Microsoft Innovation Podcast

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/458 Ashish Rana shares how he likes to explore different cultures and try different foods. Learn about the various cultures and communities in Toronto, making it a great city to visit and explore. Ashish shares his insights and experiences in implementing blockchain technology in different sectors. How Ashish enjoys networking and socializing in the city. He talks about the various events and communities he is involved in, such as tech talks, universities, and virtual events. Ashish talks about the importance of community in learning about BizApps and blockchain technology. Discusses the future of blockchain technology and how it is constantly evolving in the field. Mentions about the resources available online, and that getting involved in the community can help individuals stay updated on the latest trends and innovations. Ashish Rana emphasizes the importance of keeping oneself updated on the latest tech trends and innovations.  The importance of keeping an eye on the market to understand how technology can be applied to solve business problems. Talks about how Rana’s education in business and case studies helped him understand the importance of technology in solving business problems.  He also shares his experiences working in this field and how it has helped him grow both personally and professionally. OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ 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/457 Seth Dunn shares stories about living on a farm in Colorado, his love for spicy Mexican food, and his family's adventures in travelling.  Seth shares insights into the challenges and opportunities of implementing the Power Platform from an internal standpoint. Discover more about Seth's journey. Discover the inner workings of Banner Health, a prominent healthcare organization. With over 30 hospitals and a vast network of clinics, Banner Health relies on the Power Platform to optimize operations and patient care. Seth's journey from a nurse to an IT consultant showcases the transformative power of the Power Platform. He shares his experience implementing intelligent automation solutions, including real-time alerts for physicians, within Banner Health's electronic health record system. Listen in as Seth shares his insights and experiences and gain valuable knowledge about leveraging the Power Platform effectively within large organizations like Banner Health. Discover the distributed matrix model that drives their operations and gain insights into building scalable solutions using the Power Platform. Seth discusses the challenges of maintaining app support when team members leave the organization. He also emphasizes the importance of having multiple team members trained and prepared to support the apps. Seth explains the process of incident reporting and how the operations team handles app-related issues. They also highlight the role of the COE team in providing direct support when necessary. Seth explores different training methods for app users. They discuss how citizen teams handle training within their respective departments and how the COE team supports organization-wide apps. Seth shares insights into the development of a complex app designed for HR management and the challenges and logic behind building this comprehensive solution. How the app enables occupational health teams, clinical education teams, and IT teams to collaborate seamlessly in provisioning access and ensuring a smooth onboarding experience. Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport 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/456 Miguel Verweij talks about his family background, interests and hobbies and shares that he enjoys reading The Economist during his spare time.  Listeners can gain insights into Miguel's journey and learn how he built his career in the Power Platform industry. Miguel shares his journey from being a citizen developer to becoming a full Power Platform solution architect, and how he started his freelance consultancy earlier this year. Miguel Verweij talks about his experience using the Microsoft Power Platform and how he used the platform to learn about new topics and ultimately got nominated for and won an award within a year. Miguel explains why he's a fan of Power Automate and why he finds it easier to work with than some of the other tools within the platform.  He also talks about the democratization of technology and how the Power Platform helps make technology more accessible to everyone. Miguel shares his insights on the different tools within the platform, including Power Apps, Automate, BI, Virtual Agents, and Power Pages and the benefits of cloud-based development and how it can make it easier to build solutions. Miguel shares his experience of being a part of the MVP community and how it has helped him to enhance his technical skills, gain access to exclusive Microsoft resources, and expand his network. OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ GitHub: https://github.com/miguelverweij Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport 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/455 Krishna Rachakonda shares his background, having originally come from southern India before moving to the United States. He also discusses his love for gardening, interests and hobbies. Krishna talks about his love for the Power Platform and all the technologies surrounding it.  Krishna shares his passion for these technologies and talks about the many solutions he has implemented and shares his thoughts on the future of these platforms. He also talks about his experiences as an MVP and as an international speaker at various events. What it's like to be a SharePoint and Power Platform solution developer and architect? Krishna shares his interest in learning more about SharePoint and the Power Platform  Krishna shares his journey from working with SharePoint to transitioning to the Power Platform. Talks about developing in-house tools using C sharp and Windows applications, ASP.net, and automating processes. Krishna discusses the challenges he faced when Microsoft announced that it would no longer support Designer Workflows and InfoPath forms, which were extensively used in SharePoint.  Talks about how Krishna started working with Reza Dorani, and how he transitioned to the Power Platform. Learning opportunities with Power Platform Krishna explains how the Power Platform has helped him learn new things, explore new features and grow as a developer. Krishna summarizes his journey and encourages listeners to keep learning and exploring new technologies.  OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/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/454 Ulrikke Akerbæk shares her journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur and the importance of persistence, networking, and taking risks in order to achieve your goals. Learn how to stay motivated even when faced with setbacks and how to use failure as a stepping stone to success. Discusses the importance of finding a niche in the market and how they were able to identify a gap in their industry and fill it with their own unique product. Learn how to spot opportunities in your industry and turn them into successful business ventures. Discover the top tips for building a brand and the power of authenticity, consistency, and storytelling in building a brand that people trust and admire. Ulrikke shares her experience organizing a successful tech competition in Norway and the importance of having a clear vision, selecting the right judges, and creating a community of participants and experts.  Learn how to build a strong team, delegate tasks effectively, and stay focused on your long-term goals in order to take your business to new heights. Ulrikke shares insights into the mechanics of running a tech competition. She talks about how the competition's themes change every year, keeping the competition fresh and exciting for participants.  The importance of having a website and SharePoint sites to showcase images and information about the competition. Discussions about the collaborative nature of hackathons. Learn how these competitions and awards drive innovation and collaboration in the hackathon community. If you want to learn more about this exciting world of hackathons, tune into this podcast episode and discover all that they have to offer. RESOURCES MENTIONED Acdc website: https://www.arcticclouddeveloperchallenge.net/ Blog: https://acdc.blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArcticCloudDeveloperChallenge Facebook for old event: https://www.facebook.com/ArcticSharepointChallenge Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arctic-cloud-developer-challenge/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArcticCloudDev Arctic Cloud Developer Challenge - https://www.arcticclouddeveloperchallenge.net/ Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport 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/453 Iona Varga talks about her personal life outside of Power Platform. She shares her love for Dutch food and her current project of rebuilding her house. She also talks about her family and what she likes to do for fun.  This podcast features Iona Varga, who shares her surprising journey to becoming a Power Platform expert. She talks about her background in physics and medical science. Iona’s Experience with Power Platform Description. She talks about how her need to create applications quickly during the pandemic led her to discover Power Platform. She shares her experience working with Dynamics and how it evolved into her passion for PowerApps. Iona’s Journey with Power Platform. Iona talks about how her experience with physics and medical science has influenced her approach to building applications using Power Platform. She shares her tips and tricks for creating useful apps quickly and efficiently. Iona discusses the challenges she faced when learning Power Platform. She talks about how she overcame these challenges and shares her advice with anyone who is new to the platform. Switching Careers – Iona's Journey from Medical Physics to Power Platform Consulting. Iona’s story is a great example of how following your interests and being open to new opportunities can lead you down unexpected paths. Join us as we explore the exciting world of fusion development and the possibilities it holds for the future of energy. Iona also talks about her experience as an MVP and how it has opened up opportunities for speaking engagements. Iona’s advice for people looking to get into the power platform is to start building and experimenting with the free Microsoft 365 plan. OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ Sessionize - https://sessionize.com/iona-varga GitHub - https://github.com/Ionavoss 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/452 Vlad Sarov shares his background, growing up in Moldova, his love for music, particularly playing the piano and being part of a band, and his love for cooking and trying out different cuisines. Tune in and get to know Vlad, as he shares his experiences and insights in the world of CRM technology. Discussion on the future of AI and the implications it may have for humankind. They explore topics such as the AI arms race, and the potential dangers of AI surpassing human intelligence. Vlad Sarov shares his views on the hype and reality of AI, stating that before ChatGPT, he did not see the point of using AI everywhere. Talk about how Descript allows users to edit recordings without having to re-record sections that weren't perfect. Topic about voice fraud, where criminals can use voice prints to impersonate someone and commit fraud. Talks about the possibility of programming emotions and understanding the brain better. AI 2041 - must-read book focuses on the next 20 years and covers various topics, including the maturity of autonomous cars. A conversation about the increasing use of AI in various industries and how it has become a game-changer in recent times. The importance of staying up-to-date with technological developments and the potential risks that come with using new technologies. The importance and the future of AI and its potential consequences.  OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ Sessionize: https://sessionize.com/Vlad-Sarov/ 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/451 Mohammed Alkuhlani shares his experience as a digital transformation leader and catalyst in talent, culture, and governance for enterprise-wide adoption. Mohammed delves into his personal life, discussing his hobbies outside of work and reminiscing about his childhood with his large family. He expresses how growing up with them was a fantastic experience that he cherishes. Mohammed shares his personal journey of being a career switcher and how he discovered the Power Platform and became an early adopter in his organization. Mohammed discusses how his organization was adopting new tools and upgrading its infrastructure and services and explains how Power Apps were enabled in the organization. Mohammed talks about how he connected with the Power Platform community and leadership and shares his excitement and disbelief in being a part of the Power Platform team and how he advocates for the Power Platform within his organization. Mohammed provides an overview of the company's history, from its origins in oil field services to its current position as a leader in energy technology. A conversation about the importance of innovation, sustainability, and collaboration in advancing clean energy initiatives and making energy accessible to all. Discusses the importance of empowering citizen developers and enabling them to build with confidence, as it can help organizations address business challenges quickly and effectively. Mohammed explains why his organization chose to use the Power Platform. The benefits of having a team of citizen developers which includes the ability to share and collaborate on ideas, and the importance of having a code of conduct and terms of use in place to ensure responsible development practices. Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport 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/450Ramit Paul talks about his interests outside of work, which include watching movies, travelling, exploring new places, and spending time with like-minded people. Ramit talks about his career journey, from starting as a finance analyst to becoming a Dynamics 365 consultant. He shares how his background in finance led him to this field and how he developed his skills as a consultant. Ramit talks about his interests in AI and shares insights on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 finance and operations he specializes in. Ramit shares his experience with integrating SAP Success Factor with Dynamics 365, which he describes as one of the most common integrations he has done. Talks about using Logic Apps and Azure for integration and shares insights on how to approach such projects successfully. The importance of having good consultants and methodologies for successful implementation. A conversation about the key elements of building a successful YouTube channel, including identifying your niche, creating high-quality content, and engaging with your audience. They also share tips for growing your channel and monetizing your content. Ramit also shared his insights on how Microsoft Dynamics 365 can compete with other ERP solutions like SAP and Oracle if implemented by good consultants. Ramit’s insights on community involvement and the significance of consulting behaviour and methodology in tech implementation provide a unique perspective on the industry's potential and challenges. OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ 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/449Alan Garcia talks about his experience selling PCs to businesses in the 90s, his exposure to the dot-com explosion, and his transition from networking to software development. He also shares how he discovered Microsoft CRM 1.0 and how it changed his career path. Alan talks about his latest passion, the Power Platform. He shares how he discovered the platform and how he was drawn to its capabilities in sales and service.  A discussion about how Alan is currently using the Power Platform and how it helps their customers automate their backup and recovery processes. Alan shares his insights on a career in business applications, particularly in Microsoft's business applications and how important it is to keep up with the latest technology trends and to continuously learn and improve one's skills.  Alan also shares how excited he is about the future of business applications and how he sees them becoming more intelligent and connected in the years to come. A conversation about the various components of the power platform, such as Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI and explains how each of these tools can be used to create efficient workflows and analytics solutions. Alan shares his thoughts on the benefits of the power platform and how it can help startups and small businesses. The episode concludes with some tips and advice for those who are just starting their MVP journey or considering using the power platform. Alan encourages listeners to stay focused on customer needs and feedback and to leverage the power platform to build scalable and efficient solutions. Alan talks about his thoughts about the MVP Program. OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith