See you on the Other Side!
Published Mar 01 2019 06:00 AM 7,096 Views
Microsoft

After nearly six years of working with Microsoft communities I’m sad to make my final post here as an admin of the community. On Monday, March 4th, I will begin the next chapter of my career. It’s been a superbly rewarding experience being a part of this project – seeing scope grow from one product (SharePoint woot woot) to the Office 365 Network to Tech Community and beyond – and I’m humbled by the eager participation, knowledge sharing, and contribution that happens here every day as this community continues to grow in size.

 

What’s Next?

I’m not going far! I’ll be joining the Microsoft 365 Product Marketing team under @Dan Holme, as the PMM for Yammer + Employee Engagement. In the new role I’ll be working with many of you and will be present at events as well as here on the Microsoft Tech Community.

 

Shout-Outs

There are WAY to many people who belong on this list – Execs, Managers, MVPs, entire teams, and so on – including the 290k members of this current community who bring value here on a daily basis. But here are a few who deserve to be mentioned by name:

 

@Anna Chu – We’ve watched the Tech Community grow through thick and thin and had a blast while doing it. Simply put, you rock and are my partner in crime. 

 

@Jeff Medford – For trusting in the community strategy (and me) and tying together community, events, readiness, Diversity & Tech to put the right mix of people in the right place.

 

@Kady Dundas  – For giving me a chance to help build something compelling, being a mentor, keeping me on task, and teaching me to turn a chip on my shoulder into strategic action.

 

@TechCommunity Team: @Eric Starker, @Dylan Snodgrass  @Allen Smith@Christine Karambelas  @John Steckroth, and former team members Lana (the inspiration for this post) + @Maddie_Egan – you are the engine that powers this community and so many channels + programs across Microsoft. You’ve been amazing to work with and will all continue to do amazing things for Microsoft’s stakeholders. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this team, community, and all of you!

 

The SharePoint Team/Community – Since 2013 the members of this team + community have worked closely with me and made me feel part of the family. SharePoint Conference + Ignite are always the two biggest events on my calendar and it’s because I get the chance to work closely with the team as well as mingle with the die-hard community.

 

Value of Community – They say you get out of community what you put into it, and I feel spoiled that I have been able to take so much away. There are countless opportunities for anyone who is willing to get involved, talk, ask questions, answer questions, connect with others, and learn. Over the past six years I’ve laughed, cried, skied, danced, hiked, sailed, biked, explored, and grown with members of the Microsoft community. I’ve introduced them to friends and family and vice versa - all while learning about tech, Microsoft products, the world, and myself. If that’s not community, then I don’t know what is. Thank you for everything and see you on the other side.

 

Stay in touch with me on Twitter and/or LinkedIn! And of course, if you haven't done so already... join the Tech Community! 

Some great peeps in some great places.Some great peeps in some great places.

  • Mike Holste

Microsoft Tech Community

18 Comments
Silver Contributor

Thanks for all the work you have done for the community and more besides, best of luck in your new role, which sounds really exciting.

Former Employee

Congrats Mike! Couldn't be more excited to see you take this next big step in your career. I think there was a minor disturbance in the atmosphere that day you landed in Seattle so many years ago - so much raw talent and zest for living packed into one human being - it changed Seattle and certainly had a big impact on our business. I loved our time working together on the O365 Network and look forward to continuing the great run as you join the product marketing team!

Well done @Michael Holste !! Many thanks for help this community from the start ! All the best to your new role and see you on the other side. 

Microsoft

Congrats @Michael Holste !  You have been at the core of our community, our events, our journey and are always an inspiration to me.  From meeting rooms with no windows, planning and grinding to make this community shine...to night markets around the world while on our event tour...it has been an amazing run.  I am so happy that you are taking on this new challenge and cannot wait to see the impact you will have!

Microsoft

Thanks @Kady Dundas and @Jeff Medford !! See you both soon. 

 

And @Nuno Silva -  this community wouldn't be the place it is without your huge contributions! 

Michael, thanks for all your efforts with the community and congrats on the new role at Microsoft!

I’m so glad to hear you’re not moving far from the Tech Community. You’re taking those amazing ideas and energy and moving onto enabling organisations and enterprises build their own engaging communities through Yammer, Stream, Microsoft Teams and Live Events.  All the best @Michael Holste and we look forward to seeing your impact in the employee engagement scene of Microsoft 365.

Copper Contributor

Mike,

 

This is great news! Thanks for all you’ve done for the community, team (miss you guys!), MVPs, customers and beyond. I have no doubt your countless contributions, fearless leadership and dedication to doing things the right way have brought you to this role. Wishing you the best of luck and stay in touch. 

Mike, good luck at the new place. Thanks for all your efforts in building this community and always positive attitude in direct communication. 

Wow good luck on the new Team!

Community Manager

@Michael Holste,

 

Congratulations Mike - I know you will bring the same energy, insightfulness and intelligence to your new role that you have given to the Tech Community time and time again. I look forward to continue to working with you but as a stakeholder going forward.

 

Your contribution to our community can not be understated and you are truly one of our biggest fans this community has.

Brass Contributor

@Michael Holste 

 

Congratulations on the new role. I appreciate all your work on the community and the vibrancy and energy you brought to it all. Looking forward to continuing to work with you in new ways in the future. Glad to know you'll still be involved in the MS 365 family!

Microsoft

You will be sorely missed @Michael Holste but as I shed a tear I will also smile knowing your next career step is not too far away from us! It's been an absolute pleasure working with you, watching you build this team to become a solid group of community rockstars! The fervourish energy you have cannot be beat! You won't need my luck as you head into the new role, you bring everything to the table and then some! @Dan Holme is lucky to have you!

Congrats @Michael Holste on new role & thanks to making it such a vibrant community!

Bronze Contributor

Congrats @Michael Holste.

Grats Mike, glad you're staying nearby :)

Deleted
Not applicable

Even more cause for celebration while at Summit! Congratulations, Mike--you'll rock this job.


Microsoft

Delayed note, but just realized what had happened. Congratulations on the new role and on changing the badge color to blue. It's a great team to work in. Thanks for all the assistance around the SharePoint community work in the past. 

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