

Microsoft Innovation Podcast
Mark Smith [nz365guy]
If you want to get your ideas or questions featured on an episode, please leave us a voicemail: https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/voicemail/Dive into the future of work with the "Microsoft Innovation Podcast," exploring the intersection of People, Business, Technology, and AI. Engage with expert guests—including thought leaders from Microsoft, industry innovators, and community specialists—who are redefining the world with advancements in AI, Cloud technologies, the Power Platform, Dynamics 365, and beyond.Every episode delivers a blend of in-depth discussions, practical insights, and actionable strategies tailored for professionals driving enablement and innovation. Join us across our five shows:The Power Platform ShowThe MVP ShowThe Copilot ShowThe Ecosystems ShowThe AI Advantage (coming soon)
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 8, 2019 • 50min
Demystifying AI with Moacyr Galo Jr
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/110A brief introduction of Moacyr’s life and where he comes from A breakdown of his professional background Why Portugal is an exciting proposition Where new technologies are leading us in the next 3 to 10 years Understanding the importance and the future of new technologies Maturity of understanding business with regards to AI and how to get started Impact of new technologies on people and organization Microsoft partner opportunities How to better understand productivity tools AI and the competitive advantage Role of Microsoft Power Platform The most important aspect of AI Importance of collaboration between University, Industry and Government How to get into the world new technologies How to collect and process huge data What it can offer the customer when talking about internal and external dataThe future of AI within an organization Book RecommendationsHow to lie with statistics –https://www.amazon.com/How-Lie-Statistics-Darrell-Huff-ebook/ Master of Algorithm – https://www.amazon.com/Master-Algorithm-Ultimate-Learning-Machine-ebook/ On intelligence – https://www.amazon.com/Intelligence-Understanding-Creation-Intelligent-Machines-ebook/ ResourcesSteve Guggenheimer – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sguggenheimer AI and Machine learning – https://www.refinitiv.com/perspectives/ai-digitalization/power-ai-and-machine-learning-in-financial-services/ 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

Jul 3, 2019 • 31min
Daniel Christian on the MVP Show
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/109A short introduction about Daniel Christian who grew up in Bombay, India, moved to Dallas, Texas at the age of 17 and is presently residing in Concord, North Carolina. Being a Microsoft Business Solutions MVP and when his journey startedPower Platform User Group Daniel's experiences and cope during difficult timesDiscussion about his ultimate ambition, passion and goals for the futureEncouraging words for successHis favourite apps Canvas apps and Model-driven appsImportance of new features available Enterprise license, its differences, how it works and its features Changes since becoming a Microsoft MVPProduct tools Daniel uses and ways to stay organizedConcerns whenever new features are releasedKey to better understanding Power BI, SharePoint, and PowerApps 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

Jul 1, 2019 • 43min
PowerApps Governance and Maintaining Momentum for the Future with Manuela Pichler
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/108A brief introduction about Manuela life who originally came from Vienna, Austria now presently residing in Horsham, West Sussex with her husband What made Manuela decide to start using PowerAppsHow to be more productive in doing business and how to increase customer satisfaction in using PowerApps governanceThe importance of creating a community within the organization around building appsHow PowerApps governance can help everyone to be more productiveWhat support they can provide to PowerApps governance usersSolutions, learning tools and training they can offerEnsuring the correct way of using PowerApps governance tools What critical communication is and providing training that is requiredConcerns about using PowerApps and its risksHow digital guidelines & creating support infrastructure and governance works for the companyHow to avoid duplication and complications with applicationsImplementation with ongoing PowerApps within the organization Learning point and education hackathons How teams are built up Impact of having a facilitator Plans for PowerApps governance to be successful Understanding the benefits of using PowerApps governanceRecommendations for a success planMicrosoft 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

Jun 26, 2019 • 29min
Stefano Tempesta on MVP Show
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/107Personal and professional background – what led to his move to Melbourne, being a regional director and an MVP, starting in SharePoint and falling in love with Dynamics 365, being passionate about AI, working for Salesforce Countries he has lived and worked – being a global traveller, getting involved in international Dynamics communities, and being multilingual Experience in a blockchain – what it is and how it is applied today Working with blockchain and Microsoft business applications Merging of blockchain and AI – scenarios that either exist now or coming in the future around the merging of blockchain and AI How he stays at the cutting edge of change and how he keeps learning Advice to professionals wanting to stay up to speed with all the changes in Microsoft The public speaking process he follows to go through from the idea to what he presents Other Resources Stefano’s blockchain blog, Blogchain – http://www.blogchain.space/ 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

Jun 24, 2019 • 47min
Building a Tech Community: The Windows Insider Program with Dona Sarkar
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/106Personal and professional background – growing up in Detroit, taking up computer science, working at Siebel, etc. Upcoming speaking engagement at a conference on digital inclusion Journey to working with Microsoft Career highlights in the past 14 years Being a woman in tech: changes she has seen, her thoughts on the topic How she encourages open-mindedness when people don’t come from a highly diverse background in a corporate team About #DotheThing – what it is, her principle Thoughts on encouraging students about the future possibility of careers that don’t even exist The meaning behind #NinjaCat Releasing code to the Insider Fast ring – wanting to have in cocreating product and making a better world using technology. Is it starting to flow over into other technology areas inside Microsoft? Building a 16.5-million-people community – keeping the communications and the engagement level up; how they maintain the momentum year in and year out Dona’s Ten Commandments for Community Thoughts on the future of the Windows Insider Program Advice to teams wanting to kick off a program from 0 and build a tech community Books Mentioned#DotheThing by Dona Sarkar – https://amzn.to/2J5DBhb ResourcesWindows Insider Program – https://insider.windows.com/en-us/ Ghana Digital Roadmap Conference – https://microsoftcaregh.com/2019/05/16/ghana-digital-roadmap-conference-microsoft-windows-insider-chief-dona-sarkar-shares-simple-yet-often-overlooked-insights-on-digital-inclusion/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

Jun 19, 2019 • 29min
David Jennaway on MVP Show
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/105Background – being a Microsoft MVP for 13 years, living in York, UK, interests outside of work, home life How David started in Dynamics CRM – IT training on Microsoft technologies, etc. then moving to Dynamics CRM Running his old company, Excitation, and being purchased by Core Technology Systems Knowledge and experience with Dynamics CRM 1.0 Running the sales side of his business How much the XRM story play into the projects that they’re doing early on in Excitation Experience being purchased by Core Technologies About David's blog and as a prolific blogger How the changes in Dynamics has affected what David does today Thoughts on the statement: “Anything you can build in Dynamics, I could build in SharePoint” How to have a conversation with SharePoint people to get to a decision around which technology to use 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

Jun 17, 2019 • 52min
Managing Relationship with Microsoft and Changes in the Licensing Structure with Heidi Tucker
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/104Personal background – living in Kirkland, WA, interests, being fanatical about wine Professional background – current role at InsideView, responsibilities About InsideView – what they do and their services Industries that commonly use or geographies where there’s a greater demand for InsideView’s technology Current trends in the B2B businesses and how they adapt to technology Recent changes that Microsoft implemented in relation to InsideView and the confusion that resulted after it’s no longer subsidised by Microsoft Assessing an AI opportunity if an organisation wants to go down that path How InsideView addresses low-quality data sitting in people’s systems, and is there a demand for it? What InsideView is doing differently as an organisation, being involved in the AI discussion going forward Journey on being an ISV and partnership with Microsoft What is the new ISV program and Heidi’s thoughts on it Thoughts on old ISV’s concerns about the new ISV program around revenue sharing Knowledge about the existing AppSource marketplace that we have at the moment, experience on the quality of leads that have come through from the AppSource What it takes to be a successful ISV What ISVs need to build into their business as part of their business model for success Recommendations to ISVs that want to move their product into the global market Managing relationship with Microsoft as an ISV – how to maintain a good relationship with the product team, etc.Effective ways for engaging the Microsoft Partner Network SIs that do things differently that move ISV products more, their patterns in their business that cause them to recommend an ISV’s solution more Effectivity of exhibition space, how to go to events and be effective as an exhibitor Brand awareness – what works effectively in engaging people, training staff to engage with people RESOURCESInsideView Insights – http://www.insideview.com/insights Battlecard for Microsoft CSM's and SI partners – https://view.highspot.com/viewer/5ce5fd72a4dfa036dfc84d3b 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

Jun 12, 2019 • 30min
Andrew Bibby on MVP Show
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/103Personal and professional background – family, working in London, 12 years working with Dynamics Living in England and growing up in Devon, popular places to go and dishes in Devon How he started working in Dynamics Perception on Microsoft partner ecosystem, especially in the UK Pivoting to a different role – from a developer to solution architect to a “translator” role How upskilling to prosci has impacted the way he worked or engaged in projects and with customers What “doing the work before the project” means Thoughts on what other people say about change management Being one of the top 10 Dynamics influencers according to klear.com, contributions to the community Steps Andrew takes to do more community work Being an independent contractor Being an MVP and how it has affected his marketability as an independent contractor MVPs that have influenced Andrew’s career Doing it all again, would Andrew have pivoted to Dynamics in his career Words to give to people wanting to make a career shift to Dynamics 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

Jun 10, 2019 • 48min
Starting a Dynamics Practice in 2019 with Marc Wolenik
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/102Journey across the Dynamics ecosystem over the years Being the author of Dynamics CRM Unleashed series, thoughts on authoring books Being a Microsoft MVP Interests outside of work Experience starting a Dynamics practice – building a company (Webfortis) and going through the acquisition process Thoughts on consolidation in the market and does it create white space for new players Is Microsoft supporting the ability to really push deeply into the SMB space? Marc’s latest pursuits and his plans going forward based on market assessment, getting back in the game Partnering with partners Being 100% “born in the cloud” – Do we see it as the days of swapping software out that does a core bit of business functionality is going to go away? The specific segment that Marc is going to target – specific industries that they’ve got success in already or horizontal offering Types of business that want a lightweight ERP – Are these businesses that already exist, or are these more startup type business that needs to put an ERP system? What made him get back into the game – the big motivator Two key things that partners haven’t done well, thoughts on marketing and getting that part of the business right when you’re a practice How long they have been running and what kind of traction they are getting Groth aspirations in the coming years Thoughts on the Microsoft partner relationship model going forward – Is it changing? How is it maturing? Thoughts on Microsoft encouraging global SIs – Are they competitors to what Marc is doing? MCS – Microsoft Consulting Services Possible changes in the Microsoft consulting part of the business – Will they see partners as allies and not augmented headcount? Books MentionedDynamics CRM Unleashed series – https://amzn.to/2WtyCMb ResourcesCowry Solutions – https://cowrysolutions.com/ Microsoft Business Central – https://dynamics.microsoft.com/en-us/business-central/overview/ 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

Jun 5, 2019 • 30min
April Dunnam on MVP Show
FULL SHOW NOTEShttps://podcast.nz365guy.com/101Personal background – living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the local food scene April's focus on the Microsoft Business Applications arena – PowerApps and Flow Has Flow replaced the former workflow tools that were in SharePoint? Professional background – working on InfoPath Thoughts on PowerApps and Flow replacing old InfoPath form How PowerApps compares to InfoPath around the native functionality to print a document, and thoughts on Microsoft addressing this issue The main thing that April thinks is necessary for the print functionality within PowerApps Experience attending the MVP Summit for the first time Building apps in Azure SQL and SharePoint Thoughts on Common Data Service playing into the future of what she does Being one of the MVPs that is also a business owner – about ThriveFast Her #1 tip for picking up customers for a consulting business The meaning behind her titles SharePoint Siren, Automation Princess, and Karaoke Queen Being a music fan and interests outside of singing Journey to becoming a Microsoft MVP, being mentored by Melissa Hubbard and other MVPs Where she sees PowerApps and Flow are going in the near future Thoughts on AI and where she thinks it is going and whether it’s going to impact our lives more Thoughts on how AI will affect her job or personal role 5 years from now – building the right code, understand business models, create new ways of looking at them and developing technology Training resources for somebody to get up to speed CDS and the model-driven side of things Advice to people become effective at public speaking and talking about IT-based topics Tips for public speaking – preparation, creating content, presentation/demo Books & Other Resources Mentioned ThriveFast.com InfoPath Forms Services Microsoft Docs PowerApps Shane Young YouTube channelLine of Business (LOB) Apps with Canvas, PowerApps, and Flow (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


