In this episode Heather interviews Nikkia Carter, Worldwide Modern Workplace Tech Strategy Lead at Microsoft, author, speaker, and tech policy advocate.
Tune-in to hear their conversation on:
Don't just join, be a part of it: How the Microsoft Partner community can help you build your business, collaborate, and synergize with other companies.
Lend your voice: Nikkia's work with Voices for Innovation, a Microsoft-supported political advocacy task force focused on developing citizen advocates and championing public policies that foster innovation, support business growth, and enable technology to address societal challenges.
Lessons learned: The importance of sharing the hard lessons she learned as a female entrepreneur to help others on their journey.
Why can't you do that?: How access to STEM at an early age sparked her passion for computer science and support from her husband helped her pursue it and get where she is today.
Connect with Nikkia
Website - https://www.nikkiatcarter.me
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkiatcarter/
Twitter - @ladygwenavear
Resources
Voices for Innovation - https://www.voicesforinnovation.org
How I Started a Business and Become a Microsoft Partner and You Can Too! Presentation - https://collab365.community/started-business-become-microsoft-partner-can/
Packt publishing page - https://www.packtpub.com/authors/nikkia-carter
Nikkia Carter
Nikkia T. Carter is a Microsoft strategist, solutions developer, consultant, and speaker specializing in Office 365, SharePoint, and related technology. Nikkia is the Worldwide Modern Workplace Tech Lead at Microsoft. Modern Workplace covers Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Windows, SharePoint, Office, and Security and Compliance. Nikkia has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and a Master’s in IT Project Management and is a CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer. In 2001, Nikkia started her career as an applications developer then added in intranet development. In 2009, Nikkia changed her technology focus to SharePoint, later adding in Office 365 and related technology. Nikkia has run a Microsoft Partner company for almost 7 years then sold her company and worked for 2 other Microsoft Partners. She has worked with clients in the government, DoD, commercial, and non-profit spaces. Nikkia obtained a Microsoft MVP status in Office Apps and Services in 2019 shortly before joining Microsoft. She is an accomplished speaker and has spoken at and organized technical and non-technical events. She has authored two video courses on Office 365, has coauthored Mastering Office 365 Administration, and has authored Office 365 End User Guide. She served as President of SharePoint User Group of DC, as a board member of the IAMCP (International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners) DC chapter, as a taskforce member of Microsoft’s VFI (Voices for Innovation), and as a board member for Microsoft Partner Action Council for Microsoft's Inspire Conference.
ADDITIONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BTW, I forgot to add that in addition to thanking my mom, dad, grandmother Bessie, and hubby, I would also like to thank my most recent male allies Frank Valdivieso of Gryphon Consulting, Steve Hall of District Computers, Nigel Knowles of LCG Technologies, and Bill Wootton of C3 Integrated Solutions for mentoring me through my business ownership adventure and thank my current manager, Fadi Barghouthy, and my counterpart, Dat Tran, for their help and guidance through my current adventure at Microsoft. I would also like to thank Kristine Schaefer, Jeff Shuey, Rima Reyes, and Bobby Chan for helping me get into Microsoft in the first place.
Mavens Do It Better original theme music composed by Jesse Case with voice over by Julia Francis.