SQLFamily

Some Thoughts on Community, Leadership, and Continuous Improvement

The SQL Server community is just awesome. I can’t say that enough. I may sound like a broken record when I keep repeating these things, but I owe a great deal to the community. I’ve worked hard in my career, but I am certain I would not be where I am today were it not for the connections and relationships…


PASS Summit 2017 Day 1

It’s the first full day of the 2017 PASS Summit. As I write this, I am somewhere over the panhandle of Texas headed for Seattle and the rest of my #SQLFamily who are are already at the Summit. It’s been a bit strange for the last few days as I kept up with Summit goings-on. I typically arrive in Seattle…


PASS Summit 2017 is Coming

The yearly PASS Summit is just around the corner, a little less than six weeks away. For those not familiar with this event, it is a gathering of several thousand data professionals for 4+ days of education and networking. The PASS Summit will take place in Seattle, Washington, from Tuesday, October 31st until Friday, November 3rd. Networking at the Summit…


What if Your Employer Won’t Support Your Career?

I’ve had a lot of luck in my career, especially as it pertains to my work environment. Although I can’t say every technical job I’ve had was all unicorns and bacon, I’ve been very fortunate to have been treated fairly and professionally through most of my employment history. Not only was I treated respectfully, but the last three employers I…


Join Me at PASS Summit 2016

It seems like it was just yesterday that we all said goodbye in Seattle at last year’s PASS Summit, but the calendar on the wall says that the next event is a mere four months away. This means that it’s that time of year again: the schedule of sessions has been published. I am happy to announce that I’ll be presenting…


SQL PASS 2014 Summit Diary – Day 6

Today is the last official day of the PASS Summit.  The sessions will wrap up at the end of the day, and we’ll all go our separate ways and resume our semi-normal lives.  Having delivered my presentation yesterday, my official PASS duties are over, and I’m planning to spend the day taking in a few sessions and networking. 08:15am: No…


PASS Summit 2014 Diary – Day 2

It’s another beautiful day in Seattle. And by beautiful, I mean overcast and threatening rain.  Today will be mostly consumed by the MVP Summit, with some fun stuff scheduled for later in the day.  At 6pm today, I’m headed back to the Tap House for BI Over Beers, a gathering of business intelligence professionals sponsored by Varigence. 08:00am: On the…


PASS Summit 2014 Diary – Day 1

Today is the first day of official activities for the week.  The PASS Summit hasn’t yet started, but I’ll be spending the day at the MVP Summit, surrounded by a few hundred people much smarter than I am.  The details of the MVP Summit are all covered under NDA, so today’s update will be brief. 06:00am: I woke up and…


PASS Summit 2014 Diary – Day 0

This week, I’m attending two different summit events in the Seattle area.  On Sunday through Tuesday, I’ll be participating in the Microsoft MVP Summit in Bellevue, Washington.  For the remainder of the week, I’ll be attending and presenting at the PASS Summit in Seattle.  Although there is much I won’t be sharing (especially at the beginning of the week), I’m…


Five people you should meet at the PASS Summit

As I write this, I’m airborne and on my way to Seattle for the summit week (the Microsoft MVP Summit, followed by the PASS Summit).  I was struck with the notion – and not for the first time – that I’m not really looking forward to these events for the technical content as much as I’m looking forward to networking…