Why Xero Acquired This South African Startup

What does it take to build a product that fits so well, it practically sells itself to users and acquirers alike?

In this episode of The Founder Files, we sit down with Vangelis Kyriazis, CEO and co-founder of Syft, a financial reporting platform that was ultimately acquired by Xero. From side hustle beginnings to global acquisition, Vangelis shares how deep product understanding, team trust, and client-centric thinking helped Syft scale, and why staying simple was their greatest strength.

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We dive into:

• Building a product that complemented Xero perfectly

• Leading through uncertainty during acquisition

• Creating internal systems that scale with your team

• Managing client expectations with third-party partners

• Staying focused by understanding your product deeply

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This episode is packed with real-world lessons on building, scaling, and selling a product without losing your edge or your people.