Our prospects are the guts and soul of all the things we do at Cisco and every considered one of them has an fascinating story to inform! Our Q&A sequence 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 neighborhood, Cisco Insider Advocates, brings our prospects collectively and supplies a means for them to make highly effective connections, broaden their skilled and private networks, and be taught from high consultants of their discipline. One in all our objectives with our advocacy neighborhood is to deepen {our relationships} with our prospects and at this time, now we have 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 whenever 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. Apparently, my expertise with on-line gaming is what sparked me to lean in the direction of a profession in IT and pursue a level in Data Expertise from Saint Louis College.
I really feel like on-line gaming is a superb preliminary gateway into IT, for positive! 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 staff (DSC – Myke, James, Paolo, Laurence, Francis and Mark), we dealt with each side of IT, from end-to-end deployments of latest Line of Companies to put up Operations Assist. On account of 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 wish to thank Marco Faassen and Jeroen Beek for offering me with this chance! I’ve discovered a variety of real-world IT fundamentals, skilled abilities, and adjusting to completely different cultural expectations in work ethic, all of which has helped me to today!
That’s an unimaginable journey you’ve been on Rik, and I can recognize how a lot your organization leaders and staff have helped you in your profession. How has partnering with Cisco helped you in your position?
Cisco has been instrumental in my skilled progress. I used to be in a position to attain working data of Cisco merchandise and {hardware} via self-paced trainings and official certifications, just like the Cisco Licensed Community Affiliate certification throughout the early days of my profession. This has opened a variety of doorways for me. I’m now targeted 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 not too long ago, 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 not too long ago) have immensely helped us overcome the restrictions of the standard working mannequin led to by this case, in addition to prolong this resolution to our prospects by way of the providers that we offer.
You touched on some key collaboration challenges that I believe a variety of companies are nonetheless struggling to beat, because the begin of the pandemic. Let’s transfer on to our buyer advocacy neighborhood. How would you describe it to these aren’t acquainted with it?
To place it merely, Cisco Insider Advocates is a web-based neighborhood the place likeminded Cisco prospects within the IT discipline can collect to acquire and share sources. The neighborhood gives a ton of advantages, each bodily and digital in nature, within the type of networking alternatives and precious technological nuggets via articles and information. The neighborhood actually is a one-stop-shop in your every day Cisco wants!
You’re considered one of our neighborhood “Rockstars.” What made you wish to be a part of, and the way has being a part of this neighborhood impacted you each professionally and personally?
I joined to get “Insider” data (pun meant)! Being a part of this neighborhood has been an incredible 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 neighborhood is how I preserve 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 latest Cisco Reside EMEA 2023 occasion in Amsterdam.
You have been considered one of our “Street To Cisco Reside” winners—congratulations! We’d like to know extra about your expertise at Cisco Reside this previous February. And, what would you say to those that are on the fence about going to Cisco Reside, primarily based in your expertise this 12 months?
It was an incredible expertise, as I acquired to satisfy folks in the neighborhood in actual life! Being in an atmosphere which has super quantities of technical and enjoyable classes is a “should have” within the IT discipline. For individuals who are lacking out, I encourage you to attend a Cisco Reside convention—and higher but, be a part of the Cisco Insider Advocates neighborhood!
Cisco Reside conferences world wide all the time supply a variety of enjoyable sales space actions, classes, and experiences. Which have been your favourite actions from Cisco Reside 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 precious 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 Staff is after all additionally considered one of my favourite experiences! Hopefully, I’ll once more be capable to spend extra time with the staff on the subsequent Cisco Reside convention.
We’re glad we acquired 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 neighborhood and members of Cisco’s World Advocacy staff! How did you get pleasure from that reconnection?
After a number of years in the neighborhood and solely seeing thumbnails of member profile footage, it was good to lastly meet and discuss to my friends in particular person, in addition to meet the Cisco staff who manages the Cisco Insider Advocates neighborhood!
We’re virtually 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’re welcome, Rashik!
Learn extra advocate interviews
You may get pleasure from this interview with Girgis Hady.
Be part of us!
For our prospects who’ve already joined our Cisco Insider Advocates neighborhood, say howdy to Rik for those who 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 neighborhood
- Have a possibility to satisfy with Cisco’s executives
- Share your suggestions, questions, and greatest practices
- Get entry to ‘insider’ content material and sources
- Develop your skilled and private model
- Amplify your organization’s success story with Cisco expertise
Able to get began?
Head over to the Cisco Insider Advocates Neighborhood and say howdy!
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