Sidekick Conference 2026
Sidekick Conference 2026 brought our Sidekick family from eight offices together in Akaroa for three days of learning, connection, big ideas and plenty of laughter.
The lead-up was a little tense with the weather. Driving through Little River and seeing the damage really put things into perspective. Thankfully the road to Akaroa reopened just in time and the conference went ahead as planned.
Here’s a quick look at the highlights.
Day One: Welcome to Akaroa
We kicked things off at Mt Vernon Lodge with a warm welcome and merch pack collection.
The evening was all about reconnecting. A gourmet BBQ dinner and drinks got everyone settled in before the hilarious entertainment from The Bitches Box had the room in stitches. After that, everyone headed off to their accommodation ready for the days ahead.
Day Two: Learning and Connection
A few keen runners started the day with a morning jog while the rest of the crew met back at Mt Vernon Lodge for a cooked breakfast.
The morning session was led by Pip Simmons from Bona Fide Consulting, who walked us through our DiSC profiles. Understanding how different personalities work and communicate helps us strengthen relationships, challenge ourselves and work better as a team.
After morning tea we moved into breakout sessions with our sponsors and industry partners including Xero, Smartly, Figured, Irvine Wenborn, Plan & Protect, TMNZ, The Back Room, Runacres, Emergence Cyber Insurance, and Lisa O’Neill
In the afternoon, Phil Crothers from Xero delivered a keynote on Leading Yourself. His message was simple. Great leadership leading yourself first.
By late afternoon it was time to relax. We headed out on the Black Cat dolphin cruise around Akaroa Harbour, with refreshments kindly sponsored by Scott Findlay from The Back Room.
That evening we celebrated our people at the Sidekick Awards Gala, with the energetic Lisa O’Neill bringing plenty of laughs and inspiration.
You can see all the award winners in our Sidekick Awards post.
Day Three: Looking Ahead
The final morning focused on creativity and the future.
Teams kicked things off with a Reels Challenge, creating short videos for social media with the goal to encourage creativity and build confidence in front of the camera. The results had the whole room laughing.
We also launched our new tagline: People Driven Accounting
Technology continues to transform the industry, but trust, clarity and confidence still come from people. And while we love the numbers, we care even more about the people behind them.
To wrap up the conference, our CEO Ric, and head of projects Helen reflected on the past year and shared what’s ahead for Sidekick.
A Big Thank You
A huge thank you to our sponsors Xero, Smartly, Figured, Plan & Protect, TMNZ, Runacres, Irvine Wenborn and The Back Room for helping make the event possible.
And of course, to our incredible team across all eight offices. You are what makes Sidekick what it is.
