Our prospects are the center and soul of all the things we do at Cisco and every one in all them has an fascinating story to inform! Our Q&A collection permits us to shine a highlight on a few of our most passionate buyer advocates as we be taught extra about their tales and backgrounds.
Cisco’s advocacy group, Cisco Insider Advocates, brings our prospects collectively and offers a manner for them to make highly effective connections, develop their skilled and private networks, and be taught from high specialists of their discipline. Considered one of our objectives with our advocacy group is to deepen {our relationships} with our prospects and at this time, we’ve got one of many friendliest faces in the neighborhood becoming a member of us for a chat. I’m excited to welcome Rik Aragoza from Kinly.
Welcome, Rik! Let’s kick issues off by speaking about what you wished to be once you have been 16 years previous?
Like most youngsters, I wished to spend my time on leisurely actions, issues like enjoying my guitar or on-line gaming. Curiously, my expertise with on-line gaming is what sparked me to lean in direction of a profession in IT and pursue a level in Info Expertise from Saint Louis College.
I really feel like on-line gaming is a good preliminary gateway into IT, for certain! The place did you begin your profession, and what skilled choice or alternative helped lead you to your present position?
I began my profession in IT Administration with my first firm, Datacom Join, which led to a fruitful five-year profession. Along with my superior crew (DSC – Myke, James, Paolo, Laurence, Francis and Mark), we dealt with each side of IT, from end-to-end deployments of recent Line of Companies to put up Operations Assist. Attributable to a number of circumstances, I made a decision to enterprise abroad to my present position as a specialist in Unified Communications for Kinly (which was then named Visions Linked). I need to thank Marco Faassen and Jeroen Beek for offering me with this chance! I’ve realized a number of real-world IT fundamentals, skilled expertise, and adjusting to completely different cultural expectations in work ethic, all of which has helped me to today!
That’s an unbelievable journey you’ve been on Rik, and I can recognize how a lot your organization leaders and crew have helped you in your profession. How has partnering with Cisco helped you in your position?
Cisco has been instrumental in my skilled development. I used to be in a position to attain working data of Cisco merchandise and {hardware} by way of self-paced trainings and official certifications, just like the Cisco Licensed Community Affiliate certification in the course of the early days of my profession. This has opened a number of doorways for me. I’m now centered on Unified Communications, as Kinly is a video conferencing service supplier. Cisco has been our mainstay within the collaboration platform that we provide to our prospects, alongside different industry-leading distributors within the video conferencing discipline.
What’s been your greatest problem in your organization just lately, and the way did you overcome it?
As with most corporations, the impacts of COVID-19 had utterly shaken the {industry}, and it’s nonetheless felt at this time. Cisco’s Unified Communications options (Cisco Collaboration Suite, and Webex extra just lately) have immensely helped us overcome the restrictions of the normal working mannequin led to by this case, in addition to prolong this resolution to our prospects by way of the companies that we offer.
You touched on some key collaboration challenges that I feel a number of companies are nonetheless struggling to beat, for the reason that begin of the pandemic. Let’s transfer on to our buyer advocacy group. How would you describe it to these aren’t aware of it?
To place it merely, Cisco Insider Advocates is an internet group the place likeminded Cisco prospects within the IT discipline can collect to acquire and share assets. The group presents a ton of advantages, each bodily and digital in nature, within the type of networking alternatives and useful technological nuggets by way of articles and information. The group actually is a one-stop-shop on your every day Cisco wants!
You’re one in all our group “Rockstars.” What made you need to be part of, and the way has being a part of this group impacted you each professionally and personally?
I joined to get “Insider” data (pun supposed)! Being a part of this group has been a tremendous journey for me, ranging from a newbie member who was initially simply casually dropping in on-line to The World Gateway (now known as Cisco Insider Advocates). The group is how I maintain updated with the newest information from Cisco. I used to be additionally in a position to cease by the Cisco Insider Advocacy sales space on the current Cisco Dwell EMEA 2023 occasion in Amsterdam.
You have been one in all our “Street To Cisco Dwell” winners—congratulations! We might like to know extra about your expertise at Cisco Dwell this previous February. And, what would you say to those that are on the fence about going to Cisco Dwell, primarily based in your expertise this yr?
It was a tremendous expertise, as I bought to satisfy individuals in the neighborhood in actual life! Being in an atmosphere which has large quantities of technical and enjoyable classes is a “will need to have” within the IT discipline. For individuals who are lacking out, I encourage you to attend a Cisco Dwell convention—and higher but, be part of the Cisco Insider Advocates group!
Cisco Dwell conferences all over the world at all times provide a number of enjoyable sales space actions, classes, and experiences. Which have been your favourite actions from Cisco Dwell 2023 in Amsterdam, and why?
I most loved the technical classes that have been aligned with my present position in Unified Communications. The classes introduced an immense quantity of useful data, from introductory matters to technical deep dives, in addition to product roadmaps which helped me be prepared for what’s coming subsequent with Webex and its highly effective interoperability. Assembly Cisco’s World Advocacy Group is in fact additionally one in all my favourite experiences! Hopefully, I’ll once more be capable to spend extra time with the crew on the subsequent Cisco Dwell convention.
We’re glad we bought an opportunity to spend extra time with you, as nicely, Rik! You additionally had an opportunity to satisfy for the primary time/reconnect with a few of your friends from the group and members of Cisco’s World Advocacy crew! How did you take pleasure in that reconnection?
After a number of years in the neighborhood and solely seeing thumbnails of member profile photos, it was good to lastly meet and discuss to my friends in particular person, in addition to meet the Cisco crew who manages the Cisco Insider Advocates group!
We’re nearly on the finish of the interview and we’d love to complete with three issues you’ll be able to’t stay with out?
- Household
- Meals
- Expertise
It’s been a pleasure to speak with you Rik, thanks once more for becoming a member of us!
You might be welcome, Rashik!
Learn extra advocate interviews
You would possibly take pleasure in this interview with Girgis Hady.
Be a part of us!
For our prospects who’ve already joined our Cisco Insider Advocates group, say hey to Rik when you haven’t met one another but. And for these Cisco prospects who haven’t but joined, contemplate doing so. You’ll be capable to:
- Join with friends in a gamified, on-line group
- Have a possibility to satisfy with Cisco’s executives
- Share your suggestions, questions, and greatest practices
- Get entry to ‘insider’ content material and assets
- Develop your skilled and private model
- Amplify your organization’s success story with Cisco expertise
Able to get began?
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