Back from the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference!

Well,

I just recently got back from this year’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Houston, TX.  I know, nothing like Houston in July.  But being from Baltimore, I did not see that much of a difference.  Hot, Humid, Sticky with thick air that does not seem to move.  Sums up Houston and Baltimore for that matter.  The downtown area of Houston was also much like Baltimore.  It had a strange smell that seemed to float around in that thick air that seems to float but never leave.  Anyhow – other than the heat, the city was ok.  Not great like other places that have hosted WPC (Denver, Boston, ect.), but just ok.

This years conference seemed much more laid back and somewhat low key than past years, but I did find value in many of the presentations, and I really enjoyed some of the key notes.  Most notably was that of

Muhammad Yunus, Muhammad Yunus Founder, Grameen Bank and 2006 Nobel Laureate. 

The speech was inspiring, eye opening, emotional and simply wonderful.  The subject matter was so simple but so drastically different than anything that I have ever heard before.  I felt the way I do when my 4 year old says something so simple that you sit back and wonder how we adults have made everything so complicated. 

Muhammad Yunus founded a bank called Grameen Bank.  This bank does not require collateral, loans money to the very poor, and charges a small interest rate on the return.  Everyone in the industry thought Muhammad was insane.  He had no banking experience, no financial management experience, and very little business experience.  This proved to be the difference.  He founded the back on an IDEA, not a current method of running a business.  As a result he has changed the country, the region, and eventually will change the world.

The idea is simple – what if you could harness the power of the market to solve the world’s largest problems!  It is a far departure from how typical business run today or how charities collect money from the riches people in the world.  Muhammad calls is “Social Business” and the concept is really interesting.  How can business be established to fix the world’s problems, while still making money in the process to operate and profit (be it on a smaller level).  “entrepreneurs will set up social businesses not to achieve limited personal gain but to pursue specific social goals”.

More on this from his site: http://www.muhammadyunus.org/

I encourage everyone to download the speech. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Microsoft has graciously offered it to the public for free here:  https://partner.microsoft.com/40072918
(you will need to download Silverlight in order to view is  

Two things I walked away with:

1. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to see what really doesn’t make sense
   - People inside a certain business, industry, vertical, etc. say “no, it can not be done” faster than people outside of it.
   - Muhammad started a bank, with no experience.  Everyone told him it could not be done
   - Next time an interviewer tells you that you don’t have the right experience, tell them sometimes that is a good thing!
2. We can all change the world! 
   - All it takes is an idea, some motivation, focus, hard work, and perseverance.

So when someone tells you can not do something, tell them why and how you can.  When someone tells you your product/service can not do something, believe in what you sell, and tell that that it and you can.  If you don’t believe in your product or service, find a new job — or better yet start your own social business and save the world.

IT Sales Pro -.-

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