Reflecting on the flight home from #CiscoLive, people often ask what I do for a living and it was so much easier when I was a network architect, sales engineer or consulting manager. When I Explain what I do now as a technology evangelist is more difficult and I get puzzled looks. I tell them what I do and when family hears it, they say, “wait you hate public speaking”. Then I show them these videos. Never in my wildest dreams would I think I would be doing what I am doing. Some highlights from this week:
- 21 theater presentations over 4 days
- a content corner presentation
- several one on one demos
I did have a few conversations with how I wound up becoming a technical evangelist. This story has more plot twists than a M. Night Shyamalan movie, but here are the high points. Starting off in 2005 as a PC Technician at a law firm, to ending my enterprise career as a network architect with the most well known brand on planet, The Coca Cola Company. I describe this in detail on my post titled Finding My Voice in Tech: A Journey Through Doubt, Growth & Grit
Then transitioning to sales and not being comfortable in my skin. There I met Joseph Duarte. If it wasn’t for Joe shoving 5 years worth of sales engineering knowledge into 6 months, I don’t think I would be as comfortable doing what I am doing. This lead me to my time as a Technology consulting manager at EY.
You would think being a sales engineer and presenting as much as I did would help. I can say with 100% certainty, while that helped it is completely different. Luigi Vattelana refined the skills and taught me how to tell stories. Encouraged me to lean into my past and be that “trusted advisor”. Also, Luigi added the skill of how to craft a compelling PowerPoint, which has proved to be extremely beneficial for what I do today. Joe and Luigi are definatly two people who shaped who I am at this point in my career. They took an old school network architect and helped him find what his passion was.
Every job and every experience is a piece of the puzzle that leads you to your true calling. Once that puzzle is complete, you’ll know. You’ll be exactly where you’re supposed to be. Don’t worry if it’s not immediately obvious that the puzzle is finished; it took me a while to realize it. But when you do, it no longer feels like a job – it feels like your purpose.
