VEXPERT: Increasing the number of vExperts in Belgium and Luxembourg

 An excellent idea

“Yes, that is an excellent idea!” was Tom’s reply when I asked him if he would mind if I would try to encourage more people to join the vExpert program in Belgium. Probably you don’t know, but there are only 14 VEXPERTS in BeLux (Belgium and Luxembourg combined). Not a big number.

It is shocking that a similarly sized country such as the Netherlands manages to have 92 vExperts compared to 14 in BeLux!  We are convinced that the vExpert presence in Belgium and Luxembourg might increase if only people would see what the program can do for them and how good the vCommunity is to its family members.

My small idea about encouraging the vExpert program in Belgium stopped being a one man dream and started evolving into a team dream because thirty seconds later we were brainstorming about the best way forward. The initial target list, after brainstorming, looked like something like this:

• We need to encourage more people to try to get the vExpert status.
• We will offer help to people who do not know how to start the process.
• we will proactively contact some people who we think are ideal candidates in Belgium and Luxembourg for the vExpert program.
• We will ask Stijn Depril (VMware Belgium) if he would like to help us.
• We will ask the VMware community managers if they want to assist us.
• We will ask VMUG Belgium if we can do a presentation about the vExpert program at VMUGBE+.

 

Where we are today

The next day after sending an email to Corey, Corey replied that they were just starting a new initiative along the same lines and I was invited to join the first vExpert PRO meetings. A lot of good ideas came from these meetings and some of these have been applied by Tom, Stijn and myself for the BeLux vExpert innitiative.

Stijn Depril agreed to join Tom and myself and things quickly evolved into a concrete plan. Not that he needed much encouraging, the three of us strongly believe in a strong vCommunity.

We decided that we want to try to double the number of vExperts in Belgium within 2 years and so we set forth to create a list of potential candidates, persons we think are ideal candidates for the vExpert Program.  We have contacted all these people personally and things look promising 😊.

Crucial for the success of the vExpert program will be communication. Not only to inform each other of coming events but also to help the coming generation of new vExperts in BeLux. So we decided to create a WhatsApp group for current and future vExperts in Belux. This group is a success.

The marketing department of VMware Belgium has been engaged by Stijn and there are some nice things coming from this: We have a surprise for all current BeLux vExperts!  Also the first vBeers and BBQ will be held at the new VMware offices in Belgium!  Mark the date: June 27 starting at 5 PM until….?

If you live in Belgium or Luxembourg and would like to attend,  just shoot us a message!

Erik, the leader of VMUGBE+, liked the idea of encouraging the vExpert program and has promised us a speaking slot to encourage the vExpert program and a stand at VMUGBE+. A lot of current Belgian and Dutch vExperts will attend VMUGBE+ and agreed to talk to people interested in the vExpert program.

We have released a lightboard session highlighting some of the vExpert advantages and invite people to attend the vExpert presentation at VMUGBE+.

 

Conclusion

Glancing over my draft, I think the Belgian vExpert program has taken a flying start and I really hope it will continue on this road. VMUGBE+ is happening soon and we hope to see and talk to many of you over there and hopefully many of you will take a keen interest in the vExpert program. Should you be interested in any of the coming events or in joining the vExpert program, feel free to reach out to us: Stijn Depril @Sdepril, Tom Vallons @Tvallons and Kim Bottu @kim_bottu.

 

Thank you note

• Tom Vallons and Stijn Depril to believe in the vCommunity and to actively support it
• The current Belgian vExperts
• VMware Belgium
• VMware Netherlands
• The VMware community managers: Eric, Corey, Elsa, Valdecir and Julia
• Anyone who has given us feedback and advice

 

Kim