 Hey everybody, this is Christian Buckley with another MDP Buzz Chat and I'm talking today with Akte. Hello! Hi Christian, nice for having me here. Thank you. It's great to have you here and for folks that don't know you, who are you, where are you and what do you do? Well, my name is Akte Isari. I live in the Netherlands, Holland, married two children and I work as a technical consultant for a company over here in Holland where we help customers from actually all over the world migrate to Office 365 or Microsoft 365 Services, Azure. MMA Focus is enterprise mobility and security. So I like to do everything that's connected with endpoint manager, security related topics, Windows 10, Android, iOS. I'll touch them all. That's great and clearly you worshiped the altar of Clippy. Yeah, that's nostalgia, right? Clippy was, I believe, it was word clippy, right? And it would pop up on your screen and then say, hey there, I'm just popping up for no reason. I see that you're creating a form. Have you thought about this? Yes, it was great actually. Sad to see it leave then. Yeah, well, we just replaced it by the nameless, the personality less of the power app, the pop-ups, drop-down tools. Who knows? I'd love to see a clip come back again. Yeah. Well, I just thinking about that too is I just saw that Scott Hanselman was wearing in an event this week a clippy t-shirt. I'm like, I've got a clippy t-shirt. I need to go whenever I would wear that. That was one of those t-shirts. I don't know if you, when you travel, like go into events and stuff, I would wear different creative t-shirts. The clippy one, I think, I got the most people coming up to me on my flight or at the airport or wherever, like, hey, I love that. And hey, are you able to, I had this issue. Can you help with this? Great. That's a good or bad thing. I think it's a good thing. I also like to wear crazy t-shirts on events. Do try to have some sort of relationship with the events. So on the Microsoft events, I'll try to wear a t-shirt with something from Microsoft old school or something, but like to do that. Yeah. Yeah. I was wearing yesterday the last in-person Ignite event was that with the cassette tape was kind of the gardens of the galaxy type play on the t-shirt. It's a great t-shirt. Yeah. That was a great t-shirt. I don't think my kids will actually know what a cassette is, but that's nostalgia as well, right? Well, I just, I just saw that, so I have a friend that owns a music store a couple of cities down. So he was a friend of mine in college. And so he, he liked me. I'm a vinyl collector and a bunch of things. And he, I saw he's doing a little pop up like selling cassettes. And I'm like, oh, that would be great. And then I realized I don't own a cassette player anymore. I have a lot, but I don't have a cassette player. Yeah. Yeah. Who does actually these days, I might have one lying around somewhere in the ceiling. Maybe that's, I need to go find one. You could find them for like 20 bucks that plug in USB and play cassettes right into your computer. And you can digitize all your cassettes. Like it's not expensive. I just need to do it. Same for the VHS cassettes, right? You could digitize the videos you had previously laying around in your home. Well, so, so what was your path to becoming an MVP? So I know you've been involved in the community for a while, but kind of what was, you know, what was your, your path? Well, where should I start actually, I think it started way back when I started working in IT somewhere in 97, actually. But that was not the actual path to becoming a Microsoft MVP. But it was what led me to grow the passion for sharing knowledge. Right. Because back in those days, I started out working as a visual basic programmer, actually, but I kind of switched over to infrastructure and then jumped over to teaching small groups of people how to use computers in general, like Windows 95 and later on Windows NT4. Those were small classrooms where you could talk to people and just teach them how to work with computers. And I kind of liked that sharing knowledge. And years later, I started a block also from that same passion because I wanted to share the things I've done in the field because we as professionals see a lot of companies most of the time and you do run into stuff and you do talk to people who run into the same things as you did. So I thought, well, I hope my block will help others when they do run into those kind of issues. And I started blogging. Yeah, I'm not sure when I started blogging, but it was a while back. And I kind of liked that people commented on the blocks as well that gave me some sort of indication of what I was writing, if it was good or not. And then back in 2019, yeah, 2019 it was, I'm not sure who nominated me, but I got an email, I received an email from Microsoft that I was nominated for Windows Insider MVP. I did do a lot with Windows Insider back then. And I did provide feedback, etc. But I never expected to be nominated with the Windows Insider MVP nomination because my main focus was enterprise mobility. Yeah, sure, I did a lot with Windows 10, but so that was quite a surprise. And it was even a bigger surprise when they actually awarded me with the Windows Insider MVP nomination. It felt very good actually. Kind of the humble guy, but it's a feeling you can't really explain. And I've been a Windows Insider MVP for two years. And then the third year, 2021, I didn't got re-awarded again. So I've set myself a goal then again to hope and maybe become enterprise mobility MVP somewhere in 2022. And that was September 1st. So congratulations. Yeah, just thank you. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, it is great. It is very good to be part of such a close community of like-minded people. And like I said, I think it's all about sharing knowledge with others and helping others out. And I believe you once said that we MVPs are very approachable people, right? I like to think that for the most part. It's like 99 out of 100. 99 out of 100. Okay. So I like, I hope I'm approachable for others as well. And yeah, it's the thing I like to do most, helping out other people. Yeah. I'd say just on that note too, I said, yeah, I know a couple of cranky MVPs, brilliant people, they're not as approachable. But still, they help plenty of people. They became, they are in different ways. But like people on the streets like, you know, hey, you're an MVP. Can you help me with this? Like, they hate that. They abhor that scenario. But just lock me up in a room and let me do my job. And I'll help you out from within the room. And if there are people that are interested in becoming MVPs, I know some MVPs that are hardcore introverts. Like they don't do events. They don't speak. They do things behind the scenes. They're in forums. They don't want to build a profile that's out there and doing the other things. And so it takes all kinds of people and backgrounds. But at the court is being an MVP means that we're open to helping people in some way. Yeah, true. True. I do believe that. And some of those people, I think they do a great job, maybe with the program groups as well. Because you get a lot of invites from Microsoft to join the product group meetings where you can leave your feedback. And think with the Microsoft guys about some of the features there, maybe trying to implement in all of the solutions we use every day. So yeah, I guess it's true. You don't have to be in the front lines to be an MVP. You just need to share a bit of knowledge and give your feedback about the products you use every day. Yeah. And be yourself. And be yourself. Yeah. Find something that is natural. That's organic. True. So I know, so you've been in and around the program for a few years, even though this is new, but you've been aware of it for a while. And I'm sure you have people that have come up to you and like, well, what can I do? Like they know you and how can I get involved? How would I do this? What is your advice to people about how to approach that? Like becoming an MVP. Well, I think the best thing you can do and you actually said it is be yourself and do what you like most because even if I wasn't awarded the MVP nomination, I would still write my blocks and I would still create my videos and I would still go on the tech forums and help other people's out. It's about, yeah, it does take a lot of time. And you have to find a balance between work and family and doing the things you love as well because sometimes I work in the weekends creating a video explaining people how to enroll in Android device in Endpoint Manager. But like I said, I would still do that even if I wasn't awarded the MVP nomination. Yeah. That's just the cherry on top, you say, I believe. Yeah, getting the award. Yeah. Well, it's like I was up till 1am last night editing video. So that it's just yeah, it's it's my, you know, somebody like other people have hobbies outside, you know, we're empty nesters, my wife, full-time school and work and finishing her degree and so I'm here and it's my hobby to go and do that. I enjoy writing and creating the video and interviewing people, talking to people. So that's it. That's my past time. So yeah, like you said, passion as well. I would do it regardless of the award. It's just it's part of me. True, true. And I guess if you stick with that, it will come naturally and someone will notice you and someone might nominate you just by themselves or you'll get to know other MVPs. And when you feel you're ready to be nominated, you might ask them to nominate you or someone else from Microsoft community. I would never ask someone to nominate me if I didn't feel like my contributions weren't enough to be nominated. Yeah, it's not nothing. It's a it's a big thing to be to be nominated MVP. And I think yeah, it's good to keep the high standards as well. And like when I wasn't nominated in 2021, I knew why I wasn't nominated. My contributions dropped like, yeah, they dropped big time. So I didn't do nothing almost for a year on social media or the tech community and my blog kind of went down as well. So it's a normal thing to not being rewarded with the MVP award. Then again, if you ask me, but that's okay. It's not a bad thing. It's it's a good thing, actually. And it motivates you to do better. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, it's it's a and it's and it is a bit of a I always say this, it's a bit of a black box of two of the types of contributions. So it's not like I can look at you and compare them like what I'm doing to the volume of things that you're creating. And like there's none of that. I mean, Microsoft may go in and look at and say, I'm not like there's a fixed number for MVPs in any areas, they don't look at and say, if I'm going to add somebody new, that means I have to drop somebody that's in the program. It's not like that. I hope not. No, no, but no, I've been told that that's not the case. However, they do look at and they say, well, I mean, overall, I mean, obviously with the pandemic and that impacted, you know, everybody had to kind of shift and look at doing online digital versions of things that they were doing and other activities and things. But, you know, Microsoft does look at that and say, you know, what is kind of the balance? And there are some people that are doing considerably fewer things. But the quality of the importance of the things that they are doing could be very high. So I mean, it's honestly, I appreciate when the MVP leads have to go in their end of year and go and review all of the contributions, like bless them for taking on that work. I would not want to do that. Yeah, it's yeah, it's it's months of activities that they're doing that. But it's a but again, it kind of goes back to I don't think there's any shortage of ways of ideas for how you can help other people and just get involved. I have two friends that both are now MVPs but for a couple years tried and but were submitted multiple times and and they were doing just a ton of stuff speaking and organizing and user groups and content and just just tons of things around there. And we're frustrated that they weren't able to like why why am I not breaking through why I'm not getting in. And two people said basically the same thing to me. And I had nominated one and kind of added my name to the second one. But both kind of came to the same way and said, you know what, I'm not focusing on that anymore as it doesn't matter if I get it, I get it. I says, you know, there's there's been so many benefits to just working this way and being collaborative and giving back to the community. And one of them just said, like my business is booming. I'm turning away customers because you know, I have more than enough to do. It'd be great to have an MVP award. But you know, I'm not even thinking about it. It's it's off my radar now. And like a month later, you got awarded awarded. Yeah. So yeah, that's that's good to hear. Maybe it's the humility part of that. It's just like, yeah, once once you kind of break of that, like so focused on becoming an MVP, like could be could be true. There's there's a point to what you're saying, because I don't think becoming an MVP should be the main focus or your main goal. Like I said, it's the cherry on top of your all the work and contributions and community work you did. And it's great being nominated. Don't get me wrong. But it's not my first priority to be nominated an MVP. Yes, you do get some perks, but it's not about the perks as well. It does have some benefits like like the community itself, the MVP community itself, all the great people who are working with Microsoft where you can get in touch more easily, maybe the access is huge. Yeah, whether individually, like personally building out like your skills, your network, but also your company. I mean, there's direct benefits to employing MVPs because of the connections that they have as well. True, true. Yeah. And that's what I like most, I think. I do have to find my way around the product group meetings and getting to know the right people, having your feedback land with the correct people as well. But that's kind of in progress right now. So I hope I can be of some added value for still for the community, for the people, as well as for Microsoft products and and see from there. Well, one thing is I always my word of advice that I know again, you're familiar with the program and everything, but it's just to be careful with how much you try to go to because there are so many, you know, NDI calls, so many product team calls and previews of things and different programs and things, you know, Microsoft will, well, like any employer, you know, they'll take as much time as you'll give to be a full-time job just trying to keep up with everything that they offer that's out there. I think it's impossible to to go to all those meetings. Yeah, it's it's you have to be selective, right? Yeah, you have to be selective and you have to pick the ones you want to contribute to. And I think it's a good thing to have a look at the product group meetings that really spark your interest, right? Because I tend to get involved with the product group meetings that are security related, endpoint manager related, maybe sometimes identity because I do touch conditional access, etc. But to be honest, although I love the the Power Apps and SharePoint and Teams and everything that's that's living in Microsoft 365, I don't think I'm going to be of that value for those products because there's still a lot of things one to learn. And I think there's a lot of other people who are much better in doing that than I can actually do. So, yeah, true, you have to be picky. Yeah, I don't think you. Yeah, it is a day job. Actually, it's right. Go for that. It could be a day job. Today, I received seven different meeting invites for different topics. I said yes to one. I said maybe to two and no to the rest. Yeah. And so that's it. It's almost every day, it seems like that I get that you're a couple of those things. And then I was part of another invited to get a preview of something new that's coming out. And there were just three of us, four of us on that call today. So it was very limited group. So there's a lot of that. I mean, that's the kind of the access that you get to take a look at and Microsoft gives insights into NDA only discussions and they want feedback. And so there's a lot that you can go and do. But yeah, I'm having to say no to more and more because it's interfering with the day job. Yeah, I do believe that. So it's got to be careful. Yeah, you got to be careful. You got to be careful. And even though most of the calls are NDA, you do, you still learn a lot of what's coming. And you might anticipate on it and see from there. But yeah, it's good to be part of such a great community. Really, it is. Well, definitely. Well, actually, I really appreciate your time today. And it's just this brief discussion, getting to know you and hope to see you at maybe the MVP summit next year. I don't know what's happened in there, but hope so. One of these events soon. Yeah. Yeah. Well, folks that want to find out more about you, what's the best way to get in touch with you to find you? Well, you can have a look at my LinkedIn profile. Of course, I'm also reachable on Twitter. And I do have my blog. It's called All Things Cloud Blog. And you can look up YouTube as well. Excellent. And I'll have, of course, all the links that'll be in the YouTube as well as the blog post. So Octave, really appreciate your time today. Thanks for having me, Christian. It was my pleasure.