready to be inspired?

Spiffy: Thanks for joining me, Lil! What challenge are you addressing?

Lil: Hi, Spiffy, it is my pleasure to chat with you! Did you know that small business owners are often disadvantaged compared to very large corporations when it comes to resources, especially in the financial segment of their business?

Spiffy: No, I didn’t! Can that be changed?

Lil: Absolutely, Spiffy! Xendoo solves this problem by delivering financial peace of mind to small business owners through our technology platform that provides the business owner transparency and speed to their monthly financials at an affordable price.

Spiffy: Wonderful! What motivated you to do it?

Lil: I have been a small business owner for most of my adult life and felt the struggle firsthand of not having the proper support available to understand my financials and maximize tax-saving strategies to better grow my business. I wanted to solve this problem for other small business owners like myself. 

Spiffy: How are you and your team at Xendoo working towards a more equitable world?

Lil: Well, Spiffy, we want to level the playing field.  We feel that no matter the size of your business or how much money it makes, everyone deserves to have the timely financial data they need to make decisions that help them grow their business so they can provide products and services while ensuring a stable environment for their team and their families. Worldwide, we impact thousands of business owners who in turn impact hundreds of thousands of people.

Spiffy: Tell me about one of Xendoo’s recent milestones or initiatives. What impact does it make?

Lil: Great question, Spiffy. We are so excited about the launch of a new product for our customers.  In the accounting industry, the traditional information is usually limited to a customer's financial data.  We recently released a feature within our platform to teach business owners about profit margins, cash flows, pricing, and other topics that are important to owning a business.

Spiffy: Super! I also give each entrepreneur I interview a chance to share with our readers stories about your past experiences of failure, how you overcame them, and what you learned. What can you tell us?

Lil: Wow, Spiffy, incredible question!  As the founder of an innovative startup that is changing an industry, every day brings lots of opportunities for failure.  As an example, we were recently raising money to continue to grow our business. I discovered that in the world of venture-backed startups, very little funding goes to females. Instead of giving up after being confronted with such a discouraging statistic, I knew I could not give up and needed to forge onward to complete the fundraising. I learned to never give up and that there is always a path forward!

Spiffy: Thanks for sharing that! What is something you've unexpectedly learned from someone recently?

Lil: Spiffy, I believe we can learn something from everyone we meet if we keep our minds open to listen and learn.  I recently observed someone choose to act with courage, vulnerability, and grace. This person easily could have gotten angry with the circumstances, but he handled a difficult situation admirably. Choosing kindness and respect wins above all else.

Spiffy: Is there anything else you would love to tell our audience?

Lil: Thank you, Spiffy, for all you do!  I enjoyed our chat. 

Spiffy: Thanks for speaking with me today, Lil – it’s been an honor!

Lillian Roberts prides herself on building customer-centric companies that are 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. Lillian serves as CEO and founder of Xendoo, a cloud-based Fintech company based in the Greater Miami Region. (Nominated by Lorenzo Thione at Gaingels. First published on the Ladderworks website on June 17, 2022.)