When logging into my MVP profile to update community activities etc I still have to do a double take when seeing the bookmark image (on the left). Specifically, the 'Number of MVP Awards' sub heading, reading 5. Five consecutive years I've been given this great award from Microsoft as a Most Valuable Professional.

Smug face and smiles ear to ear 😀

Visit my MVP profile here.

As part of the renewal process Microsoft ask you a series of questions about what being an MVP means to you. For me the answers come very naturally and are centred around my passion for all things technical and a love of sharing knowledge to grow together.

More specifically I thought I would share one of my answers (word for word) to offer some insight in the MVP award for those that aren't aware and for me personally, I'd like to share this answer fully because it has basically been at the core of my principals, working within the IT industry from the very beginning. My philosophy, you might say.

Why do you want to continue to be an MVP?

For me the best part of being an MVP is the direct engagements and privileged conversations that I get to have with the Microsoft product teams and the wider Microsoft family. Getting access to private preview technology, influencing newly implemented services, and seeing what's on the data platform roadmap (via PGI's) are the mains reasons why I want to continue to be an MVP. As a consultant and solution architect having this future view when designing customer deliverables is a huge advantage and one that my customers really appreciate. I would gladly trade all the other perks of the great MVP programme for the 'NDA' and the access it gives me behind the scenes to the Microsoft internals and future developments.

As a secondary reason why, I want to continue my involvement in the programme, as an MVP I consider myself an ambassador for the data community which is exactly the role I want to play given my passion for all things technical. I love sharing my knowledge and growing together with other like-minded professionals. Which, being an MVP gives me the perfect platform to do this with the great recognition the award carries amongst my peers.

In summary I want to continue to be an MVP because I'm proud of my award and I'm proud to have aligned my career with Microsoft. Innovations in the cloud mean every day brings excitement and new challenges which as an MVP I thrive on.

There is no doubt, maintaining my status as an Microsoft MVP within the community has been hard work, especially when juggling a full-time job as a consultant and a young family. That said, as I write, I not expecting to reach the 10-year milestone. So I'll relish the perks of the award for the next year, until the July renewal cycle. Then, see what happens with my career, who knows what's next 🙂

Many thanks for reading and sharing this moment with me.