Most business advice follows a familiar script — play it safe, scale slowly, stick to the numbers. But what if some of the best growth strategies for SMEs go against conventional wisdom? Today’s guest, Kate Hayward, the UK Managing Director at Xero, shares the bold bets, overlooked insights, and counterintuitive lessons that have helped businesses punch above their weight.

Rapid-fire recommendations

• Software: Cozi & Notion

• Book: The Women by Kristin Hannah

• Key takeaway: Tough on problems, nice on people