Microsoft Innovation Podcast

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/491 Are you ready to unravel the mysteries of technological evolution? Join us in this enlightening conversation with Andrew Welch, Chris Huntingford, Ana Demeny, and William Dorrington, where we bring to light the intriguing concept of enablement. As the waves of major innovations shorten, we dissect the necessity for swift adaptability to avoid being swept away in the current of change. Unearthing the demise of digital transformation, we usher in the era of ecosystem enablement.Dare to venture into the labyrinth of artificial intelligence with us? We scrutinize the overhyped expectations that have left many disillusioned and the underestimated Gartner hype cycle prevalent in the AI space. We shed light on the contrasting approaches to AI by consumers and organizations, and the pivotal role of data in a company's productivity. Delving deeper, we expose the superficial adoption of AI by many organizations and stress the significance of building a robust platform.Ever wondered about the crucial role of digital literacy for organizational leaders and boards? We delve into the incentives offered by IT organizations and external partners for certain technologies and how it can potentially distort digital transformation. Furthermore, we explore the necessity of data and knowledge management to stay ahead of the competition. As we near the end, we touch upon the double-edged sword of democratization and the increasing need for apt user interface and experience design as data processing skyrockets. So, join us on this journey and gain valuable insights into the future of technology.This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/490 Imagine the journey from a mechanical engineer to becoming a Microsoft Power Platform enthusiast, and eventually an MVP in Germany. Meet Robin Rosengrün, our guest in this episode, who effortlessly straddles the world between his passion for technology and his fascinating family life. We get candid with him about his transition, the challenges he faced, and his unique request to Microsoft's product team!Intriguingly, our conversation takes an exciting turn as we delve into Robin's role as a low-code enabler at ENVW, fostering digital transformation. We discuss the AppGap challenge, strategies to accelerate digitalisation projects, and the significance of community-building in tech. Join us to gain unique insights from Robin's journey, his perspective on the future of Power Platform, and his role in shaping it. Prepare to be inspired and take away valuable lessons from his experiences.OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ GitHub: https://github.com/PowerRobinPower Platform Training: https://www.crownandwand.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@r2powerThis year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/489 Embrace the ingenious world of artificial intelligence with our esteemed guest, Taiki, a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft. Unravel the transformative power of Microsoft’s Co-Pilot and its synergistic application in Power Platform. Taiki will share some heartening instances of career revolution catalyzed by AI capabilities, like that of Miyu Takai, who turned her mundane data entry job into an automated process using Co-Pilot. The discussion doesn't stop at career transformation. Brace yourself for riveting stories about the astounding impact of Co-Pilot and Generative AI on citizen developers. Taiki recounts how Ashley Francis, a CPA with no prior IT experience, empowered herself by leveraging Power Automate to streamline her work processes. Discover the phenomenal advancements these tools are making in the developer ecosystem, enabling rapid prototyping of MVPs and plugins, thereby nurturing a culture of efficiency and innovation.Dive deeper into the AI realm as Taiki shares his personal experiments with various AI models. Experience the future of AI-powered personal assistants and the boundless possibilities they hold. Be part of the conversation about the limitations of current personal assistants and Taiki's futuristic vision for them. Finally, he leaves you with a thought-provoking perspective on leveraging the Power Platform for content creation and application development in the coming year. A goldmine of insights awaits those fascinated by AI, career transformation, and innovative tech solutions.This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/488 Join me as I sit down with the charismatic CTO of Colorado Technology Consultants, David Yack, a Microsoft MVP with two decades of rich experience. Get ready to embark on a fascinating journey with us as we meander through David's career path, his passion for developing on Microsoft platforms, his most cherished memories from Build and the MVP Summit, and his enthusiasm about the matured BizApps and AI.The second half of our conversation catapults you into the exhilarating world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Together with David, we address the learning curve associated with this technology, and its realistic capabilities, and offer insights on maintaining balanced expectations. We explore its potential benefits for individuals and businesses, share tips on smart investments in AI, and David generously reveals how everyone can access AI functionality through 365.training. This enlightening episode serves as a tech appetizer, whetting your appetite with David's wisdom and zest for technology.OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ White Paper: https://msft.it/60159ZvRl PowerUsers: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/2391 GitHub: https://github.com/davidyack Pluralsight: https://www.pluralsight.com/authors/david-yack CRM 4.0 Developer Book: http://www.thecrmbook.com/ 365 Training: https://365.training/Instructors/detail/DavidYack This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Andrew Gaskins, the global Power Platform Lead at a leading tech company provides compelling insights on the future of AI and low-code technology. Topics include success stories of automation, chatbots, and apps, adapting onboarding process, data governance with the Power Platform, and the impact of AI on future employment.

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/486 You're in for a treat as we invite you to listen to our special guest Tchesco Ayih's fascinating transformation from dabbling in a computer repair shop to becoming an MVP in Ghana. With our fireside chat, we delve into Tchesco's inspiring journey that's marked by his love for cooking and gaming, his self-taught graphic design and C-Sharp skills, and his unexpected MVP award. He'll let you in on his approach to learning new skills, staying updated with the latest trends, and the significance of being part of tech communities. Moving on, we'll traverse the evolving landscape of the Power Platform community in Ghana, its inception, growth, and the key role MVP Abu played in shaping it. We'll also draw parallels with the community growth in Nigeria and shed light on Tchesco's efforts to bolster the French community's involvement in this tech revolution. Join us and get captivated by Tchesco's story of perseverance, thirst for knowledge, and the influence of tech communities in transforming lives. It's an insightful ride you wouldn't want to miss.OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/Microsoft User Group Lome (French sessions): https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-User-Group-Lome/gh-p/MicrosoftUserGroupLome Microsoft User Group Ghana (English sessions): https://www.meetup.com/Microsoft-User-Group-Ghana/ This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/485 Ever reflected on how video games can affect our productivity in the digital workspace? That's a thought-provoking question we tackle with our accomplished guest, Joris de Gruyter, a seasoned program manager at Microsoft. As we journey through his intriguing career path from Belgium to the US, we find out how his hobbies like gaming, skiing, and sailing, have shaped his perspective on making business applications more engaging.You'll surely get hooked as we move into the heart of our conversation – PowerApps and PowerFX. Learn first-hand from Joe about the creative alliance between the Excel and PowerApps teams that have helped in shaping Microsoft's robust Power Platform. As he breaks down the ins and outs of PowerFX, especially how its strongly typed nature offers a unique advantage when sending data to databases, you'll gain valuable insights into the realm of coding.Brace yourself for a refreshing discussion on the complexities of UX design in PowerApps, the need for a universal formula bar, and the mammoth task of balancing the needs of ProDevs and new makers. As we venture into the challenges of code reuse in PowerFX, and the importance of user-defined functions, you'll start to see the art behind the science of coding. Finally, get a glimpse into the minds of MVPs in our vibrant discussion on customer requests, recognizing low-hanging fruit, and much more. This episode is your golden ticket to dive deep into the world of PowerApps, PowerFX, and the magic of Microsoft's Power platform.This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/484 What happens when you combine multicultural experiences, love for food, family, fun, and a passion for Microsoft Dynamics ERP? You get Parag Chapre, our guest on today's show. A senior consultant at DXC Technology, Parag's journey has spanned continents - from the streets of India to the hustle of Europe, and now the shores of Australia. He shares his experiences of transitioning from different languages during his engineering to choosing Dynamics, the continuous evolution it offers, and the immense learning opportunities it provides.Parag doesn't merely work in IT; he lives it. His career started at SA Global, where he delved into Microsoft Dynamics ERP and never looked back. But how does he keep track of the ever-evolving landscape of Microsoft's features and functionalities? He shares his secret - being a part of community events and discussions. But Parag didn't stop at just being part of the community; he took his knowledge-sharing a step further and became an MVP, sharing unique content with the community. Listen in as he talks about his experiences and the pivotal role of continuous learning in his personal and professional journey.OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/Dynamics Community - https://community.dynamics.com/members/parag-chapre This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/483 What if you could leverage technology to outsmart the escalating cost of living? Join us on this riveting adventure as we talk with Mike Carlton, a director at PWC and a dedicated family man from South Wales. Living with his wife, four children, and an assortment of pets, Mike's life is as colourful as it is engaging! His non-tech lifestyle at home provides a refreshing juxtaposition to his impactful work with the Power Platform at PWC.Our conversation ventures into the transformative capabilities of the Power Platform, a low-code solution that's revolutionizing businesses grappling with increasing living costs. We reveal how PWC is harnessing this innovation on an enterprise-wide scale, navigating complexities, and fostering the growth of consultants. Get ready to learn about the Power Platform, its business-centric approach, and its implications in the real world.Yet, we don't simply stop at the technology. Mike, being a leader in system integration, shares the importance of technical skills in the consulting arena. Hear his insights on the approaches of big four companies and system integrators, the need to comprehend the client's problem domain, and the invaluable art of making business-oriented decisions. As we wrap up, we take a moment to appreciate our listeners and supporters. Who knows? You might be our next guest! So, tune in, learn, and remember to shoot for the stars!This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/482 What if you could transform your organization into a digital native? Join us as we converse with Ayotunde Ayoola, a Principal Consultant and Product Lead hailing from Nigeria who is leading this digital revolution. With his team at Stringify, Ayo assists organizations in undergoing crucial digital transformations, introducing the power of technology to multiple sectors. Ayo also offers a glimpse into his life outside the tech world, sharing his love for reading, sports, and church. We also explore the burgeoning Nigerian tech and MVP community and their ever-growing interest in BizApps and Power Platform careers.But this episode isn't all tech and transformations. Has he ever wondered about the charitable side of the tech industry? Mark Smith, an MVP recognized as the NZ365 guy, shares his experiences of giving back to the community. He firmly believes that contributing isn't always about money but creating opportunities. Mark shares his experiences running a boot camp for high school students, introducing them to low code and other technologies. He believes in the transformative power of giving back and how it creates more opportunities for digital transformation. This episode is filled with insights, experiences, and heartwarming stories from the tech community. So, gear up for a compelling conversation with Ayo and Mark!OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ Azure Community Portal: https://azure.styava.dev/apac/id/user/organizer?userId=5b7eceb2-6b9c-43df-9937-a02856d1da2c GitHub: https://github.com/officialAY Microsoft Power Apps Community: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Apps-Community/ct-p/PowerApps1 This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith