My favourite time of the year is soon approaching and no it’s not ringing Christmas bells yet! For a chief evangelist of a technology company, conferences and networking opportunities take front row. On July 15, I will be in Las Vegas, playing poker at Microsoft Inspire for five days with the hope of winning some good connections, updates and knowledge about the world curated by Microsoft technologies.
This year Inspire is much bigger and promising in a different angle. In a never before experienced feat, they are bringing together their partners and employees in the same city at the same time. Previously Microsoft Inspire and Microsoft Ready were two different events. The cohabitation I believe is an excellent opportunity creator for partners and field teams to connect, learn, and collaborate on solutions that will accelerate the digital transformation and success of our customers. It is obvious that these shared experiences will add another dimension to the content-rich learning experience for which Microsoft Inspire, formerly WPC is traditionally known.
The line-up of corenote speakers is impressive; the minds coming together diverse! I anticipate this to be a perfect ground to learn from thought leaders and IT visionaries, and gain insight into Microsoft’s vision and strategy for the future.
Wonder why I am thrilled about representing e-Zest at Inspire. Read on.
Worthwhile connections, powerful network
It is raining networking opportunities at Inspire. It’s almost as if you go there with a light bag, and return with extra luggage! And this extra luggage is golden for an IT company. An event of such a large scale is the single most way to gain access to creatively innovative minds and rich ideas.
One Celebration
No one wants to work 5 days straight especially not in Las Vegas! So Inspire and Ready are have made provisions to both learn AND celebrate. Microsoft has promised us a night of fun, food, and entertainment highlighted by an eleven-time Grammy Award winner Bruno Mars at the Las Vegas Motor speedway.
Region specific networking
Inspire and Ready have always believed in area-wise division for the general sessions. e-Zest is part of the India squad. By grouping us in area specific groups, Microsoft aims to give us a platform to get insights into region specific Go-To-Market strategies, local programmes and roadmaps, and much more from employees and partners alike. It would be fun to catch up with peers at the casino and win some valuable currency in the form of partnerships, for e-Zest.
Corenote Speakers and sessions
There is content relevant for everyone in the corenote speaker lineup and the sessions. They have something for my role and something for business leadership as well. I for one am looking forward to talks by Patama Chantaruck, Anand Eswaran, Verne Harnish, and Julia White.
Two years I have heard Satya Nadella, create impact with his message. This year too I can’t wait for the HIT Refresh author to enlighten us about Microsoft’s strategic direction.
The Commons
Attendees very aptly describe the commons as the heartbeat of Inspire. Because it gathers thousands of people and hundreds of exhibitors in one giant room, it is here in the Commons where most of the networking and business card exchanges take place. The Community Hub is my favorite stop in the Commons because it brings to life the partner-to-partner connections in a casual environment where you can network and learn from each other. They also have theatrical sessions where partners can engage in discussions focused on partner identified hot topics like: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Diversity and Inclusion, Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), and Security (including GDPR).
I am all packed and ready to go! If you would like to connect, you may reach me through MyInspire portal/app and/or tweet me @girishprotean.
