Issue 152: MVP Summit 2025!

I have seen some great posts in preparation for the MVP Summit. Here are my tips and tricks for those that will be attending for the first time or have been to Redmond multiple times!

Letting Others Know About Your Plans/Arrival/Transportation

Christian Buckley had a great suggestion that I'll have to follow up on for MVPs with transportation to post about ride sharing/car pooling. This is a great opportunity to connect with others and make the most out of a rental. Two years ago I rented a car from Turo that was fun for me (a Mini Cooper) - at 6 foot 4 inches, people may have been surprised, but there is a lot of room inside these little vehicles. The car made it difficult to offer more than a couple people a lift, though. Michael Blumenthal , Becky Bertram and Pam DeGraffenreid joined me for dinner at a place Pam had been years before (I went to the restaurant again last year).

Bring Things To Swap (There's A Sticker Swap in the Reactor on Campus!)

I haven't seen so many community stickers in one place! There were several TABLES filled with stickers from community podcasts, shows, etc. EVERYWHERE! If you have a new device, you could easily fill it with stickers (my bonus tip - get a cover for the device because when it's full you can just swap the next cover and save all those great stickers you received previously!)

Plan For After Hours/Networking Opportunities!

There are so many "formal" things at the MVP Summit, but there are just as many (if not more) "informal" things during the week! I've heard about a WhatsApp group to coordinate and share from Cat Schneider . I think that may be the way to go with such an international crowd!

The More You Bring, The Less Room You May Have For Swag!

Many MVPs bring treats from their home country/region. If you bring stuff you plan to not return home with, that automatically makes some room for things you may acquire while visiting Redmond! There is also a Company Store on campus! You'll probably want to check it out. I've heard there are now Pickleball courts from Dora Chan, PMP (hope the weather works out to play a game or two!)

Bring Comfortable Shoes!

There's a lot of walking, standing, networking and you may want to trade off shoes because several days in one pair can be really difficult. There are lots of opportunities to wander around on campus (and it's MASSIVE!), so when you aren't walking between buildings, there are opportunities to wander around campus and see the sights.

Prepare To Share What You Can and Be Careful Not To Share What You Can't!

Sessions are covered under the MVP NDA, so you cannot attend without a badge (and you are reminded not to share photos from the session. You CAN share photos of the folks you meet, the groups you belong to and several people collaborate and take advantage of being in the same place for the week.