My Journey of Joy and Growth
On the 1st of April, something happened that I still can’t fully believe: I was officially awarded the Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) title in Azure PaaS Integration. For a split second, I thought the email was an April Fools’ joke. But it was real, sent right at midnight Seattle time. The disbelief quickly turned into pure joy.
I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while. Friends and peers kept asking about my journey, so here’s my story. Whether you’re curious, inspired, or aiming to become an MVP yourself, I hope this gives some insights.
What Is an MVP?
The MVP award is Microsoft’s way of recognising people who go above and beyond in sharing knowledge and building community. It’s not about your job title or employer. It’s about what you do for the tech community for free: blog posts, speaking at events, creating open-source tools, giving feedback to product teams, and more.
The IT world has changed a lot since the 90s. Microsoft, once seen as “corporate and nerdy,” has become modern, inclusive, and community-driven. The MVP community reflects that shift. It welcomes people from all backgrounds, cultures, and identities, as long as there’s mutual respect and a passion for tech.
Why I Share
I love technology. I always have. Sharing knowledge came naturally, at work, through mentoring, and later through blog posts and community talks.
Writing blog posts works well for me as an introvert. I can take time to craft my thoughts without the pressure of a live audience. But in-person events pushed me out of my comfort zone, and helped me connect with some amazing people. During the COVID years, working from home made me appreciate community even more.
My main contributions started with blog posts about real-world problems I faced at work or things I explored during weekends. I gave talks at meetups, joined online sessions, and submitted feedback directly to Microsoft.
Sharing knowledge also means learning. Diving deep into Azure topics, posting on GitHub, asking product teams how things work, I did it all because I genuinely enjoy it. It helped me grow faster than anything else.
From Impostor to Speaker
When I first joined the community, I was fresh out of university. I felt I didn’t know enough to speak or write publicly. I worried I had to be a “perfect” expert. So I waited for years.
Over time, something changed. I became more comfortable with my strengths. I realised I did have knowledge worth sharing. I started giving talks and encouraged others to do the same. My goal was never to lecture but to create conversations.
Getting Nominated
Eventually, I got the classic question from others: “Why aren’t you an MVP yet?” That alone was an amazing compliment.
A fellow MVP encouraged me to stop overthinking and just go for it. These days, you need to be nominated by an existing MVP or a Microsoft employee.
After I was nominated, I had to fill out a long questionnaire with all my community activities over the past 12 months. It took days. Digging through emails, blog stats, event invites, meetup links… you name it. I submitted everything by 30 January.
Exactly four weeks later, the email arrived. I was in.
The Best Parts
There are some cool perks like free Azure credits and LinkedIn Premium, but a few benefits truly stand out:
- The network: Being able to reach out to fellow MVPs and exchange thoughts is amazing. Everyone is generous with their time.
- MVP Summit: A yearly event in Seattle where MVPs connect with Microsoft product teams. Sadly, I missed this year, but I’m looking forward to attending the next one.
- Product team access: I didn’t expect much, but the conversations I’ve had with Microsoft engineers have been super valuable. Some of my feedback even influenced product changes.
Oh, and yes, there’s a trophy. Still looking for the perfect spot for it on my desk. My family was impressed, though 😊
Personal Growth
Becoming an MVP wasn’t the goal. Growing, connecting, and being part of something bigger was.
It forced me to overcome impostor syndrome, improve my public speaking, and be myself in every interaction. I even took a speaking course to help me get more confident. And yes, I still get nervous before talks, but it gets easier.
This journey reminded me that you don’t need to be an extrovert to make an impact. You just need to be consistent, curious, and kind.
What’s Next?
Good question. Writing a book is still on my bucket list. Maybe about Azure, maybe something else, fun fact: I studied to be a kitchen chef before switching to IT.
Another dream? Speaking at Microsoft Build one day. Standing on the same stage as Satya Nadella? That would be epic. But one step at a time.
Final Thoughts
I’m proud of the journey so far. I’m especially thankful for the people I met along the way. The community is full of kind, smart, and generous people.
If you’re thinking of contributing to the community, do it. Start small. Write a blog post. Join a user group. Ask a question. Share an answer. You never know where it might take you.
Thanks for reading, and I hope this inspires you to follow your own path.