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Episode 113 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, andfellow Office Apps & Services MVP Emily Mancini (@EEmancini), an Architect and the 4th MVP from Sympraxis Consulting, a member of Microsoft's Patterns and Practices (PnP) team, and a certified UX Master from Nielsen Norman Group, based in St. Petersburg, Florida. In this episode, Emily and I talk about some of her activities within the PnP community, and the work that she and the Sympraxis team are doing around the Microsoft Maturity Model, which is based off of the great work done years ago by community member Sadie Van Buren on the SharePoint Maturity Model. Emily shares some of her experiences in supporting change management and governance initiatives, which helped prepare her for her current role. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/iGVis8Cyo54
Episode 112 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and dual MVP's in Business Applications and Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Regional Director Tobias FensterĀ (@tobiasfenster), an Ulm, Germany-based information technology professional skilled in IT strategy, Software as a Service (SaaS), solution architecture, software development, and Docker. Tobias is also the Chief Technology Officer for Cosmo Consult. In this episode, Tobias and I discussed his activities with Business Central, Microsoft's cloud-based ERP solution for small and midsize organizations. While Business Central is his primary focus, he also writes and speaks on topics such as Docker containers, Azure DevOps, Visual Studio, Azure automation, and the broader Dynamics ERP space. We also talked a little bit about our shared experiences in the manufacturing sector, and the growth of Dynamics over the past few years as more companies are turning to Microsoft for flexible CRM and ERP solutions. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/9XNqsZyHmnk
Episode 111 of the #MVPbuzzChatā series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Business Applications MVP Oleksandr Olashya (@dancingwithcrm), a certified Dynamics 365 Architect and MCT with experience in CRM 2015 and Dynamics 365 for CE, and a CRM Architect with 3shape. In this episode, Oleksandr and I joked about the "need" for more dance-centric development interfaces, but then talked extensively about how much of his time is focused on building out PowerApps Portals. We talk talked about some of the changes to the space, and how with the latest API advances, Microsoft has really expanded the capabilities of these portals. Oleksandr points out that while more development skills are needed to master the PowerApps Portals, the tools are more powerful than ever -- albeit pushing the limits of being considered "low code" solutions. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/z3AO0PZ5fgE
Episode 110 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Office Apps & Services MVP Johnny Lopez (@rockett_15), a Microsoft 365 expert and Managing Consultant for Catapult Systems who is based in Houston, Texas. Johnny spent over 10 years in the US Navy, which is where he cut his teeth on SharePoint by deploying SPS2003, and is the President for the Houston Office 365 Community and the co-leader in the Houston Power Platform User Group. In this episode, Johnny and I discuss his passion for technology, community, and family. We talk about his background and path into the MVP program, specifically talking about the importance of mentoring -- both in how it helped him along his journey, but also on its importance as he looks for ways to give back to the community. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/_tOdlI3T_BM
Episode 109 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Business Applications MVP Mary Thompson, a Dynamics Angels Guru at Cooper Parry specializing in Business Central and the Power Platform, based in Columbia, South Carolina. Recorded in November 2020. In this episode, Mary and I discuss her experiencing working with partners as a functional consultant to help them get set up with the essentials of Dynamics 365 Business Central, and shares some of her experiences in helping organizations and coaching individuals on making the shift to the cloud. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/gyy0UA1zuSo
Episode 108 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Microsoft Azure MVP Martyn Coupland (@mrcoups), a UK-based Senior Azure Consultant with Ensono, where he focuses on Microsoft Azure deployments and the adoption of DevOps. In this episode, Martyn and I discuss his path to becoming an MVP (he was awarded for the first time this week!) and his career within the IT and engineering operations world. Martyn credits much of his growth and success on his participation in the community, providing a great perspective for those who want to grow in their careers, and possibly strive to become a Microsoft MVP. He shares how his passion for problem-solving and solution-building was the key to his success within the DevOps space. You can also watch this entire interview on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/aTZoHXlx0sE
Episode 8 of this Microsoft employee-focused interview series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Chris Slemp (@cslemp), a former Microsoft MVP who is currently a Customer Success Manager on the Modern Workplace team for Microsoft UK, based in Scotland. Recorded in July 2020. In this episode, Chris and I talk about his history with social collaboration and community management within Microsoft, and how he fell into his dream job as a CSM, moving from Washington State to Scotland. You can watch the entire interview on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/89j5kVqpk_s
Episode 107 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Microsoft Regional Director and Cloud and Datacenter Management MVP Ahmed Nabil Mahmoud (@ITCalls_ANabil), a regional senior information security and risk manager for Standard Chartered Bank, MBA and PMP, and C|CISO advisory board member for EC-Council who is based out of UAE. Recorded in September 2020. In this episode, Ahmed and I discuss his "origin story" for the MVP and RD programs, beginning with his efforts to catalog all of his ideas and thoughts on technology through his blog, and how that expanded and opened up opportunities within information security and digital transformation. On the latter, Ahmed talks about how previously underserved communities are being transformed by technology, and how our collective community efforts play a large part in this growth and prosperity. You can find this entire episode and other MVP and RD interviews on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/3gnQ6hZF6mo
Episode 106 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Microsoft Regional Director and Office Apps & Services MVP Jennifer Mason (@jennifermason), an author and popular speaker, and the VP of Workforce Learning and Transformation at Planet Technologies. Recorded in August 2020. In this episode, Jennifer and I discuss some of the nuances between the MVP and RD programs, as well as the many different technical paths and certifications within the Microsoft ecosystem. Jennifer shares that she is "allergic to anything with syntax and semicolons" and instead focuses on out-of-the-box features that improve personal and organizational productivity and adoption, showing how they can impact and transform a business. We also talk about the shift in the expert community over the years from the heavily dev and IT Pro-focused content 7-10 years ago to more end user and power user-focused scenarios, showing the broader adoption and maturity of Microsoft's collaboration technology, especially in this era of remote working. You can also watch this episode and others on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/CUD_mOBYLW8
https://www.engati.com/ Engati is the world's leading no-code, multi-lingual chatbot platform. https://open.spotify.com/show/3G0uQwPnQib22emRi9VhUg Blog link: https://engati.com/blog | Subscribe now. Christian Buckley, Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC talks about ""Building your digital MarTech stack"" on Engati CX. He says that mistakes organizations make while hiring are Thinking only of SEO and SEM without really understanding the scope of it all, It is not about making it pretty - it needs to provide function and data. He also mentions that organisations need to make decisions based on data, without data attribution and tracking is reallyhard to capture. If you like the video, please subscribe to the channel, so we could keep producing more content like this! Follow us on Facebook: http://s.engati.com/157 LinkedIn: http://s.engati.com/158 Twitter: http://s.engati.com/156 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getengati/ https://www.engati.com/glossary/crm #ChristianBuckley #EngatiCX #digital #marketing
Episode 105 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, andĀ Microsoft Regional Director Kate CarruthersĀ (@kcarruthers), Chief Data & Insights Officer for the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science & Engineering. Additionally, Kate is a Certified Information Security Manager, and the co-host of the podcast Conversations with Annie & Kate. Recorded in August 2020. In this episode, Kate and I discussĀ her path in data science and cybersecurity, and the growing importance of data analysis and insights within the education sector. Specifically, we talk about how her university (the administration, faculty, and students) are increasingly leveraging these data capabilities -- and how they are using data to provide additional services and automation. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/2lHZ6HeElqQ
Episode 104 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, andĀ Microsoft Regional DirectorĀ andĀ Developer Technologies MVP,Ā Esteban GarciaĀ (@estebanfgarcia),Ā SVP of Azure and DevOps at Orlando, Florida-based New Signature, and Pluralsight author. Recorded in July 2020. In this episode, Esteban and I discuss the differences between a Regional Director and an MVP, and since joining the MVP ranks as an ALM MVP in 2012, how Microsoft has evolved in the DevOps space, from TFS to Visual Studio Online to Azure DevOps, and how the migration toward the cloud has pushed this change forward. Esteban also shares his thoughts on what Microsoft got right in their acquisition and integration of GitHub. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/pSrDNhz9WNY
Episode 103 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, andĀ Microsoft Regional Director and Data Platform MVP,Ā Andrew BrustĀ (@andrewbrust),Ā founder and CEO of Blue Badge Insights, a Big Data and Analytics correspondent and blogger at ZDNet, and the Research Director for Big Data and Analytics for GigaOm, and is based in New York City. Recorded in July 2020. In this episode, Andrew and I discuss his path into consulting and analyst roles, and the evolution of "big data" into his current focus on data analysis, artificial intelligence, and data mining. Andrew also shares some insights into the future of machine learning and cognitive services, and how Microsoft is trying to make this technology more accessible for the masses. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/vZhTl3ZsS28
Episode 102 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Microsoft Regional Director, Oscar Garcia Colon (@almlatam), Chief Technology Officer for Allied Global BPO, Professor of Computer Science at Universidad del Istmo, as well as Professor of Strategic Management and lead for the Masters program for Project Management at Universidad Galileo, based in Guatemala. He is an active member of the PMI Chapter Guatemala, a Visual Studio ALM Ranger with Microsoft, and a Scrum Master for open source projects such as Glimpse, connector for Joomla, and Droopal for Applications insights, among others. Recorded in July 2020. In this episode, Oscar and I talk about his path into technology, including involvement with just about every product in the Microsoft Office family, and his long list of community activities -- including being president of the technology committee in the American Chamber of Commerce in Guatemala. It was great to hear Oscar's perspectives on the opportunities in technology in Central America, and how he is leveraging his role as a Regional director to help further expand these opportunities within the region. You can watch this entire video on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/FbkQvhpnOXI
Episode 101 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Microsoft Regional Director and Developer Technologies MVP, Gill Cleeren (@gillcleeren), a consultant, Xamarin MVP, Pluralsight author, and the CTO at Xpirit in Belgium. He is also the founder of Techorama, the biggest IT conference in Belgium, and runs Visug, the .NET user group in Belgium. In this episode, Gill and I walk through his path into technology, and discuss recommendations for those graduating or entering the workforce on where to focus -- while also recognizing that many of the "fresh faces" we see in the Microsoft ecosystem are older and/or more focused on the enterprise, albeit more experienced. We then talk about some ways that we in the community can reach out and encourage younger people to get involved with Microsoft technology, and with the community. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/xf8DQ2w-0t0
Episode 100 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Microsoft Regional Director and Data Platform MVP, Reza Rad (@Rad_Reza), an author, trainer, speaker, and founder and consultant at Radacad, based in New Zealand. Recorded in July 2020. Reza is a 10-time business intelligence and data platform MVP, an active blogger, and a community organizer who helps organize the annual Difinity Conference, the largest Microsoft Data, AI, Power BI, Power Platform and Business Applications conference in New Zealand focusing on Data Platform, AI, Business Intelligence, Business Applications, Power Platform, and Analytics. In this episode, Reza and I talk about the evolution of the Data Platform category within the MVP program, and how Microsoft adjusts their focus areas from time to time as the technology evolves. We also have a great discussion on the data preparation and "clean up" that needs to happen before you can build your data visualizations, the learning curve, and the complexities and benefits of understanding your data. We also talk about how data science is one of the fastest growing job categories across almost every industry. You can watch this entire interview on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/0giRbAehA-8
Episode 99 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Microsoft Regional Director and dual-MVP in Azure and Developer Technologies, Rainer Stropek (@rstropek), co-founder and CEO of the company Software Architects, as well as an active coder, presenter, trainer, and author of numerous books and articles on C#, web and database development, and Microsoft Azure, and is based in Austria. Recorded in July 2020. In this episode, Rainer and I discuss his coding background and the start of his company, and how he was able to turn his passion into a growing business, creating SaaS IP and helping organization make the transition into the cloud. He also shares some of his current technology interests, including Rust (https://www.rust-lang.org/), and his work to build up the community around this new programming language, including https://rust-linz.at/. Rainer is also a very passionate about community and his participation in the .Net Foundation, and is a strong advocate for STEM learning through https://coderdojo.com/. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/SQ_1QJVIfWE
Episode 98 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Artificial Intelligence MVP and Microsoft Regional Director Dr. Adnan Masood (@adnanmasood), an AI and Machine Learning researcher, software architect, visiting Scholar at Stanford University, and Data Science teacher at Park University based in Tampa, Florida. Recorded in July 2020. In this episode, Adnan and I discuss Microsoft's expansion of AI capabilities, and some of his favorite projects coming out of Microsoft Research (MSR), including Delve, Cognitive Services, and the Language Models. We also discuss two important AI topics: the management and "curation" of AI-automated solutions such as the forthcoming Project Cortex, and the ethical use and standards around AI. Adnan also shares his thoughts on how far we are from seeing sentient AI (and the inevitable Skynet problem). You can watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/ovob4wJ3zMw
Episode 97 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Mario Trentim (@mariotrentim), a PMP-certified project management consultant and evangelist, CEO of TRENTIM Business Solutions and the PMO Global Alliance, as well as an author and professor, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Recorded in July 2020. In this episode, Mario and I have a great discussion on the evolution of project management technology within the Microsoft ecosystem, and its impact on other enterprise collaboration and information management systems. You can also find this episode on the CollabTalk Podcast on Soundcloud at https://soundcloud.com/collabtalk/ as well as on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Spotify.
Episode 96 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Sharon Weaver (@sharoneweaver), a newly-minted Microsoft Regional Director, Microsoft Certified Trainer, Six Sigma Black Belt, and Founder and CEO of Smarter Consulting based in the Kansas City, Kansas area. Recorded in June 2020. In this episode, Sharon and I begin with her appointment to the Microsoft Regional Director (RD) program and talk about the differences between the MVP and RD programs. We discuss path into the program, which includes a fairly extensive technical and community resume. Sharon talks about her passion for the Power Platform and collaboration tools (SharePoint, Microsoft Teams), but we also cover wide-ranging topics such as family, the impacts of no-travel due to COVID on her business, her favorite science fiction authors, and how her management style has adjusted to working from home. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/lNHou4aeIu0
Episode 95 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Benjamin Niaulin (@bniaulin), a fellow Office Apps & Services MVP and Microsoft Regional Director, and Head of Product at ShareGate, a leading ISV (independent software vendor) for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams. Ben was previously the Product Evangelist and public face for ShareGate, and is a frequent speaker at events around the world. Recorded in June 2020. In this episode, Ben and I chat about the ShareGate headquarters in a beautifully-renovated factory in Montreal, and how much the Microsoft ecosystem has evolved and changed for ISVs (independent software vendors) and other partners since the software world has moved to SaaS (software-as-a-service), forcing companies like ShareGate to move faster and think more strategically about customers, competitors, and even new models for monetization. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/RaRx_laX1I0
Episode 94 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Beatriz Oliveira (@beatrizoliveira), an Office Development MVP and fellow Microsoft Regional Director, and the founder and CEO of BindTuning, a leading ISV (independent software vendor) for SharePoint and Microsoft Teams. Beatriz is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded a successful development company (CentralBiz), she currently serves as the President of IAMCP Portugal, and is actively involved in STEM education for youth and an ardent supporter of diversity in technology. Recorded in June 2020. In this episode, Beatriz and I discuss the difficulties in expanding a product company (ISV), her experiences in developing solutions for Microsoft Teams and working with the Power Platform, and how membership in the IAMCP (International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners at iamcp.org) can help tremendously in making connections with partners around the world, helping partners to instantly extend their reach. Beatriz also shares her background in the community, including her passion for diversity and inclusion -- especially about supporting people with disabilities. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/hi0G2qSMgu0
Episode 93 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Dux Raymond Sy (@MeetDux), Chief Marketing Officer for AvePoint, PMP, and also both an Office Apps & Services MVP as well as Microsoft Regional Director, based out of Northern Virginia. Recorded in June 2020. In this episode, Dux and I discuss his background as an engineer that found his way into project management, where he wrote a book and for a long time represented the PM perspective within the SharePoint community. We talk about the evolution of project and task management technology in the modern workplace, before diving into another shared passion: governance. Dux shares the 3 pillars of governance that he discusses with customers, including provisioning, ongoing management (enforcing policies), and information lifecycles (expiration of content, archiving, etc.) You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/JnMvflfNDiI
Episode 92 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Office Apps & Services MVP Ric Bretschneider (@ricbret), a technologist and consultant who spent 17 years on the PowerPoint product team at Microsoft before becoming a PowerPoint MVP himself. Recorded in June 2020. In this episode, Ric and I discuss the history of PowerPoint and some of his favorite new features, including some of the AI and cloud-driven capabilities. He also shares some of his community experiences, including his participation in Pecha Kucha and the Presentation Guild. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/gmzIM7KDHnA
Episode 7 of this Microsoft employee-focused interview series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Jussie Roine (@JussieRoine), a former Microsoft MVP and Regional Director, now Azure Developer Audience Lead at Microsoft in Helsinki, Finland. Recorded in May 2020. In this episode, Jussi and I discuss his new role at Microsoft, and how much the company has changed since the last time he worked there (2006-2009). We also talk about the differences between regional roles, field and evangelism roles at Microsoft, and the impact of MVPs within the community. You can watch the entire interview on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/NQzbtKW2PYw
Episode 91 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Business Applications MVP Julie Yack (@coloradojules), a trainer, author, community advocate, and COO for Colorado Technology Consultants based in the Colorado Springs, CO area. In this episode, Julie and I discuss some of the evolution of the Dynamics and Business Apps community, and her unconventional path into the tech world. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/bfBeLkjHkrA
Episode 90 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and first-time Artificial Intelligence MVP Veronika Kolesnikova (@breakpointv16), a Developer at Rightpoint in the Boston, MA area. In this episode, Veronika and I talk about her interests in AI, machine-learning, and cognitive services. She shares that while much of this latest technology does not yet apply to her current consulting work, it is quickly coming to the forefront within the enterprise, and will soon become a necessary component of internal IT efforts. You can watch this entire interview on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/KaWI1_bCXKg
Episode 89 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and 12-time Business ApplicationsĀ MVPĀ Joel LindstromĀ (@JoelLindstrom), a Principal Architect for Power Platform at Hitachi Solutions, Microsoft Certified Trainer, and podcaster based in Greer, South Carolina. Joel is the creator and editor of CRM Audio, the leading Dynamics CRM podcast (crm.audio), is an editor and frequent contributor to the Hitachi Solutions blog at http://us.hitachi-solutions.com/blog/ and is the co-creator of the CRM Tip of the Day blog which you can find at www.crmtipoftheday.com. Recorded in April 2020. In this episode, Joel and I talk about the beginnings of the Dynamics CRM platform, and its role in the Business Applications and Power Platform ecosystem. As a 12-time MVP, Joel has been there from the beginning, and is one of the leading community voices on CRM as well as the Common Data Service, which is Microsoft's premier data repository for the Power Platform. We talk about the evolution of the Dynamics space, growth of the Business Applications category, and some of our observations from the MVP community. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/ynwsyJ_S1qE
Episode 88 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Microsoft Regional Director and Developer Technologies MVP Rockford Lhotka (@RockyLhotka), an open-source architect and Chief Technology Officer at Magenic, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Rocky is a 16-time MVP, the author of numerous books, he regularly speaks at major conferences around the world, and is the creator of the widely used open source CSLA .NET development framework. Recorded in April 2020. In this episode, Rocky and I cover a few topics, starting off with his background with Magenic and the creation of CSLA (Component-based Scalable Logical Architecture), a software framework that provides a standard way to create robust object-oriented programs using business objects (you can find it on GitHub). He shares some detail on his current speaking topics, which turns into a discussion of the state of modern software development, with portable code on the server and portable code in the browser, and a great discussion of the need for personnel in the DevOps space. In fact, we talk about the path toward DevOps, and share some ideas about where students can/should focus to move into the DevOps field...but ultimately agree that the path requires people to have experience in at least two or three areas within the software development process (development, QA, security, release management, operations, etc). We wrap up the conversation on the topic of job vs career, and the importance of understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, and carving out a career path that plays to your strengths. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/uad-7ZdIZiU
Episode 87 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Developer TechnologiesĀ MVPĀ Dr. Sarah Kaiser (@crazy4pi314), a Research Engineer at Pensar Development based in Seattle, WA. Sarah was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Macquarie University, and received her PhD from the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. She is a physics experimentalist who specializes in building and breaking opto-electronic systems. In this episode, Dr. Kaiser and I talk about the growth of quantum computing and Q#, initially discussing Microsoft's Quantum Development Kit and the state of quantum computing, both from a scientific and commercial perspective. I don't know much about the space at all, and she was kind enough to walk me through some of the basics of what is happening within the industry, and Microsoft's investments. We also discussed personnel needs within quantum computing, and how the industry needs people from a variety of backgrounds -- not just computer science -- and especially people with expertise in data analysis and visualization. You can watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/kIgDkCzusZg
Episode 85 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Developer Technologies MVP Kevin Bost (@kitokeboo), a Software Developer at IntelliTect based in Spokane, Washington. Kevin is a C# and XAML enthusiast (WPF, Xamarin.Forms, UWP), a Xamarin Certified Mobile Developer, and author of AutoDI, a library to make dependency injection simpler, as well as ShowMeTheXAML, a WPF component that makes it easy to show the corresponding XAML for WPF custom styles and controls. Recorded in April 2020. In this episode, Kevin and I talk about his history in the DevOps space working with C# and WPF, some of his contributions to the open source community, and a few of the topics he covers in his Twitch live streaming shows on C#, WPF, and Material Design in Xaml. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/OGCr3Gyk8jY
Episode 84 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Developer Technologies MVP Jim Wilcox (@GraniteStHacker), an Architect II with Insight Digital Innovation in the Boston area, and an organizer for both the Granite State Windows Platform App Devs Users Group, and the Granite State (NH) SharePoint Users Group. In this episode, Jim and I talk about his long history within the Microsoft community and more recent adjustments to his activities due to COVID-19 quarantine. We also discuss some of the updates happening in the .Net space, including bringing .Net and .Net Core back together again for the new .Net 5 (sans "Core" or "Framework" monikers), which just went into preview last month. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/cJIwRzm5-88
Episode 83 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP Oliver Wirkus (@OWirkus), and a Senior Consultant at DevFactowho is based in British Columbia, Canada. In this episode, Oliver and I talk about his extensive experience in the SharePoint migration space, and the questions and overall themes he sees with clients. We also discuss the role of migration planning in the broader SharePoint and Office 365 governance space. You can also find this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/LDM-ubaLLTA
Episode 82 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Office Development MVP SƩbastien Levert (@sebastienlevert), another familiar face from the SharePoint community, developer, and product lead at Valo in Montreal. Recorded in February 2020. In this episode, SƩbastien and I talk about the continued success of the intranet-in-a-box category within the SharePoint and Microsoft 365 community, but also jump into some of his favorite presentation topics, such as building out bots and other automation solutions. You can also find this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/dcE5xJNrTLA
Episode 81 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP Adnan Amin (@adnan_amin), a long-time SharePoint and .Net developer, former MCT Regional Lead, and Senior Microsoft Consultant at PCM who is based in Lahore, Pakistan. Recorded in February 2020. In this episode, Adnan and I begin by talking about some of his community event efforts, helping to organize local bootcamps and technical events, followed by a great discussion on working with customers on out-of-the-boz versus custom solutions, and how this shift in focus is changing the consulting business around the world. You can also watch this video on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/rrMa6b1Xjpg
Episode 80 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP Dan Usher (@binarybrewery), Chief Technologist (Senior Associate) at Booz Allen Hamilton where he is a lead Cloud and Collaboration Technologies Architect and Solutions Manager. Dan is also one of the lead organizers of SharePoint Saturday DC, and co-founded the Reston SharePoint User Group. Recorded in January 2020. In this episode, Dan and I talk about some of SharePoint's history (both the product and the community), and specifically the continued need for on-premises and hybrid SharePoint solutions within many organizations. You can also watch the entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/aKfqqEmlrCE
Episode 79 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP Rob Windsor (@robwindsor), a long-time SharePoint and .Net developer, author, trainer, and presenter. Rob is a Lead Consultant at PAIT Group and Chief Imagineer at extaCloud, and is based outside of Toronto in Mississauga, Canada. Recorded in January 2020. In this episode, Rob and I start off by talking about the streaming technology he is using for his online training (Twitch), but evolves into a discussion on compliance and governance surrounding external collaboration. You can also watch the entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/wPOyEleRssM
Episode 78 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Business Applications MVP, Todd Baginski (@toddbaginski), Partner and CTO of Canviz, and based in Loveland, Ohio. Recorded in January 2020. In this episode, Todd and I talk about his move from SharePoint into the Business Applications space (he's been an MVP in both), and some of the exciting things coming out of the Power Platform community (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI). You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/5tJTA1Dzo2c
Episode 6 of this Microsoft employee-focused interview series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Jon Levesque (@JonJLevesque), a Sr. Platform Evangelist on the Power Automate (formerly known as Flow) team at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington. Recorded in January 2020. In this episode, Jon and I discuss the frenzied growth of the Power Platform, and specifically of Power Automate. You can also watch this interview on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/E-hI1xWeJgA
Episode 77 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, Tom Daly (@_tomdaly_), an Office 365 and SharePoint developer and consultant for SoHo Dragon in New York City. Recorded in January 2020. In this episode, Tom and I discuss his role in supporting community events in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and the evolution of SharePoint Saturday and other Microsoft-ecosystem conferences and events. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/9daI6NFegRM
Episode 76 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, Julie Turner (@jfj1997), a partner at Sympraxis Consulting LLC. Recorded in January 2020. In this episode, Julie shares some of what she has been working on for Microsoft 365 Learning Pathways, providing partners and customers with an open source solution for consuming on-demand content and training materials. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/4GTD_wGE_OA
Episode 5 of this Microsoft employee-focused interview series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Chris Bortlik (@cbortlik), a Principal Technical Architect at the Microsoft Technology Center in Boston, and a long-time external community leader in the SharePoint, Office 365, and Power Platform spaces. Recorded in January 2020. In this episode, Chris and I discuss his role, and the just what goes on behind closed doors at the 15 Microsoft Technology Centers in the US, and many more around the world, including hosting a number of community events, such as SharePoint Saturday and the forthcoming Teams Thursday Boston, which Chris is helping to organize. You can also watch this interview in its entirety on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/efZUbOwKZLM
Episode 75 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, Sue Hanley (@susanhanley), business analyst and information architecture consultant, governance and IA expert, and principal of Susan Hanley LLC, based in Bethesda, Maryland. In this episode, Sue and I talk about the state of governance and information architecture within the modern organization -- specifically looking at organizations that are rapidly adopting Microsoft Teams. We also talk about the transition from focusing largely on SharePoint to the expanded M365 platform, and whether organizations have learned from the governance and change management mistakes of the past. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/BTo3QwEqrQY
Episode 74 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, Paul Stork (@pstork), principal of Don't Pa..Panic Consulting based in Cleveland, Ohio. Recorded in December 2019. In this episode, Paul and I discuss the evolution of his subject-matter expertise in the community from SharePoint to PowerApps and Automate, and the changes he sees in customer requirements around SharePoint and Office 365. You can also watch this entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/I5f0WpZyEMk
Episode 73 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, Loryan Strant (@loryanstrant), an independent consultant and long-time SharePoint, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams author and speaker. Recorded in December 2019. In this episode, Loryan and I dig into the meaty topic of Governance, and talk about some of the learnings from our SharePoint backgrounds and how they apply in a Microsoft Teams world, and he shares some stories about where he sees organizations still failing to learn from the past. You can also watch this episode in its entirety on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/OWAKiBEWIvI
Episode 72 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Business Applications MVP, Sandy Ussia (@sandyu), long-time SharePoint and Office 365 speaker, and the Technical Evangelist for Lightning Tools. Recorded in December 2019. In this episode, Sandy and I discuss her participation in the SharePoint and Power Automate (Flow) communities, her global wanderings, and her advice for people who want to get started in the Power Automate community but don't know where to begin. You can also watch this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/LLZuGfrtV0I
Episode 71 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, consultant, and podcaster Michael Greth (@mysharepoint). Recorded in October 2019. In this episode, Michael and I start off talking about the convergence of tools and features within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, expand into Microsoft Stream and Yammer, and then also discuss video and streaming hardware, and what organizations should consider purchasing to build out corporate content. You can watch the entire episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/2_482d9E_NY
Episode 70 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Stacy Deere-Strole (@sldeere), founder of Focal Point Solutions and a fellow Office Apps & Services MVP. Recorded in October 2019. In this episode, Stacy and I discuss her efforts to constantly learn by "getting out of her comfort zone" and how that translates into new opportunities with clients, and can help people learn and grow within their own roles. You can also find this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube site at https://youtu.be/xzrd1JIHsoM
Episode 69 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and "the" Marc Anderson (@sympmarc), a fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, the founder of Sympraxis Consulting based in the Boston area, and, rumor has it, a card-holding Elder of the Internet. In this episode, Marc and I talk about his path into collaboration, back when rubbing two sticks together constituted "knowledge management" and then he found his way into SharePoint. We also get into the topic of search, and the concept of Microsoft Teams as the "hub" for teamwork and what that really means. You can also find this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube page at https://youtu.be/f82uMufwgNI
Episode 68 of the #MVPbuzzChat series. Conversation between Microsoft Regional Director and MVP Christian Buckley (@buckleyplanet), Founder & CEO of CollabTalk LLC, and Paul Keijzers (@KBworks), a fellow Office Apps & Services MVP, and a Netherlands-based consultant focusing on SharePoint and Microsoft Teams deployments, adoption and strategy. Recorded in September 2019. In this episode, Paul and I talk about some of the issues that can impact collaboration adoption, and share our thoughts on what can make a Microsoft Teams deployment successful. You can also find this episode on the CollabTalk YouTube site at https://youtu.be/wqcaB6Zjl1Q