In this blog, I will be sharing my journey on how I was awarded the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), try to answer some questions on how you can become a Microsoft MVP, some benefits of being an MVP and activities you can do to position yourself for nomination.
On the 1st of May 2024 as I woke up to say my prayers, I heard my phone beep with an incoming email. At first I thought it was the usual morning mail reminders and I ignored it to continue with my prayers. After prayers, I wished my wife Happy birthday, turned back to my phone to check my messages and then I saw the congratulations email from Microsoft. I had to re-read the email multiple times to make sure I was not dreaming. I was proud of the achievement and super excited that I had to share with my wife and kids (preparing for school) as this was like a double celebration in the house.
Becoming a Microsoft MVP was one of my top goals for year 2024 and I was glad that I could have achieved it so early in the year.
What is Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Award?
Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals, or MVPs, are technology experts who passionately share their knowledge with the community. They are always on the “bleeding edge” and have an unstoppable urge to get their hands on new, exciting technologies. They have very deep knowledge of Microsoft products and services, while also being able to bring together diverse platforms, products, and solutions, to solve real world problems.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Award is a way of Microsoft saying “Thanks!” to outstanding community leaders. The contributions MVPs make to the community, ranging from speaking engagements, to social media posts, to writing books, to helping others in online communities, have incredible impact.
To read more, you can look at the Microsoft MVP community website.
The Spark of Curiosity
Let me share my story of how it all started. In 2018, I was introduced to Azure due to the new strategy of the company I was working for, I was delegated with the task to understanding the cloud, implications, benefits and the technicalities.
I immersed myself in cloud technologies, exploring everything from Azure – its services, exploring compute, storage, networking, and more. Each discovery fuelled my passion. To establish myself as a cloud expert, I needed a strong foundation. I started by earning various Azure certifications, such as Azure Fundamentals, Azure Administrator, Azure Solutions Architect, and Azure DevOps Engineer. These certifications not only deepened my understanding of Azure but also validated my skills to peers and employer.
Community Engagement
I started attending local community event – meetups, user groups, conferences and hackathons. These events provided a platform to learn, network, and share ideas. I met fellow enthusiasts, exchanged knowledge, and discovered hidden gems within Microsoft’s offerings. After some years, I built up my knowledge base, confidence and also decided to start contributing to the community. Here are some specific contributions that helped me stand out:
Mentoring: I mentored new cloud enthusiasts through online forums, social media, and one-on-one sessions. Helping others succeed not only reinforced my knowledge but also built strong relationships within the community.
Public Speaking: I volunteered to speak at user groups, webinars, and conferences. Sharing real-world experiences and practical insights resonated well with the audience. I also conducted workshops and hands-on labs, which were very popular.
Blogging: I regularly published blog posts on my personal site and platforms like community blogs. Topics ranged from basic Azure tutorials to advanced cloud architecture discussions. Consistency was key, and over time, my blog gained a steady readership.
The Nomination
In January 2024, I received an unexpected email— a nomination for the Microsoft MVP award from a fellow MVP. My heart raced as I read the words: “Your contributions have made a significant impact.” This was a validation that my efforts mattered beyond personal growth.
The nomination process was thorough, requiring detailed documentation of my contributions over the past year. The nomination process involves waiting. Weeks turned into months. I continued my community involvement, sharing knowledge, mentoring newcomers, and collaborating with others. Patience was key.
The MVP Status
Finally, the email came – Receiving the email confirming my MVP award was a moment of immense pride and joy. The joy was indescribable. It validated years of hard work, learning, and community engagement. Now as a MVP, I believe my duty is to give back even more — to inspire, educate, and elevate others.
You can check my Microsoft Most Valuable Professional profile link here.
The Goal?
Should becoming an MVP be the Goal? – Personally, I would say becoming an MVP shouldn’t be the end goal but it is important to achieve it if you can. According to Microsoft, there are only 3000 MVP’s globally and I definitely know some tech professionals who do not fancy being one.
If you genuinely love sharing your knowledge with the community, then I will say you can give it a go and Microsoft will recognise you as a community leader. These are the list of activities that can be done to build a strong profile that will position you for the MVP award:
- Create High-Quality Content
- Write detailed blogpost on Microsoft technologies.
- Produce video tutorial e.g. YouTube or LinkedIn, webinars and live sessions.
- Participate or start your own podcast.
- Public Speaking and Presentations
- Speak at conferences, meetups and local user groups.
- Conduct hands on training and training session. You can start up within your organisation.
- Community Engagement
- Contribute to forums like Microsoft Tech Community or any other tech forum.
- Share tips and insights on social media platforms.
- Mentor new or less experienced community members.
- Writing and Publishing
- Write and publish books or e-book on Microsoft technology
- Write article for tech magazines, website or journals.
- Open Source Contribution
- Contribute to open source like GitHub.
- Create and maintain your own project.
- Organise and Lead initiatives
- Organise and participate in hackathons and coding competitions.
- Organise community event focused on Microsoft technologies.
- Network and Building Relationships
- Network with current MVPs for guidance and endorsement.
- Build relationship with Microsoft employees involved in the MVP program.
- Document and Share Your Contributions
- Maintain a portfolio of your contributions.
- Seek nominations from current MVPs or community leaders when ready.
- Collaboration with Microsoft
- Participate in Microsoft early adopters programs.
- Provide feedback or product improvement recommendations.
- Continuous Learning and Certification
- Earn Microsoft certification to validate your skills.
- Stay updated with the latest development in Microsoft technologies.
Conclusion
Becoming a Microsoft MVP as a Cloud Engineer has been a rewarding journey. It required my dedication, passion, and a genuine desire to contribute to the tech community. If you’re aspiring to become an MVP, focus on continuous learning, share your knowledge, engage with the community or local community, and most importantly, enjoy the process. The recognition will follow naturally.
I want to specially thank OluwaSeyi Oluwawumiju for the MVP nomination. I also want to thank my friends from my local community group Northern Azure User group (NAUG), CloudVille and the whole Microsoft Azure tech community.
Thank you for reading about my journey and I hope it inspires you to embark on your own path to becoming a Microsoft MVP.
Adedeji Awolesi 
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