Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we welcome Meg Smith, a prominent figure in the tech industry and co-founder of the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge. Meg shares her journey from advertising to tech, her advocacy for indigenous representation, and her insights on the role of AI in business. The conversation delves into the challenges of implementing AI solutions, the importance of security, and the need for organizations to focus on user experience. Meg also empha...
Apr 10, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Send us a message! In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we welcome Suhail Sayed, a freelance principal consultant specialising in Microsoft 365 migrations. Suhail shares his diverse career journey, from working in retail and IT help desks to becoming a successful freelancer. He discusses the cultural nuances of career paths in India, the challenges of freelancing, and the importance of focusing on sales for business growth. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of IT consulti...
Mar 27, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we welcome Andy Wingate, Business Central Practice Director at Venture. The conversation explores Andy's journey from an end-user role to consultancy, the significance of community in the Microsoft ecosystem, and the importance of soft skills in professional services. They discuss the features and growth of Microsoft Business Central, the challenges faced during implementations, and the value of continuous learning and networ...
Mar 13, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we welcome Ulrikke Akerbæk, a Microsoft Business Applications MVP, to discuss her journey in the Power Platform space, particularly focusing on Power Pages. Ulrikke shares her experiences transitioning from web development to Power Pages, emphasizing the importance of understanding the product's capabilities and the need for effective marketing. The conversation also touches on the challenges of adoption, the significance of ...
Mar 06, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Send us a message! In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we welcome Sean Astrakhan, a seasoned solutions architect and the creator of Untethered 365 and the Solution Architect Accelerator Course. The conversation delves into Sean's journey from working in a Mexican restaurant to becoming a tech expert, emphasising the importance of communication and learning from mistakes. They discuss the significance of advanced training in the Power Platform, the pitfalls of over-engineering, and the ne...
Feb 27, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we meet with Mike Blair, who shares his journey through various career transitions. The conversation explores the importance of embracing change, overcoming career stagnation, and the value of diverse perspectives in the workplace. Mike discusses the challenges of imposter syndrome and emphasizes the significance of building confidence and asking for help. The episode concludes with reflections on personal growth and the evol...
Feb 20, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we welcome Shabana Khatau, a tech professional and football coach. Shabana shares her inspiring journey from a strict upbringing in Sweden to pursuing a career in technology, overcoming cultural barriers, and her passion for empowering young girls through football. The conversation explores her transition back into tech, the impact of automation at Network Rail, and the parallels between coaching and tech development. Shabana...
Feb 13, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, hosts Jon Russell and Mike Gowland welcome Carl Cookson, head of professional services at Power 365 Solutions. The conversation covers Carl's journey in IT, his contributions to the XrmToolBox, and the importance of community engagement in the tech industry. They discuss the impact of community tools on development, the dynamics of the Power Platform Dev Weekly team, and personal reflections on comfort zones and professional ...
Feb 06, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, we welcome Lucy Elliott, a recruitment consultant at Conspicuous. Lucy shares her journey from being a qualified sports therapist to entering the recruitment industry, driven by the need for financial stability. The conversation delves into the importance of communication in recruitment, the challenges faced in the industry, and the significance of building genuine relationships with clients and candidates. Lucy also discusse...
Jan 30, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Send us a message! Summary In this episode we welcome Sunil Kumar, a seasoned expert in the Power Platform space. Sunil shares his journey into the Power Platform, his experiences with AI prompts, and how they have been implemented in real-world client scenarios. The conversation also delves into the complexities of Power Platform licensing, the importance of community engagement, and the challenges consultants face when navigating client expectations. Sunil emphasizes the value of both generali...
Jan 09, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of Sprint Zero, hosts Jon Russell and Mike Gowland welcome Howdang Rashid, a Power Platform expert, to discuss his journey into the world of technology and automation. Howdang shares insights on the importance of community, the role of generative AI, and the path to becoming a content creator. He emphasizes the need for automation in overcoming manual processes and introduces his initiative, Power Academy, aimed at guiding new developers in the Power Pl...
Jan 02, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Send us a message! Summary We interview Josh Giles, a seasoned expert in the Power Platform. We discuss Josh's career journey, the Power Platform's different layers, and tips for transitioning from basic apps to complex enterprise-grade solutions. We also touch on overlooked areas in the Power Platform, such as Power Apps cards and custom connectors. Josh discusses the challenges and limitations of building apps with Power Platform. He talks about the need to learn pro code and the steep learnin...
Dec 19, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Send us a message! Summary In this episode we're joined by Rory Neary, a freelance Power Platform Trainer and Consultant. Rory shares his journey from being an accountant to becoming a prominent figure in the Power Platform community. He discusses his early experiences with Power BI and Power Apps, his work with the Parliamentary Digital Service, and his role in creating learning content for Microsoft. We also touch on the importance of effective training, the growth of the Power Platform commun...
Dec 12, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, Mike Gowland and Jon Russell are joined by Dan Romano, an experienced private consultant. They discuss topics such as research and development (R&D), managing scope creep, dealing with pressure in the workplace, and embracing neurodiversity. The conversation also touches on the cultural differences between the US and the UK when it comes to embracing individuality and mental health. The hosts and guest also share their lo...
Dec 05, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Send us a message! Summary In this episode, we interview Rebekka Aalbers, a Microsoft MVP and technology consultant. They discuss Rebekka's journey with the Power Platform, her love for unicorns, and her experiences in the industry. Rebekka shares a story about a project that failed and the lessons she learned from it. The conversation also touches on topics like imposter syndrome and the importance of speaking up when uncertain. The hosts wrap up the episode with their signature Uncomfortable C...
Nov 28, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Send us a message! Summary Pei Mun Lim, a mentor and coach in the consulting space, discusses the importance of active listening and the pitfalls consultants face when engaging with clients. She emphasizes the need to pause the urge to solutionize and instead focus on truly understanding the client's pain points. Pei also highlights the fear of failure in the consulting industry and how the use of AI tools can exacerbate this fear. She encourages consultants to learn from their mistakes and stri...
Nov 21, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, Mike Gowland and Jon Russell interview Kevin McDonnell, a co-pilot strategy and modern workplace AI leader at Avanade. They discuss AI, Copilot functionalities, and the future of AI in the workplace. Kevin emphasizes the importance of having a strategy for integrating AI into business processes and highlights the need for responsible AI practices. They also explore the role of AI in employee experience and the challenges of b...
Nov 14, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of the Sprint Zero podcast, hosts Mike Gowland and Jon Russell welcome Keith Watling, a seasoned expert in the Power Platform. The conversation explores Keith's journey into technology, the evolution of the Power Platform, and the critical importance of alignment and understanding in tech projects. They discuss real-world examples of project failures due to miscommunication, the balance between customer needs and technical feasibility, and the future of...
Nov 07, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Send us a message! Summary In this episode of Sprint Zero, we interview Ioana Tanase, an expert in AI and accessibility. They discuss the potential of AI to create a more equitable world by addressing the unique needs of diverse users, including those with disabilities and mental health conditions. Ioana shares examples of how generative AI can assist individuals with disabilities, such as helping with writing and summarizing research papers. We also explore the use of AI in supporting mental he...
Oct 31, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Send us a message! Summary Charles Sexton shares his journey from living in Uganda as a child to becoming a Power Platform expert. He discusses the impact of his experiences on his career and the role of creativity in his work. Charles also talks about the future of Power Platform and the importance of consulting skills in the industry. In the uncomfortable corner, he opens up about feeling uncomfortable in social situations and shares his experiences with public speaking. Takeaways Charles' chi...
Oct 24, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Send us a message! Summary We welcome Areti Iles, a prominent figure in the Microsoft community, to discuss her journey in tech, her advocacy for women in the industry, and her insights on AI adoption. Areti shares her experiences from user groups to major conferences, her role in the upcoming Scottish Summit conference, and the importance of community building and knowledge sharing. The conversation also delves into the challenges women face in tech, the significance of public speaking, and the...
Oct 17, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Send us a message! Summary In this double-whammy, 2 for 1 special. Kayleigh Duddy (ANS Group) and Lynsey Winchurch (Crimson) discuss their journey from end users to consultants and the importance of having an accountability partner. They share how their partnership has influenced their professional growth and personal well-being. They emphasize the value of community events in their transition and the validation they provide. They also touch on the stigma of dyslexia and the importance of speaki...
Oct 10, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Send us a message! Notice We’re aware of some unfortunate audio issues in this episode of Sprint Zero. We’ve done our best to bring the audio out as much as possible. Summary In this episode, we sit down with Neil Benson, an influential figure in the Dynamics and Power Platform communities, whose unique journey from IT contract recruiter to becoming a certified Scrum master and founder of Superware, underscores the transformative power of agile methodologies in today’s fast-paced tech landscape....
Oct 03, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Send us a message! Summary In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Dani Kahil, a seasoned Microsoft MVP with over 15 years of expertise in the Dynamics CRM and Power Platform arenas. Delving into his remarkable journey in the tech world, Dani sheds light on the pivotal moments that carved his path towards a specialized focus on Dynamics CRM. This conversation not only uncovers the intricacies of project implementations but also emphasizes the often-underestimated facets of user adoption, ...
Sep 26, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Send us a message! Summary In this conversation, Sandra Koutzenko, the head of the Microsoft Learning Partner Practice at 365 Talent Portal, shares her journey in the tech industry and discusses effective hiring and upskilling strategies in the Microsoft space. She emphasizes the importance of staying ahead of the rapidly changing technology landscape and highlights the need for ongoing training and agility. Sandra also talks about the role of soft skills in the tech industry and the challenges ...
Sep 19, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Send us a message! Summary In this episode, Jon Jarvis, a Microsoft MVP and certified Microsoft trainer, discusses his journey in the IT industry and the importance of data security in the world of AI. He also talks about the Experts Live UK user group and the various themes they cover in their conferences. The conversation touches on topics such as the evolution of cloud computing, the normalization of cloud security, and the need for organizations to prioritize data security. In this conversat...
Sep 12, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Send us a message! Summary Cat Schneider discuss her journey into the tech industry and her experience with the Power Platform. We also touch on topics such as roundabouts, self-taught coding, and the importance of Google searching skills. Cat shares her insights on learning different programming languages and tools through online resources and her experience in building data-driven solutions for various organizations. Cat Schneider discusses her journey in the power platform and her experience ...
Sep 05, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Send us a message! Summary In this episode, Mike and Jon are joined by Gary Rafe, a modern workplace solutions architect at Avanade. They discuss the challenges of implementing IT in the healthcare sector, particularly in the NHS. Gary highlights the issues of capacity and cost, as well as the disconnect between the top level and the trust level in terms of IT adoption. They also touch on the overuse and hype surrounding AI and the need for more specific use cases. Gary emphasizes the importance...
Aug 29, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Send us a message! YOU SHOULD ALWAYS FOLLOW SAFE PRACTICES WHEN LIGHTING FIREWORKS Don't be a Jon. Staying safe with fireworks - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Summary In this conversation, Mike, Jon, and Emma discuss various topics related to their personal experiences and the Power Platform. They share funny stories, talk about their journey into the field, and discuss the essential skills for aspiring Solution Architects. Emma emphasizes problem-solving, project methodology understanding, and strong com...
Aug 22, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Send us a message! Summary James Culley, a Microsoft 365 consultant, shares his journey from teaching to becoming a consultant. He discusses the pressures of teaching and his decision to change careers. The podcast explores Viva Suite , a set of tools within Microsoft Teams aimed at enhancing employee experience. These tools include Viva Engage for collaboration, Viva Connections for extending SharePoint into Teams, and Viva Insights for performance tracking. Additionally, the conversation touch...
Aug 15, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 33
