Finding your “WHY” in Business: Microsoft Elevate
At yesterday’s IAMCP (International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners) quarterly lunch (at Microsoft Austin), the Microsoft Elevate program was presented by Justin Sheedy. The net-net is that Microsoft Elevate “...is a global initiative by Microsoft designed to expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) skills, tools, and digital inclusion for the workforce, educators, and nonprofits.” There are several Managed Services Providers (MSPs) in our space that serve nonprofits and do the right thang and make an honest profit.
The first computer guy I saw doing this was Bob Hood from the ole’ Windows Small Business Server days in Chicago. Most recently at the Liongard RoarCon conference in Houston, I interviewed Peter Just who works for an MSP, DelCor, successfully serving nonprofits and trade associations in Washington DC (the area is a magnet for nonprofits and trade associations). That interview will be posted as a separate blog shortly - you will be the first to know! And we can’t forget Rudy Rodriguez who has served the IAMCP, a nonprofit, forever. He organized yesterday’s lunch with others including Amthony Carrano.
I try my darndest to lead by example all day every day. Early in my career I was the system administrator for the Washington Credit Union League back in the NetWare days. I had the honor of providing geek services to the National MS Society (where my team won the National Service Provider of the Year award in 1998) and most recently The Well Done Foundation, a sustainability nonprofit that plugs abandoned oil wells from spewing methane
Final thoughts. A lot of folks in my orbit find the answer to WHY doing the right thing for nonprofits but do so in the background. You know how you are and keep on going on!
More installments on this topic are coming. Stay tuned.
More information the Microsoft Elevate here.