In-person events and customer engagements. Priceless.

I’m thrilled to share my perspective on the value I get from in-person events. And with ESPC 2024 (Stockholm, Sweden) right around the corner, I look forward to my next wave of positive, onsite customer and partner interactions. 

As a product manager for over two and a half decades, I have become obsessed with customers – their use cases AND feedback. I get energy and ideas when I meet with customers, partners, MVPs, and community members in-person. And if I can grab a selfie or two, that’s the real measure of success. Above is one of my signature ‘keynote selfies” with you – the audience, to engage with you AND crank up my own energy. I, too, listen for the organic claps – the real metric of what resonates most. 

The value of sharing and listening.  

It all starts with the preparation for an event. It is a privilege to represent thousands of engineers and hundreds of PMs & Designers, to highlight their work - often for the first time. We prepare a lot, and when I see a crowd of enthusiasts react – and event approach me after with insightful questions about what I showed or announced – those are moments I look forward to. It tells me we are on right track with our product journey – and sometime lets me know where and how we can course correct. 

Keynote co-presenters from the Microsoft 365 Community Conference 2023: Jason Moore, Denise Trabona, Karuana Gatimu, Jeff Teper, Sumi Singh, Sumit Chauhan, and Sesha Mani.

Here's an example of my team and I presenting and connecting at this year’s Microsoft 365 Community Conference, presenting the “SharePoint: Transform your content experiences in the era of AI | Microsoft 365 Community Conference” session: 

Beyond keynote and breakout sessions… 

Beyond the structured content, I thrive and benefit from the AMAs (Ask Microsoft Anything), Ask the Experts, 1:1 meetings, and most importantly time at the booth. These all bring in-depth conversations that deliver much needed, and hard to find, “mind melding” of great minds thinking and sharing alike. I deeply appreciate these interactions, and everyone’s willingness to share. It always helps solidify our decisions and crafts the future forward. 

I capture all these in-person engagements as key takeaways and bring those back home to my global teams with customer insights; that helps energize and support what we/they do next. 

I can reaffirm that it's great to engage, hear what everyone likes, and to know areas of which we can improve over time – especially during deeper discussion, where I feel most reassured by listening. 

Best community in tech! 

Without a doubt, the Microsoft 365 and SharePoint community is the best community in tech. I appreciate MVPs, customers, and partners who have been with us for decades and new ones that just joined this community. And if seeing is believing, see you and hearing from your is believing in the future – together.  

There’s Microsoft Ignite for sure, and I have been active in community events too. For example, here is my visit to Vancouver SharePoint Saturday even back in 2018. It is amazing to see Microsoft 365 community coming forward every weekend to learn collectively. It truly inspires me. 

Presenting about Microsoft 365 in Vancouver, Canada 'SharePoint Saturday' back in 2018.

Standing with all the speakers at the end of the 2018 Vancouver, Canada 'SharePoint Saturday' event.

I am looking forward to your continued support and excited for continuing my learning from you all! We won’t stop showing up. We won’t stop sharing. And I can’t wait for the next opportunity to hear what you think – more than a single reply to a tweet, but the long-form engagement of hearing and being heard. 

If you are in-person at ESPC 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden (December 2-4, 2024), let’s catch up and perhaps take a selfie together. You can find me at one of my sessions listed below, at the Microsoft booth, participating in the AMA, and more. Check the ESPC24 event guide to learn all of what my colleagues and I plan to bring to the event agenda.  

• Ask Microsoft Anything with Jeff Teper, Howard Crow, Kripal Kavi, Karuana Gatimu, Miranda Jones, Bryan Wofford, Kendra Springer, Roshin Ramesan, and Sesha Mani | Tuesday, Dec. 3, 10:30-11:30am | T1 
• "Meet the AI-powered SharePoint Agreements Solution" with Sesha Mani | Tuesday, Dec. 3, 12pm – 1pm | Victoria Hall 
• Throughout the event at time supporting the “SharePoint and OneDrive” stand within the Microsoft Booth within the Expo Hall; close to the Inspire Stage, and near the Community Lounge.  

And connect with me anytime on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Thank you and see you soon! Sesha Mani