This is a tech blog but it’s also my blog so bear with me in posting a few private posts a year.
The first of February I got rewarded as a Microsoft MVP in Office Apps and Services for my contributions to the Microsoft community.
Microsoft explains the Microsoft MVP award as:
The Microsoft MVP Award gives us the unique opportunity to celebrate, honor and say thank you to top-notch technology experts who make outstanding contributions to their communities. These technology experts have an unstoppable urge to get their hands on new, exciting technologies and love to share their knowledge.
Can you believe I’m one of these people? It’s a great honour, I can barely express the feeling of getting it.
I want to tell you (and future me) about everything that led up to this happening.
A couple of years ago I started working at Avanade, I didn’t find my spot straight away, it took some time to figure out what I wanted to do. A few months after I started, Wictor joined the company. Wictor is that kind of person who is super busy but always has time to help others and support. Wictor was and still is a Microsoft MVP and is probably the one person I know who know everything about SharePoint. Back then the MVP award felt lightyears away – how can I compare myself with Wictor who knows everything and been working for a long time with me??! But a little seed was planted.
I worked with SharePoint and a few early pilots for Microsoft Teams before I left Avanade, the toughest part about leaving was leaving Wictor who was my closest manager and I actually had a hard time thinking about it without being sad for quite some time.
Fast forward some time. I worked with Microsoft Teams as a normal user, work was ok and I came in contact with this article Mårten är Sveriges enda ”MVP” i Teams och Skype (translates to Mårten is the only Microsoft MVP for Teams and Skype in Sweden). Then the idea of being a person that shares knowledge and help came back, I mean I love Microsoft Teams, I think I can help people at doing normal user things. I wanted to be like Wictor and help because it’s fun and I love the product.
I wrote down a couple of ideas for blog posts and created my blog. With a few blog posts in I felt bold and decided to contact Mårten from the news article. I mean hey what’s to lose, the worst thing that could happen is that he ignores my email. What I didn’t knew then, but I know today is that Mårten is a 100% kind person and like the person he is he agreed to meet me for lunch. It felt nervous and weird, like a work blind date.
I remember we ate falafel, and he gave me tips I still think about every time I post something. After we meet, me and Mårten started to talk and he asked me to talk at SUCK-klubben and be a guest in his and Linus podcast and after that things just started to roll. I haven’t meet many people as including as Mårten and I’m glad I sent that awkward email to him.
Being more and more active in the Microsoft community makes it more and more fun, I’ve met so many great people online that I really treasure and it’s such a joy to see them IRL when I get the chance. More fun = more active = more fun ∞ and eventually I’m here where I am today with a fantastic title that I’m really proud of!
I will keep the amounts of shoutouts to the minimal in this post, but also a big you’re the best to Chris for being helpful, sharing amazing content and being you.
Thanks everyone who supports me, share my posts, develops me and makes blogging such an excitement. I hope I will be the person that inspires others to achieve more in the future, just as Wictor and Mårten inspired me.
A last 💖 to my husband who proofreads every single line of text I write, you’re the best.