This week was the announcement for the vExpert program’s 2013 members and I’m pleased to say that the vBrownBag crew were again awarded vExpert status. In addition the majority of the presenters of vBrownBags in 2012 were also awarded vExpert status. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, the vBrownBags are a community built resource for the community and much of the content is about VMware’s products. The full list of 2013 vExperts is here.
The biggest benefit for me in vExpert is the connection to other vExperts, people who help other people. This is a kind of multiplier effect, if I help out a fellow vExpert then I’m probably indirectly helping out a hundred people who aren’t vExperts which is great for everyone.
Vendors are also realising that the vExperts are a multiplier, offering benefits to vExperts in the hopes that vExperts will multiply their message. One of the first was long time sponsor and supporter of ProfessionalVMware, TrainSignal who have offered a free one year subscription to their all you can learn training to all vExperts. I’m excited about this one, there is a whole lot of training here and not just about VMware. By the Way David Davis who made this happen is also a vExpert and the page linked above gives a bit of information about the vExpert program.
If you think that the vExpert program sounds cool, it is. If you want to get vExpert status next year then you need to act now by thinking about ways to help the community around you, take part in vBrownBags, VMUGs or any other part of the VMware community. Like airline frequent flier programs the vExpert status is the result of what you do, not the reason you do it.