Raw Data By P3 Adaptive

Today, we're doing something a little different. We're going to focus on a true, unfiltered story about people in the tech industry, and more specifically, about one of the most powerful figures in the field - Bill Gates. Some might even say he's one of the most powerful men in the world. This story had a profound impact on Rob, and we're excited to share it with you. You know, when people find themselves in uncomfortable situations, they often develop coping mechanisms. Some people might talk excessively, or tell bad jokes, while others might shut down completely. Unfortunately, there are also those who lash out at others when they feel uneasy, which can create a negative impression of them. As humans, we tend to form our opinions of others based on our interactions with them. If the only time we've seen someone is when they're being a bully, it's not exactly a great first impression. This story was accidentally cut from our episode Good Design is the Cake, Not the Icing, w/Brad Weed, but we felt it was too important to leave out. It's a human interest story that highlights the struggles and challenges we all face, no matter who we are. It might not be a feel-good or funny story, but it's special because it's so relatable. At some point in our lives, we've all found ourselves on the outside looking in, trying to find a seat at the table. And that's what makes this story so universal - it speaks to all of us. Thanks for joining us as we dive into this compelling tale.

Today's guest is Dan Battagin, a former program manager for Microsoft and the genius behind Adventure Taco! Dan has an impressive track record as the former lead developer of Microsoft's Power Query as well as experience with multiple other software programs. We're excited to have him on the show, especially since he only agreed to appear in order to learn about Rob's video background. But once the conversation gets going, you will realize that Dan has a wealth of expertise in data cleansing and transformation that we can all learn from. As the conversation progresses, we also get a glimpse into Microsoft's hiring practices of the past. Remember those brain teasers and psychological questions that used to be all the rage? We discuss how these inane questions often resulted in great candidates being passed up, simply because they didn't fit into the expected answer patterns. Fortunately, times have changed and we get to hear the story of how Rob helped keep Dan on at Microsoft after his initial internship. In addition, Dan brings with him stories of his internship at Microsoft and the stories of programs ending before their time. And, as frequently happens, the conversation takes a turn to DAX and unsurprisingly, Dan is another former Microsoft manager who is not a well-versed DAX user. As Rob points out, DAX is the most accessible language to come out of Microsoft which leads us to question why so few former employees embrace the magic.  All this and a few Lego and Age of Empire references you won’t want to miss. And don’t forget, if you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Also on this episode: Brain Teasers for your next interview prep Age of Empires Ways to Fix Excel Not Recognizing Date Format Adventure Taco Fantasy Football DAX Functions Power Pivot and Power BI: The Excel User's Guide to DAX Soda Machine Brain Teaser 12 Men on an Island Brain Teaser LEGO Modular Buildings

On today’s episode, Charlie Ellis, former Program Manager at Microsoft and expert on the heart of excel, the calc engine, sits down for an amazing conversation. He brings with him stories of the evolution of Office that began with the retooling of Excel 2007. That reboot went on to become a veritable restart of the program that nearly wiped the slate clean by creating what would in essence become a new, more responsive product.  With so many big changes happening at the same time inevitably there was some pushback from the users. Fortunately, for modern users, those changes were pushed through and eventually removed a ton of the frustrations of the original Excel. This recording was unique. Emotions ran high, personality types were broken down, and all parties involved pulled back the curtain on their inner selves. Instead of just focusing on Impostor Syndrome, in this episode we hear more about being neurodivergent and how that can affect the work-life balance as well as the work personality that our coworkers are exposed to through social compassion.  Of course, when things get that real, some conversations have to be taken with a grain of salt and ultimately removed from the episode. Don’t worry, at the end of the day, as with every episode and every topic, we all remain friends and perhaps even grow a little closer because of the conversation. Through thoughtful redirection, everyone involved artfully steers the conversation back to less dangerous but no less interesting waters. While you don’t get to hear it all, you won’t want to miss this episode. As always, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and be sure to share it with a friend. After all, friends don’t let friends miss Raw Data by P3 Adaptive. Also on this episode: The Ocean - Led Zeppelin All my Love - Led Zeppelin Leaders Need Not be Flashy, w/ Microsoft VP Dave Gainer La La Land La La Land Jazz Christmas Scene A Single Complete Leader, w/P3 Pres and COO Kellan Danielson What Are ActiveX controls Septic Companions and Breaded Capacitors, w/ Chris Rae Buckaroo Banzai - What is that even? Mike Grant - Ultimate Hall of Fame Furious George vs Condors - Ultimate National Championship Paint.net The Power Ranking Godfather, w/ Jeff Sagarin & Wayne Winston Mark Cuban Crashed my Lecture w/IU's Dr. Wayne Winston Was Excel really originally intended for the MAC? Train Tracks and Chariots . . . really?

Today, special guest, Brad Weed of Interplace waxes philosophical about his and Rob’s shared time at Microsoft and we discover where the seeds of ethical capitalism were planted. He is a former designer at Microsoft who worked on every release of Office from 1992-2007 and played a major role in defining and refining the company's design and user research disciplines. He is an incredible entrepreneur with a passion for innovation who may forever be known as the perfector of the Microsoft Ruler. Brad built upon his work as at Microsoft to become the founder/CEO of Interplace. With the use of the latest IoT technology, Brad's company is committed to developing sustainable transportation solutions that address major global challenges like urban congestion and climate change. He stops in today to chat about the importance of using IoT technology to create sustainable transportation solutions. Brad's vast experience in design and user research makes him a pioneer in the industry, and his passion for addressing global challenges, like urban congestion and climate change, is second to none. As they delve into the topic, Brad shares his unique perspective on how IoT technology can help change the way we think about transportation and the environment. Don't miss out on this insightful conversation between old friends as they explore their history and the choices they made to find a better path for the future.   Also in this episode: Kurt DelBene - Will Microsoft muscle rescue Healthcare.gov Excel is the Most Functional of Programming Languages w/ Simon Peyton Jones Microsoft Ruler Solid State Active Cooling The Cult of the Right Thing - Rob Collie Readily Ticket’s Series of Fortunate Events, w/ David Wood Delft University r/Slow history Guns Germs & Steel

Today, we welcome David Wood, founder of Eventene, to share the story of his exceptional journey through the ever-evolving field of computer technology and the extensive digital transformation it has undergone over the years. David will take us back to his high school days, where his interest in technology was first sparked by the purchase of a scientific calculator with programming capabilities. While nowadays, your cellphone may hold more computing power, back in the day, a programable calculator with 210 programable steps, 21 memories, and a full complement of scientific functions was the bleeding edge of technology . . . and for David, it was his gateway to the world of technology. David shares his journey from that calculator to personal computers and discusses his personal induction into the world of coding through VisiCalc and Unicode. He draws a parallel between the impact of spreadsheets and the digital transformation that is currently taking place in his chosen field of event planning. With the advent of cloud computing and smart mobile devices, event planning is undergoing a transformation, and David, thanks to his work with the Boy Scouts of America, is at the forefront of this change. As a result of the mass quantity of data required to plan a scout event, he became the creator of Eventene, an online software solution that promises to revolutionize event planning. David envisions Eventene to become as essential for event planners as spreadsheets are for working with numbers and data, saving time and effort for years to come, regardless of the scale of the event. This is a story that promises to be insightful and entertaining. After all, you have to enjoy reminiscing about the technology of days gone by. And, as always, if you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform.   Also in this episode: The Impostor Syndrome World Championships, w/ Jocelyn Collie HP-34C Calculator TRS 80 computer Yoda Chong and the Treehouse of Wonder, w/ Donald Farmer Unicode, in friendly terms: ASCII, UTF-8, code points, character encodings, and more The Great Football Project Rides Again! MoneyBall -- The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Billy Beane Setting Up for Success w/ David McKinnis It’s Time for an Event Planning Moment The Book that started it all:Power Pivot and Power BI - Rob Collie The DAX Draft ChatGPT

Today’s guest, Jocelyn Collie, is the co-founder of P3 Adaptive, and she brings a story or two to share with you on impostor syndrome. But what is impostor syndrome? Have you ever felt like a fake or a fraud despite your accomplishments? That is impostor syndrome.  It's when you don't believe in your own abilities and attribute your success to things like luck or outside help or even view yourself as less accomplished or mediocre. And despite what you might think, it’s surprisingly common, especially among people, like Jocelyn, who are highly successful. Jocelyn’s story is an incredible journey of overcoming barriers through an almost chameleon-like ability to add to her skill set. No matter where she was, she mastered an ever-growing skillset. Waiting tables, playing musical instruments, writing code, and even jamming for a roller derby team, she really has been there and back again. But you must ask yourself, was she blending in, or was she standing out for self-teaching what others could only dream of learning? Find out on today’s episode! And, as always, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform! Also in this episode: Tinkering is a Way of Life w/Darinee Louvau Why is Everything So Slow w/ Scott Louvau Environmental Engineering Meets the Data Gene, w/ MS MVP Alice Drummond Hello Everybody - Rob's Blog Camelot – The Holy Grail Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Art Hellyer The DAX Draft The Sea Gals Grave Danger Roller Derby Grave Danger Group Photo with Natalie Fatality

On today’s episode, Chuck Vigeant, founder/CEO of Clearify, entrepreneur, speaker, leadership consultant, golf aficionado, and, the mastermind behind QQube, brings his most interesting stories of XML, ETL, and even some PGA. He discusses the frustration of accessing data in QuickBooks, sometimes a download can take 12+ hours. For many QuickBooks users, workarounds have become too complicated and time-consuming so they have resorted to deleting data yearly to save time. Can you imagine? Deleting data to access data? It’s madness! Don’t worry, though, Chuck explains how Clearify provides an interface to give users a method to bolt QuickBooks up to Power BI through the QQubes ETL engine. Bottom line: he and his team put in the time and energy so that the users can reap the rewards of Power BI. He makes sure the data won’t be locked in. And, as an added bonus, he even throws in some great calculations for good measure (pun intended) as well as access to create custom calculations as needed. It is an interesting visit, for sure, with Chuck asking some very thoughtful questions of our hosts. There may even be a genealogical tie or two that makes him family.  Overall, his data story is more about helping others and making the world a better place. What more can you ask for than a feel-good story of data, positive energy, and contagious happiness. As always, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform and tune in next week for more Raw Data by P3 Adaptive. Also on this episode: QuickBooks Peachtree Accounting Jack Welch – Cut the bottom 10% The DAX Draft Rob Collie - Women in Data podcast appearance The Power Ranking Godfather, w/Jeff Sagarin & Wayne Winston Ratatouille - Life Lessons Multiplicity - Michael Keaton UnFrozen Caveman Lawyer

On today’s episode, Alice Drummond, co-founder of DiscoverEI gives the inside scoop on transitioning from environmental engineering to Microsoft Power Platform MVP.  She shares her story of building a consultancy firm from the ground(water) up while increasing her own skill set. She and Rob wax poetic on the struggles of taking the plunge into the small business owners’ realm and neither sugarcoats the challenges faced. During the course of the conversation, a common thread emerges on the people who advocate for the firm and seek to move to the Power Platform. Early adopters want revolution while the early majority want evolution. The bottom line, most companies are just getting started. This episode isn’t just about starting a business, though, we get to hear the real, human side of the story. Alice highlights the best parts of the learning process: teaching, sharing knowledge and empowering others. As always, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find us. Then, click subscribe for new episodes delivered straight to your inbox! Also in this episode: Fortran Daniel Marsh-Patrick Denali Crossing the Chasm: Book Upright: Season 1

When its winner takes all, it’s the unexpected choice that provides the most impressive results. Who made the bold moves? Three Power BI DAX experts duke it out in a game of "Choose it or Lose it" with 8 cutthroat rounds of DAX Draft! Your competitors: Rob Collie – the founder of P3 Adaptive. He wrote the book on DAX. Ed Hansberry – a 13-time Microsoft MVP with an extensive track record of creating innovative DAX solutions both in the community forums and for his clients. An avid chess player who is always two moves ahead. Leigh Ann Thibadoux - an incredibly skilled DAX P3 Adaptive expert who fuses her specialization in Finance and Accounting skills with her passion for process automation to rapidly create innovative DAX solutions. Bill Sundwall – P3 Adaptive Expert and today’s guest referee, Bill has a passion for expanding the data community via education and mentoring. The Challenge: DAX DRAFT Our host Rob Collie invented the game, chose his competition, and made up the rules... but can he win? The competition will be tough. Most importantly, will Rob’s OG DAX outmaneuver modern refined DAX? The Rules are simple, eight rounds with a total of 24 functions taken off of the list with the remaining functions available to everyone. The remaining, undrafted functions at the end of the exercise are open for use by all. Once the draft has occurred, the question is: can you survive without the functions drafted by the competition? To keep our players honest, guest referee Bill Sundwall will if an actual workaround exists. Bill’s ruling will be final. Can Rob Collie’s Street DAX scrape by? Will 13-time Microsoft MVP Ed Hansberry’s mental compilation of functions and chess moves prevail? Or can scrappy P3 Adaptive newcomer Leigh Ann Thibadoux blindside both? Listen now to find out! Think you have what it takes to take down the DAX Draft winner? Let us know on social media and be sure to check out our career page for current openings! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform.

In this episode, Brian Knight, founder of Pragmatic Works, describes his accidental entrance into the field of technology. From a chance job offer to being “that guy” who hit the server rebuild button, you won’t want to miss this data origin story.  Only someone like Brian could get such a great start by nuking a database and turning it into a DBA career where he would become both a prolific community member and content creator. While reminiscing with Tom about SQL and the glory days of being a DBA, Brian admits that his focus has recently shifted to Power Apps. When asked why he shares that the lure of building in a couple of days what in the past would have taken several years was just too strong.   It isn’t just about the past, though, as the crew gets into a lively discussion on AI and its future impact on the arts. No spoilers here but it may just be that AI can be a beneficial part of creative society, not by replacing people as artists but by augmenting the existing skillset of current and future artists in a similar way the Power Platform enhanced skills of people in tech to create the Citizen Developers we all know and love. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find us.   Also on this episode: SQL Server Central Tom’s blog: Operations Manager and SQL Server Septic Companions and Breaded Capacitors, w/ Chris Rae GitHub Copilot Open AI Two QB Rob Blog Cat in the Hat: Calculatus Eliminatus