Conceiving software by scratching an itch

In 2009, our first company was born out of a need to solve a problem. My problem. Our problem. Running a payroll bureau in Canberra, Australia using desktop software was a painful experience every day. To alleviate this pain, we created Paycycle, which eventually became the payroll offering in Xero and is still going strong today.

Now, at Waverley Studios , we're taking a similar approach. When I became President of the Volunteer Board of Directors at Diamond Peak Ski Education Foundation , I was surprised to find that we were still completing timesheets and payroll using faxes. This wasn't the fault of the then-current board, but rather a reflection of the outdated systems used by ancient payroll companies.

We set out to introduce more modern systems for our ski team but discovered that there isn't a single solution that provides a 360-degree view of the family, which is the central core of a youth sports team. Many of the problems we encountered were similar to those we faced when we started Karbon . I used to call it the "shit-everywhere problem", everyone else called it something much nicer!

The main difference between businesses and volunteer organizations is the volume of people, tasks, dollars, and general workload. However, this doesn't mean that volunteers and employees of youth sports organizations don't deserve to have as much of their time back as possible. In fact, you could argue that these people should be spending as much time as possible with the kids on the field, pitch, hill, or ground, whatever playing field is appropriate. The propensity to pay might not as significant, but revenue can be found in all kinds creative ways. If you are an accountant who is passionate about helping youth sports, we'd love to hear from you.

We're just getting started on this very meaningful problem. Can't wait to get it in the hands of volunteers, parents and coaches everywhere.