Join the M365 Community Team at Power Platform Conference
We’re heading to Las Vegas for the Power Platform Community Conference—and you can still join us! If you’re part of the Microsoft 365 community, this is your chance to see how Copilot Studio and AI Agents are transforming productivity and workflows—shaping the future of M365 with automation, integration, and intelligent solutions across Teams, SharePoint, and more. 👉 Register today and come find us in the Community Lounge! 📍 Location: MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas, NV 📅 Dates: October 28–30, 2025 🔗 Register now: https://powerplatformconf.com/#!/register Come explore the Community Lounge on the 3rd floor! Join us for interactive sessions, networking, demos & Ask a Pro stations. Don’t miss “Building Your Career” & “Don’t Start from Scratch” sessions—bookmark them in the Whova event app! 💬 How are you using Copilot today, or what’s your dream use case? Drop your thoughts below! Karuana Gatimu, Jonathan Jones, Bryan Wofford Microsoft Power Platform Community hashtag#PowerPlatform hashtag#MicrosoftCommunity hashtag#PPCC hashtag#LasVegas hashtag#CommunityEvents hashtag#CommunityLuv hashtag#M365 hashtag#CopilotStudio hashtag#AI cc: Heather CookEvent Recap - TechCon Seattle - June 2025
We’ve just wrapped up an incredible week at TechCon365 in the vibrant city of Seattle, WA, held at the Seattle Convention Center from June 23-27, 2025. TechCon365 Seattle brought together three specialized conferences — TechCon, PWRCON, and DATACON — delivering a powerhouse of learning, inspiration, and innovation. With a focus on Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and data solutions, the event catered to all levels, from enthusiasts to seasoned experts. Attendees explored the latest advancements in Microsoft 365 and AI, gained insights into Power Platform innovations, and discovered transformative data practices to elevate their careers and businesses. Event Highlights 1,000+ Attendees, 130 Speakers, including 44 from Microsoft. 245 Sessions and 48 Workshops. 3 Conferences under one roof: TechCon365, PWRCON, and DATACON. Networking Opportunities: Hundreds of professionals, community members, and leaders from diverse industries. A big thank you to David Wilhelm and Sharon Toler, along with your wonderful production team, for putting on such great community-focused technical skilling events for over a decade. Your dedication and hard work always make a significant impact, and we truly appreciate all that you do. Pre-Event Workshops The workshops at TechCon Seattle 2025 delivered two days of immersive, hands-on learning that set the tone for a dynamic week of innovation and collaboration. With 48 expertly led sessions spanning Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Microsoft Data, attendees dove deep into real-world scenarios and cutting-edge tools—from Copilot and AI to Power BI, Power Apps, and Azure SQL. Led by Microsoft MVPs and seasoned practitioners, the workshops offered practical insights and interactive demos that empowered participants to return to their roles with actionable strategies and renewed confidence. Whether building low-code solutions, enhancing data protection, or mastering collaboration tools, the workshops proved to be a cornerstone of the event experience. Keynotes & General Sessions Day 1: The day kicked off with the Microsoft 365 keynote, “Being a Productivity Changemaker in the Era of AI,” delivered by Karuana Gatimu, Melissa Torres, Stephanie Horn, and Kendra Springer. To round out the day, Bob Ward and Shireesh Thota took the stage with “Transform Your Data into a Competitive Edge with Azure.” Their dynamic session sparked new excitement, showing how Azure’s powerful tools can turn everyday data into valuable business breakthroughs. Attendees left energized by the possibilities and ready to harness data as a true driver of innovation. Day 2: The Power Platform keynote, "The Future of the Power Platform: Intelligent Apps,” a session led by the fantastic Evan Lew and Srihari Srinivasa at TechCon365 Seattle. They explored how artificial intelligence and Copilot are bringing new energy and possibilities to the Power Platform, making it easier than ever to build smart, adaptable apps. The session was filled with inspiring ideas and real-world examples, demonstrating how these tools can spark innovation and transform the way people work. For anyone excited about creating apps that truly make an impact, this was definitely a session to catch! Day 3: Sessions and Women in Tech and Allies Meetup, was one of the true highlights of the week was the Women in Tech and Allies Meetup. It was energizing to witness so many passionate voices coming together for meaningful networking and candid mentorship. Breakout Sessions Across all three conferences, Microsoft-led breakout sessions addressed a wide array of topics, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Power Platform, Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and more. These sessions provided actionable strategies and real-world applications to help attendees prepare their organizations for the AI transformation. TechCon 365 (Microsoft 365) | Microsoft-led breakout sessions "Keynote: Being a Productivity Changemaker in the Era of AI" will be presented by Karuana Gatimu, Melissa Torres, Kendra Springer, Dan Parish on June 25, 2025 "Getting Started with M365 Copilot" will be presented by Michelle Gilbert on June 25, 2025 "Driving Successful Adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot for SMBs" will be presented by Jessie Hwang on June 25, 2025 "What’s New in Microsoft Education: Powering the Future of Learning with AI" will be presented by Jethro Seghers on June 25, 2025 "Build Your Own Copilot (Jarvis) 🤖 with Copilot Studio" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 26, 2025 “Inside the Agent DB: Powering Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales with Unified Data” with Sigita Cepaitiene and Reza Assadi | June 26th 1 "Getting the most out of Copilot Pages and Notebooks: Introduction and Management Discussion" will be presented by Cora Chen, Sammy Chiu on June 26, 2025 "AI-Powered Productivity with Surface + Copilot" will be presented by Frank Buchholz on June 26, 2025 "The Intranet of Tomorrow: Beautiful, Flexible, and AI Ready" will be presented by Melissa Torres, Wende Copfer, Judith Yaaqoubi on June 26, 2025 "Top 10 Best Practices Every Admin Should Be Doing in M365!" will be presented by Michelle Gilbert on June 26, 2025 "Your Magical Microsoft Map of Community, Learning and Training" will be presented by Heather Cook, Jessie Hwang on June 25, 2025 "Build Your Custom Agent for 320M+ Users in Microsoft Teams" will be presented by Carter Gilliam on June 27, 2025 "Cultivating Trust and Leadership Excellence: Strategies for Respect and Empathy in the Workplace" will be presented by Heather Cook, Joel Frauenheim on June 26, 2025 "Understanding Where AI Is at and Where It Is Going" will be presented by Aria Hanson on June 27, 2025 "Revolutionizing Content Management Using the Power of AI with Copilot and SharePoint Premium" will be presented by Marco Rocca on June 27, 2025 PWRCON (Power Platform) | Microsoft-led sessions "Build Your Own Copilot (Jarvis) 🤖 with Copilot Studio" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 26th "Accelerate your data and app development using Copilot in Dataverse and Power Apps" will be presented by Travis Shu and Prithvi Khosla on June 26th "Collections with Finance Agents – Extensibility to any ERP" will be presented by Akshay Bhatnagar on June 27th "Enhancing Employee Experience with Microsoft Viva: A Comprehensive Overview" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 27th "Extending Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales with Copilot Studio and Power Platform" will be presented by Gaurav Sisodia and Muhammad Arrabi on June 27th "Secure, Compliant, and Connected: How Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales Manages Your Data and Insights" will be presented by Gaurav Babbar and Manpreet Singh on June 27th DATACON (Fabric)| Microsoft-led sessions “A Comprehensive Guide to Direct Lake for the Pro Data Modeler ” with Philip Seamark, Patrick LeBlanc | June 23, 2025 “ETL, KQL, and RTI: Harnessing Data in Motion with Microsoft Fabric” with Matt Gordon, Christopher Schmidt | June 24, 2025 “Query Store and Azure SQL Copilot, who is the fairest in the land?” with Jose Manuel Jurado Diaz, Juan Moreno Romo | June 24, 2025 “Maximize efficiency in your data-driven projects by leveraging AI and Copilot technologies.” with Prashant Atri, Tammiraju Prasanth, Prabhjot Kaur | June 24, 2025 “Real-Time Intelligence: Turning Streaming Data into Smart Decisions” with Ajeta Singhal, Mou Rakshit | June 25, 2025 “Microsoft Fabric: Ultimate Data Security for Robust Data Warehousing” with Jean Joseph | June 25, 2025 “Fabric Data Factory: What's New and Roadmap” with Miguel Llopis, Mark Kromer | June 25, 2025 “Deep dive into Direct Lake” with Philip Seamark, Patrick LeBlanc | June 25, 2025 “Getting started with SQL database in Fabric” with Bob Ward | June 25, 2025 “Introduction to SQL Server Essential Concepts” with Bradley Ball | June 25, 2025 “Generate self-service governance dashboard using Microsoft Fabric and Purview” with Tammiraju Prasanth, Prashant Atri | June 25, 2025 “Innovate without limits with Azure Data” with Bob Ward, Shireesh Thota | June 25, 2025 “PowerBI, DirectQuery and SQL Server. It is a good choice?” with Jose Manuel Jurado Diaz, Juan Moreno Romo | June 25, 2025 02:00 PM “Learn how to troubleshoot SQL Server like a Microsoft engineer would” with Arvind Shyamsundar | June 25, 2025 “Deployments aren’t enough – databases deserve a development process” with Drew Skwiers-Koballa | June 25, 2025 “Transform your business with integrated solutions using SQL database in Microsoft Fabric” with Pam Lahoud | June 25, 2025 “Build an end-to-end data solution with Microsoft Fabric” with Patrick LeBlanc | June 25, 2025 “Everything you need to know about Data Virtualization in Azure SQL Database” with Hugo Queiroz | June 25, 2025 “SQL Server 2025: The Enterprise AI ready database” with Bob Ward | June 25, 2025 “SSMS 21 Spotlight: What's new and why it matters” with Makena Barickman | June 25, 2025 “Harness the Power of Microsoft Fabric and Notebooks” with Bradley Ball | June 26, 2025 “Real Time Monitoring with Real-life Use Cases using Database Watcher” with Matt Gordon, Daniel Taylor | June 26, 2025 “Oracle/SQL to Fabric Migration accelerator” with Tammiraju Prasanth, Prashant Atri | June 26, 2025 “10 Free SQL Databases: Your Playground for AI, Advanced Analytics, and Next-Gen Applications!” with Amar Digamber Patil, Muazma Zahid | June 26, 2025 "Getting the most out of Copilot Pages and Notebooks: Introduction and Management Discussion" will be presented by Cora Chen, Sammy Chiu on June 26, 2025 Build Your Own Copilot (Jarvis) �� with Copilot Studio" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 26th “Azure SQL DB Hyperscale: The Definitive Modern Database Choice ” with Aditya Badramraju, Arvind Shyamsundar | June 26, 2025 “Unleash the Power of SQL Database in Fabric: Innovate Without Limits Using the Free Trial” with Amar Digamber Patil, Muazma Zahid, Madhuri Yethirajam | June 26, 2025 “Power BI Storage Modes: The Ultimate Showdown” with Philip Seamark | June 26, 2025 "AI-Powered Productivity with Surface + Copilot" will be presented by Frank Buchholz on June 26, 2025 "The Intranet of Tomorrow: Beautiful, Flexible, and AI Ready" will be presented by Melissa Torres, Wende Copfer, Judith Yaaqoubi on June 26, 2025 “Migration Mystery Solved: Moving SSRS and SSAS to Power BI” with Daniel Taylor, Raju Kumar | June 26, 2025 "Top 10 Best Practices Every Admin Should Be Doing in M365!" will be presented by Michelle Gilbert on June 26, 2025 “Unified DevOps for Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL, and SQL Server with next-gen SQL projects” with Drew Skwiers-Koballa | June 26, 2025 “Data Processing Architecture: Key Design Principles & Considerations” with Jean Joseph | June 26, 2025 “Handling Big Data with Power BI” with Patrick LeBlanc | June 26, 2025 "Build Your Custom Agent for 320M+ Users in Microsoft Teams" will be presented by Carter Gilliam on June 27, 2025 "Cultivating Trust and Leadership Excellence: Strategies for Respect and Empathy in the Workplace" will be presented by Heather Cook, Joel Frauenheim on June 27, 2025 "Understanding Where AI Is At and Where It Is Going" will be presented by Aria Hanson on June 27, 2025 “Azure SQL Database Hyperscale elastic pools - a deep-dive” with Arvind Shyamsundar, Aditya Badramraju | June 27, 2025 “Supercharge your analytics with Microsoft Fabric Real Time Intelligence” with Christopher Schmidt | June 27, 2025 “AI and SQL ground to cloud to fabric” with Bob Ward, Muazma Zahid | June 27, 2025 “Harnessing the Power of Data Mesh: A Deep Dive into the Four Pillars of Modern Data Architecture” with Jean Joseph | June 27, 2025 “Microsoft Database Docs - Learn about Contributing for your Career” with William Assaf | June 27, 2025 “Collections with Finance Agents – Extensibility to any ERP" will be presented by Akshay Bhatnagar on June 27th "Enhancing Employee Experience with Microsoft Viva: A Comprehensive Overview" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 27th "Extending Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales with Copilot Studio and Power Platform" will be presented by Gaurav Sisodia and Muhammad Arrabi on June 27th “Build AI Apps Smarter: Optimize SQL Database Costs & Performance in Fabric” with Amar Digamber Patil, Pam Lahoud, Madhuri Yethirajam | June 27, 2025 “Unleashing Modern Data Warehousing: Architecture, Insights & Future Innovations in Fabric Warehouse” with Twinkle Cyril | June 27, 2025 “Mastering Elastic Database Pools: Best Practices and Troubleshooting from Microsoft Support” with Jose Manuel Jurado Diaz, Juan Moreno Romo | June 27, 2025 “Secure, Compliant, and Connected: How Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales Manages Your Data and Insights" will be presented by Gaurav Babbar and Manpreet Singh on June 27th “Build a Robust App with Fabric SQL Database, GraphQL API, and User Data Functions” with Sunitha Muthukrishna, Ed Lima | June 27, 2025 “Mirroring in Microsoft Fabric - Overview and Roadmap” with Wilson Lee, Maraki Ketema | June 27, 2025 “Indexing Internals for Developers & DBAs” with Bradley Ball | June 27, 2025 “Realtime product review data analysis for Retail using Fabric RTI, Purview and Azure Open AI” with Tammiraju Prasanth, Prashant Atri | June 27, 2025 Expo Hall and Community Ask the Experts Located at a prime spot on the expo floor, the Ask the Experts station served as a hub for attendees to seek solutions to their toughest questions. Industry experts engaged with participants, providing valuable insights and sparking inspiration along the way. Microsoft Zone At the Microsoft Zone, located within the Expo Hall we connected with hundreds of attendees, gaining insights into how Microsoft technologies impact their personal and professional lives. Community members shared their stories, joined Microsoft platforms for ongoing engagement, and, of course, collected plenty of stickers! Microsoft Global Community Initiative (MGCI) Meetup Thank you to everyone who joined the MGCI Meetup at TechCon Seattle—it was energizing to connect with so many community leaders and advocates in person. We left inspired and aligned around new ways to collaborate and support Microsoft adoption efforts together. Microsoft Surface Hub The Microsoft Surface hardware bar at the event featured hands-on demos of the latest Surface devices, giving attendees a chance to explore their design and performance up close and to meet the Surface product team. Ask Microsoft Anything Panel The Ask Microsoft Anything Panel was a standout session—packed with honest insights, expert perspectives, and meaningful engagement between the community and Microsoft leaders. In the End... TechCon Seattle was an extraordinary event that showcased the power of community, innovation, and collaboration. With its diverse range of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the event empowered attendees to unlock new possibilities with Microsoft technologies. For those who joined in Seattle thank you. And thank you to the sponsors. to the speakers for your terrific sessions and to all of the attendees for being a part of the Best Community in Tech. Let’s keep the momentum going at TechCon Atlanta August 11-15!Mondays at Microsoft | Episode 45
Connect Karuana Gatimu and Heather Cook to discover the latest in AI, broader Microsoft product updates, community activities and events, and more. This upcoming show will celebrate Microsoft's 50th anniversary, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. use of Copilot for their 'ConsumerIQ' agent, insights about the Ability Summit, putting Humans First during tax season, and more. 🗓️ Join in, Monday, March 24th, 8:00 AM PT. Visit our main show page: https://lnkd.in/ghJ2mVGD Resource links mentioned during the episode: Watch the SharePoint event "From Concept, to Creation, to Impact" + live AMA: https://aka.ms/SharePointEvent. Windows 365 AMA on March 26, 2025, at 8am Pacific: https://aka.ms/Community/W365AMA with Christian Montoya. One Future, One Sound initiative: https://aka.ms/OneSound. #Microsoft50. Share your stories on LinkedIn #CommunityLuv: https://aka.ms/Celebrating50Years. Join us today (3/24/2025) at 9:00 am Pacific learn about Microsoft’s latest security news and innovations: https://aka.ms/Secure2025. Ability Summit: Fifteen years of #accessibility http://aka.ms/AbilitySummit2025 - with speakers Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Jeff Teper, and many other leaders in this space. Xbox joined its partners to unveil the Accessible Games Initiative: https://aka.ms/Xbox/AccessibleGamesInitiative. “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” - Mats Steen in the role-playing universe of World of Warcraft https://aka.ms/Ibelin. Grant Thornton’s Sandie Boswell on supporting employee wellbeing using Copilot in the C-suite: https://aka.ms/Copilot/EmployeeWellbeing. Visit the Copilot adoption hub to discover more: https://adoption.microsoft.com/Copilot. The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. uses Microsoft 365 Copilot to reimagine trend forecasting and consumer marketing: https://aka.ms/Copilot/EsteeLauder. ConsumerIQ, an agent built in Copilot Studio, will place consumer data – one of its greatest competitive advantages – at the fingertips of employees. Inspired by art: Aimee Kelly’s AI-driven fashion: https://aka.ms/Copilot/AimeeKelly. New *live chat* in Microsoft Teams: Connecting customers and businesses effortlessly: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/03/17/new-live-chat-in-microsoft-teams-connecting-customers-and-businesses-effortlessly/ by Brenna Robinson. Arapahoe Libraries creates the ‘library of the future’ for communities in Colorado: https://aka.ms/LibraryOfTheFuture. "Elevate your Microsoft Power Platform development experience with Power CAT Tools" by Denise Moran: https://aka.ms/PowerPlatform/PowerCATTools. Plus, Power CAT on YouTube, led by Phil Topness: https://aka.ms/PowerCATLive. The Microsoft Fabric Community Conference returns to Las Vegas from March 31–April 2, 2025. Sign up using code MCUST to save $150: https://aka.ms/FabConf25. Follow Microsoft Community LinkedIn: https://aka.ms/MSCommunityLIMM. To learn more about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative - a meeting place for all who are part of the Microsoft Community ecosystem, all are welcome: https://aka.ms/MGCI. Join us for our upcoming Microsoft Global Community Initiative General Session on Tuesday March 18th at 8:10am and 5:10pm. So many great events coming up and all available to check out on https://www.communitydays.org. We also just launched a community calls page here so you can find community related called host by Microsoft and the community. Thank you, Thomas Daly and crew for keeping the site up-to-date and running smoothly. Level up your Microsoft 365 and #AI skills, chat with product makers, and network with your tech peers. #M365Con is May 6–8 in Las Vegas (MGM Grand Hotel) - The ultimate community event filled with keynotes from Jeff Teper, Vasu Jakkal, Jared Spataro, solution-oriented sessions from Microsoft, MVPs and community leaders, workshops to deepen core skills, a vibrant expo hall, and more. DistasterAssistance.gov for those impacted by the Los Angeles county wildfires: https://disasterassistance.gov. Check out the Mondays at Microsoft show page to add upcoming shows to your calendar or catch up on past shows at https://aka.ms/MondaysAtMicrosoft. Our next show is on Monday, April 7 at 8:00 am Pacific.Mondays at Microsoft | Episode 43
Closing out February 2025 strong! Join Karuana Gatimu and Heather Cook for the next Mondays at Microsoft as they dig into recent product updates, AI innovation, and activities around the globe. Join live, Monday, February 24th, 8:00 AM PT. Links to all resources shared during the live broadcast: Community resources: Download the show reminder on your calendar: https://aka.ms/MondaysAtMicrosoft Mark it! Microsoft Community page on LinkedIn: https://aka.ms/MicrosoftCommunityLinkedIn . Read it! Community News Desk: https://aka.ms/CommunityNewsDesk NOW ON DEMAND | Watch the SharePoint event "From Concept, to Creation, to Impact" + live AMA: https://aka.ms/SharePointEvent with Jeff Teper + the new 5-part learning series + 3 new customer case studies. Majorana 1 - A new quantum chip that is powered by a Topological Core architecture | Listen to Microsoft's recent quantum computing advancements on the Ideas podcast: https://aka.ms/Ideas/QuantumComputing | Qubits FTW! Plus, a great related news: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/podcast/ideas-quantum-computing-redefined-with-chetan-nayak/ "Introducing Muse: Our first generative AI model designed for gameplay ideation" by Katja Hofmann: https://aka.ms/IntroducingMuse. Monthly "byte-sized" updates on Microsoft innovations and global tech advancements: https://aka.ms/MicrosoftMonthlyTech-In "Inclusive Innovation: The role of AI in accessibility and neurodiversity": https://news.microsoft.com/source/asia/features/inclusive-innovation-the-role-of-ai-in-accessibility-and-neurodiversity/ by Anthony Moufarrege "Microsoft at Legalweek: Help safeguard your AI future with Microsoft Purview" by Katerina Athanasiou: https://aka.ms/LegalWeek. "3 ways to improve access to justice through court modernization " by David Williams: https://aka.ms/AccessToJustice. Announcing the 2025 Imagine Cup Semifinalists: https://aka.ms/2025ImagineCup/Semifinalists. Follow Beatris A. Mendez Gandica on LinkedIn — https://linkedin.com/in/beagandica. Beatris started a nonprofit organization, Nuevo Foundation, where she works to prepare underrepresented students to become tomorrow’s leaders. Apply for the Women at Microsoft Scholarship, deadline March 13, 2025: https://aka.ms/WomenAtMicrosoftScholarship. Make a plan to celebrate International Women's Day #IWD2025 #Accelerate Action: https://internationalwomensday.com. FYI... Microsoft 365 Blog: https://aka.ms/M365BlogMM Azure Blog: https://aka.ms/AzureBlogMM Dev Blog: https://aka.ms/DevBlogsMM Power Platform Blog: https://aka.ms/PowerPlatformBlogMM Power Apps Blog: https://aka.ms/powerappsblogMM Microsoft Fabric Blog: https://aka.ms/fabricblogMM Dynamics 365 Blog: https://aka.ms/Dynamics365blogMM SharePoint Hackathon | Design, create, share! We are excited to invite you to a hackathon dedicated to crafting exceptional employee experiences using AI and the latest SharePoint features! Join in: https://aka.ms/SharePoint/Hackathon | Hack submissions open from March 3-17, 2025 "Introducing Azure AI Foundry Labs: A hub for the latest AI research and experiments at Microsoft" by Asha Sharma and Ashley Llorens: https://aka.ms/AIFoundryLabs. "Introducing the SharePoint Pages Authoring Accessibility Assistant " by Tina Chen: https://aka.ms/SharePoint/AccessibilityAssistant. Register now for Power Platform and AI workshops in a city near you: https://aka.ms/KickstarterWorkshops. New training course for digital accessibility skills: https://aka.ms/AccessibilitySkills. Ref. Jenny Lay-Flurrie Announcing the GitHub Copilot Chat, now available for free on GitHub mobile: https://aka.ms/GitHub/Mobile. Follow Microsoft Community LinkedIn: https://aka.ms/MSCommunityLIMM. Community News Desk: https://aka.ms/CommunityNewsDesk. To learn more about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative - a meeting place for all who are part of the Microsoft Community ecosystem, all are welcome: https://aka.ms/MGCI. Level up your Microsoft 365 and #AI skills, chat with product makers, and network with your tech peers. hashtag#M365Con is May 6–8 in Las Vegas (MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Las Vegas) - The ultimate community event filled with keynotes from Jeff Teper, Vasu Jakkal, Jared Spataro, solution-oriented sessions from Microsoft, MVPs and community leaders, workshops to deepen core skills, a vibrant expo hall, and more. Register now, save $150 with code SAVE150 🎟️ https://aka.ms/M365Con25 Heather Cook invites you to M365Con25 #promo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtPq-1YAZjY Karuana Gatimu invites you to M365Con25 #promo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGwK47ekYAo Next episode of Mondays at Microsoft: Monday, March 10th at 8am Pacific. Join in! Check out our page for our show and Community Studio efforts at https://aka.ms/MondaysAtMicrosoft.The Role of Storytelling in Community Building
On building community. "Stories are the single most powerful weapon in a leader’s arsenal." – Dr. Howard Gardner, Harvard University Storytelling has played a crucial role in human connection since the inception of civilization. It shapes identities, preserves historical records, and fosters a sense of belonging within communities. Whether conveyed through spoken word, literature, or digital media, storytelling possesses the ability to unify individuals, create shared experiences, and enhance communal bonds. The Power of Storytelling in Community Building Fostering Shared Identity Stories help communities define who they are and what they stand for. They preserve cultural traditions and values, passing them on to future generations. Encouraging Empathy and Connection Personal narratives allow people to understand each other’s experiences and struggles. Stories create emotional connections that transcend differences, building unity. Inspiring Action and Change A compelling story can mobilize people around a cause or mission. Communities often use storytelling to advocate for social change and inspire collective action. Strengthening Engagement and Participation Shared narratives encourage individuals to take active roles within their communities. Engaging stories help retain interest and commitment to communal efforts. Preserving History and Legacy Oral and written storytelling ensures that a community’s history remains alive. Stories highlight past challenges and triumphs, shaping future aspirations. I love a bookstore and find that they are great places to gather. I have many in cities around the world that I love to dip into over and over and that have wonderful schedules of events. Libraries as well, and most have programs where they sell books at a big discount. Librarians are also some of the smartest people you will meet and who know everything about the cities they serve. It has been interesting learning that "Barnes & Noble is planning to open at least 60 new stores in 2025 — a stunning turnaround for a bookseller that just a few years ago closed hundreds of locations and appeared doomed to follow in the footsteps of its shuttered competitors. Barnes & Noble opened 57 new locations in 2024 and operates around 600 stores in total, making it the largest bookseller in the US. In recent years, the bookseller has also leaned into the popularity of book content on TikTok and using #BookTok as the hashtag - and the post-pandemic thirst for "third spaces" to meet and socialize." - Business Insider To that end - our stories matter. Another favorite quote from Doctor Who, "We are all stories in the end, just make is a good one." Stories have the power to inspire, connect, and bring people together. Start by sharing your personal experiences, whether through conversations, writing, or digital platforms. Encourage others to do the same and contribute to a culture of storytelling that strengthens your local community, this community - the best community in tech. What story will you share today? And where and how will you share it? #ThePowerofCommunity #Storytelling #CommunityBuilding #BelongingMatters #CuppaCommuniTea #MicrosoftCommunity 🍵 Today I am drinking a cuppa Throat Coat by Traditional Medicines - Organic Throat Coa tea supports throat health with renowned slippery elm, used in Native American herbal medicine for hundreds of years.The Heart of Community – How Friendship Strengthens Our Social Circles
On building community. “Social connections are one of the most important factors in determining our well-being and longevity. Strong friendships benefit both individuals and the entire community. By prioritizing these relationships, we can build stronger, healthier communities." Psychologist Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad Friendship is vital for strong communities, providing emotional and social benefits. It fosters connection, trust, and belonging. Close friendships enhance personal well-being, reducing loneliness and boosting happiness. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that people with strong social connections are 50% more likely to live longer. Friendship's value goes beyond personal health; it positively impacts communities. Connected individuals are more likely to engage in social causes, collaborate on initiatives, and support each other, creating collective responsibility. This applies whether it is your local community, those that are part of your technical community, or hobbies you love like a book club or board game nights/groups. Host a community gathering – Organize a small event or gathering in your neighborhood to bring people together and foster new connections. Host a small meeting online for a quarterly check-in with friends. (I have a standing meeting with some college friends every other Sunday, sometimes there are two of us, sometimes six, sometimes we cancel, but having it on the calendar keeps it going. I find this time grounding and many times support just when I need it). Support local businesses – Frequent local shops and restaurants and engage with the owners and staff to build relationships within your community. (I recently debuted my DJing house music skills at a neighborhood benefit we did for our Los Angeles animal rescues for the wildfires.) Get to know your local business owners, chamber, rotary they are your neighbors! Volunteer for local causes – Dedicate some time to volunteer for community projects or organizations that resonate with you, helping to strengthen communal ties. One organization could benefit from even 1 hour of time and volunteering a way to make new acquaintances and friends. In the Microsoft Community space, a big shout out to those who produce both free and paid technical skilling community events and who run user groups - you are the purveyors of belonging and friendship. Be sure to check out all events in the Microsoft Community ecosystem on Communitydays.org. If you are a producer who creates events around Microsoft products, please list your event on the site! As we continue to spotlight and celebrate the individuals and initiatives that make our communities vibrant and connected, let us remember that each small act of connection and kindness contributes to the greater whole. By fostering friendships and creating inclusive spaces, we not only enhance our own lives but also build resilient, supportive communities. Let's all take a moment to reach out, engage, and uplift those around us, knowing that every gesture matters in the tapestry of community life. After twenty-four years in this space, I feel grateful to call so many of you friends of mine as well as colleagues. What is one way you can reach out to a friend today? #TheHeartofCommunity #BelongingMatters #CuppaCommuniTea #MicrosoftCommunity 🍵 Today I am drinking a cuppa Lemon Ginger tea from Bigelow Family Tea Blenders since 1945 - Fairfield, Connecticut. A probiotic tea that is a delicious blend of zesty lemon and ginger combined with BC30™ probiotic that supports healthy digestion.Mondays at Microsoft | Episode 35
NOW ON DEMAND | Get ready for the week with "Mondays at Microsoft" - this time *on Tuesday*! Karuana Gatimu & Heather Cook will focus on Trustworthy AI, new Copilot features, fighting deepfakes, Office 2024 release update, plus highlight upcoming community events, and more. Aired Tuesday, October 8th, 2024, 8:00am PDT. See you there! #CommunityLuv 💝 Show notes & links to all that was shared and discussed on October 8th, 2024: "Microsoft Trustworthy AI: Unlocking human potential starts with trust" by Takeshi Numoto. Live from the Microsoft AI Tour: Mexico City - https://aka.ms/MicrosoftAITourLive. Copilot is an AI companion for everyone, with new Vision and Voice features. "Fighting deepfakes with more transparency about AI" by Vanessa Ho. "Office 2024 for consumers available October 1" by Bryan Rognier — https://aka.ms/Office2024. "Microsoft recognized as a Leader in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Desktop as a Service for the second year in a row" by Stefan Kinnestrand. Power Apps Pulse video series hosted by April Dunnam + What's new in Power Apps. "European Fabric Community Conference 2024: Building an AI-powered data platform" by Arun Ulagaratchagan + "Activate your data responsibly in the era of AI with Microsoft Purview" by Rudra Mitra. To learn more about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative - a meeting place for all who are part of the Microsoft Community ecosystem, all are welcome: https://aka.ms/MGCI. We launched a new page listing our newly minted regional directors: https://aka.ms/MGCIAdvisors. "Get ready for the 2025 Microsoft Imagine Cup: Let the innovation begin!" by the Student Developer Evangelism Team. Find your next event: https://CommunityDays.org Community Days speakerboard – https://communitydays.org/speakerboard Microsoft Ignite | November 19-22, 2024, in Chicago, IL, USA. In person is sold out. Online is open to all - register today. Join us for the next episode of Mondays at Microsoft (this one back on Monday) with Karuana Gatimu and Heather Cook on Monday, October 21st, 8:00am PDT. Check out our page for our show and Community Studio efforts at https://aka.ms/MondaysAtMicrosoft.Mondays at Microsoft | Episode 34
Power boost your day with Karuana Gatimu and Heather Cook. They've got the latest community news and events prepped for the next "Mondays at Microsoft." This event aired live at 8am PST on Monday, September 23rd, 2024! 😎 [Episode 34] Show notes and links to all that was shared and discussed during this episode: TurboVote | Register to vote, check your registration, or sign up for election reminders — https://aka.ms/TurboVote. The next phase of Microsoft 365 Copilot innovation — https://aka.ms/Copilot/NextPhase. #Wave2: Copilot Pages, Copilot in Excel with Python, Copilot in PowerPoint, Copilot agents in SharePoint, and more. Plus, Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 2 announcements blog — https://aka.ms/Copilot/NextPhase/blog by Jared Spataro. Microsoft’s new Qualcomm-powered Surface devices now available — https://aka.ms/QualcommDevices. Learn to build a security-first culture with AI at Microsoft Ignite 2024 — https://aka.ms/SecurityIgnite2024. New Copilot enhancements help small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) innovate — https://aka.ms/CopilotEnhancementsSMB. Bidirectional translation support now available for language interpretation in Teams — https://aka.ms/BidirectionalSupport. Unveiling Copilot agents built with Microsoft Copilot Studio - https://aka.ms/UnveilingCopilotAgents. "How the Microsoft Power Platform community is using low-code and AI to transform work and lives" by Charles Lamanna. Register for the European Microsoft Fabric Community Conference in Stockholm (September 24-27) - https://aka.ms/Fabric/CommunityConference. To learn more about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative - a meeting place for all who are part of the Microsoft Community ecosystem, all are welcome: https://aka.ms/MGCI. We launched a new page listing our newly minted regional directors. https://aka.ms/MGCIAdvisors So many great events coming up and all available to check out on https://www.communitydays.org. We also just launched a community calls page here so you can find community related called host by Microsoft and the community. Join us for the next episode of Mondays at Microsoft on October 8th at 8am PDT for our next show and check out our page for our show and Community Studio efforts at https://adoption.microsoft.com/mondays-at-microsoft.Mondays at Microsoft | Episode 33
A lot has happened in the last few weeks, with more to come. Get tech-ready and stay in the know with Mondays at Microsoft. Karuana Gatimu and Heather Cook keep you grounded with the latest in AI, broader product awareness, community activities and events, and more. Join live on Monday, September 9th, 8:00am PDT. #CommunityLuv 💖 Show notes and links to all that was shared and discussed during this episode: Update on Microsoft's approach to tackling intimate image abuse from Courtney Gregoire, Chief Digital Safety Officer. Upcoming live events: “Microsoft 365 Copilot: Wave 2” - Join Satya Nadella and Jared Spataro to learn about the next phase of Copilot innovation: September 16th at 8:00 AM PDT. "Microsoft OneDrive: AI Innovations for a New Era of Work and Home" - October 8th at 10:00 AM PDT with experts Jeff Teper, Jason Moore, Arwa Tyebkhan, Gaia Carini, and Arjun Tomar. 90-minute AMA with the Microsoft Loop product team on September 12th, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PDT. NEW SERIES | "AI in Action: Building with Copilot Studio" with experts April Dunnam, Gomolemo Mohapi, and Elaiza Benitez. 2024 Forrester Total Economic Impact™ report for Microsoft Power Platform. Register for the Power Platform Community Conference in Las Vegas (September 18-20) - https://aka.ms/PowerPlatform/CommunityConference - including Charles Lamanna CVP and our President Jeff Teper along with CVP of Power BI and Fabric, Kim Manas along with our Chief Question Officer and Comedian, Trevor Noah. Microsoft Fabric August 2024 updates from Jason Himmelstein. To learn more about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative - a meeting place for all who are part of the Microsoft Community ecosystem, all are welcome: https://aka.ms/MGCI. We launched a new page listing our newly minted regional directors. https://aka.ms/MGCIAdvisors. So many great events coming up and all available to check out on https://www.communitydays.org. We also just launched a community calls page here so you can find community related called host by Microsoft and the community. Security link What is cybersecurity, and why it should matter to you. Explore the Microsoft Security Learning Modules. Follow the Microsoft Security blog. Join the Microsoft Security Tech Community. See you in two weeks: Join us on September 23rd at 8am PDT for our next show and check out our page for our show and Community Studio efforts at https://adoption.microsoft.com/mondays-at-microsoft.Mondays at Microsoft | Episode 29
Hello, July! Catch up on the latest Microsoft Community news and events on the next episode of Mondays at Microsoft. Register today to join Karuana_Gatimu_MSFT and Heather Newman LIVE at 8am PDT on July 8th, 2024. Note: We multicast all episodes. You can watch the show live right here on its Community News Desk event page, via LinkedIn Live from the "Microsoft Community" page, or direct within YouTube on the Microsoft Community Learning channel. #CommunityLuv Show notes & links to all shared and discussed on July 8th, 2024: Subscribe to the Community News Desk: https://aka.ms/CommunityNewsDesk/blog. In-depth product learning: https://aka.ms/M365ConSessions. “10 AI terms everyone should know” by Susanna Ray. “Empowering every scientist with AI-augmented scientific discovery” Microsoft will launch a U.S. public awareness campaign to encourage people to be vigilant to the risk of deepfake manipulation in this year’s election, and to Check, Re-Check and Vote: https://aka.ms/ElectionProtection Combatting AI Deepfakes: Microsoft's participation in the 2024 political conventions: https://aka.ms/CombattingAIDeepfakes Microsoft’s work to strengthen cybersecurity protection. In his written testimony, Brad Smith acknowledges the unique role Microsoft plays in safeguarding America’s cybersecurity. He notes that Microsoft accepts responsibility for each of the issues cited in the CSRB’s report and underscores Microsoft’s resolve to lead by example in the pursuit of a safer and more resilient cyber landscape. Microsoft’s work to strengthen cybersecurity protection: https://aka.ms/CybersecurityProtection. Startups are harnessing AI to solve problems big and small — https://aka.ms/StartupsHarnessingAI. Join the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub to accelerate your startup growth with AI: https://aka.ms/StartupsFoundersHub. Haut.AI provides skin care companies and retailers with AI-based skin diagnostic tools using SkinGPT: https://aka.ms/SkinGPT. How world-class athletes are turning to the power of AI and data: https://aka.ms/AthletesAI “New Teams agent capabilities in Microsoft Copilot unlock business value” “What’s new in Power Apps: June 2024 Feature Update” “Developer environment and plan now available in Sovereign clouds” Find your next event and join in the best community in tech: https://communitydays.org To learn more about the Microsoft Global Community Initiative - a meeting place for all who are part of the Microsoft Community ecosystem, all are welcome: https://aka.ms/MGCI We launched a new page listing our newly minted regional directors. https://aka.ms/MGCIAdvisors As part of our Microsoft Global Community Initiative, we invite you to join us for our monthly General Meeting on the third Tuesday of the month - June 18. Sign Up to join us for our monthly meeting at https://aka.ms/MGCISignUp
