Meet the interns: Abhi

Our Humans of Xero stories are all about showcasing the incredible talent we have at Xero. Meet Abhi Paudel, a Xero intern within our Sales Operations team in Canada. He’s sharing about his time at Xero, how his definition of success has changed, and his recent favorite small business find.

Quick Facts

Name: Abhi Paudel
Where you’re from: Nepal
Graduation Year: 2022
What you’re studying: Honours Bachelor of Commerce, Business Technology Management
Xero Team: Sales Operations

First, tell us a little about what you’ve been doing at Xero this summer.

I have been doing internal and external research, while also making reports needed by the Sales and Marketing Team. My favourite part of my work has been the projects that are complicated and take quite a lot of time and effort. One project that comes to my mind will help our Sales team assess their progress throughout the quarter, and it will continue to do so forever. I also love the team huddles. We get to hear so many new things that are happening in the organisation and everyone is so energetic and enthusiastic when it comes to participation and helping their peers.

It can be an eye-opening experience going from university into the workforce. What has been the biggest difference for you?

Definitely hands-on training and understanding the business processes inside out. I have done many school projects in the past, but this experience has amplified what it means to complete a project and have it implemented in the business processes.

Was it challenging working remotely through the COVID-19 pandemic?

It actually felt like we were working closely together, even during the pandemic. We’ve used applications like Slack to stay connected, as well as having daily meetings with other interns and connecting with our mentors and peers. Everyone at Xero has been communicating thoroughly and on time throughout the internship; from the onboarding process to all the projects we have been working on, the communication part has been on point.

Were there any unexpected parts of your internship at Xero?

Yes, the most unexpected part of the internship is definitely the ‘human’ value of Xero. My first day was so amazing and everyone was so helpful, smiles everywhere, in our first team stand-up when we got introduced to everyone, we were showered with love. This has motivated me through and through to work better and accomplish so much during the last four month period.

What’s one thing you’ve learned at Xero that you’ll be able to apply to your career?

What I have learned at Xero is to be a good teammate. I have never seen anything like this, where a company cares about you so much. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work for where employees are valued more than anything. As an intern, we were treated like a full time employee; we had the same benefits and opportunities as any other employee.The transparency among our peers, mentors and high level executives just shows the level of comfort that is provided throughout the organization.

What is something you think is important in making sure a team is successful?

For me, the most important skill to have to make a team successful is to have communication with your team members. Effective communication can lead to having a good healthy relationship with your peers and this results in a happy and efficient work environment.

What about personal success? Has this changed as you gain more life experience?

Yes, my idea of success has definitely changed over time as I have been involved in different life events and have acquired various skills and knowledge over the years. As a kid, success meant nothing but financial stability and freedom. Now success is defined as being able to sustain life on my own, being independent, and being wise and knowledgeable. My metrics to analyze success have changed and will always vary depending on the stages of life I will be living.

If you could have one superpower what would it be?

Flying. I could travel the world and go wherever I wanted. I have been in Canada for a while now and have not been able to visit my country due to various circumstances. If I had a pair of wings, I would definitely complete my bucket list of visiting all the countries in the world.

If you could take any three things to a 14-day quarantine, what would they be?

My phone, Xbox and my laptop. I could work on time and attend all my classes with my MacBook, connect with my friends through my phone and social media, and lastly, I could entertain myself by playing games on my Xbox.

What is your favourite small business to support in your local community?

I love food and trying various cuisines, including cooking and learning new recipes. Recently, I tried this fusion restaurant called Confused Kitchen in Markham. This is a fusion of western and South Indian cuisines and what they have made is extraordinary. The innovation that they have brought to their restaurant is what amazes me about small businesses.