Cisco’s advocacy neighborhood, Cisco Insider Advocates, brings our prospects collectively and supplies a means for them to make highly effective connections, increase their skilled and private networks, and study from prime specialists of their subject. Certainly one of our targets with our advocacy neighborhood is to deepen relationships with our prospects. Our Q&A sequence permits us to shine a highlight on a few of our most passionate advocates as we study extra about their tales and backgrounds.
Immediately, we’ve got one of many friendliest faces locally becoming a member of us for a chat. I’m excited to welcome Rob Taylor from Prosperity 24/7.
Welcome, Rob! It’s so nice to speak with you right this moment. Let’s kick issues off by studying just a little bit about who you’re.
I stay within the stunning island of Jersey, Channel Islands. It’s the southernmost gem within the English Channel’s crown, nestled simply 19 km west of the Cotentin peninsula of France.
I’m married with two grown youngsters, and my household is all the pieces to me. We’re all about these household holidays and spontaneous adventures—the extra lively, the higher!
I’m not a professional, however you’ll usually catch me on the padel tennis court docket or attempting my luck at badminton. Let’s simply say my abilities are a piece in progress, but it surely’s all concerning the enjoyable, proper?
One factor you possibly can rely on with me is my glass is without end half full. I imagine in making probably the most out of each second. So, right here’s to embracing life’s twists and turns with a smile and brightening every day with a smile!
The place did you begin your profession in IT? And, what skilled choice or alternative helped lead you to your present function?
I used to be launched to IT in 2001, when conventional enterprise phone programs (PABXs) started transitioning towards IP telephony. I used to be a fish out of the water; simply 4 years prior, I used to be a budding electrician, transferring from apprentice to electrician, at an offshoot of Jersey Electrical energy Firm (JEC).
Then, JEC created a small splinter firm named Jersey Electrical energy Telecommunications; I used to be chosen to retrain as a phone programs engineer. Throughout my time at JET, I took on many tasks, gaining expertise throughout gross sales, procurement, accounting, and finally, administration. It was probably the most difficult and enjoyable time of my profession at that time.
5 years later, I used to be provided a senior engineering place with Jersey Telecom. Inside the 12 months, I used to be appointed as senior account supervisor for company companies. Sadly, after 4 years, I noticed I used to be dropping my strengths as an engineer, and particularly in staying present on expertise and instruments, which was my ardour.
Destiny stepped in, and I used to be launched to the world of Cisco by a pair legendary consultants. These consultants grew to become nice associates, and I’ve the pleasure of working in partnership with considered one of them to today. A few of you could have heard of him, CIA Rockstar Legend Simon Watkins. (Learn extra about Simon on this Cisco Insider Advocates Q&A!)
How has partnering with Cisco helped you in your function?
Partnering with Cisco has develop into the best sport changer in my profession up to now, enabling me to upskill and, even higher, to leverage experiences in engineering, gross sales, advertising, and procurement to develop into considered one of just some specialists inside the Channel Islands to ship a compelling worth to service suppliers and digital integrators alike. By dedicating hours of finding out and self-development, I used to be in a position to start deploying and designing strong community options for companies all through the Channel Islands. All credit score to Cisco and their pre-sales and technical specialists who I’ve labored with on the extra superior options, simply one of many many “olive branches” Cisco affords to assist its companions.
Quick ahead a decade, and I’m now collectively heading up the community options group inside a tremendous digital integrations enterprise, Prosperity 24/7, a Premier Integrator for Cisco. We now maintain two Cisco specialisations: the Networking Specialisation and the Environmental Sustainability Specialisation. We’re particularly happy with the latter since sustainability performs a vital function inside our enterprise.
Prosperity 24/7 have a devoted Setting & Sustainability focus group that works towards decreasing the influence companies have on the surroundings. We companion with native companies which can be aligned and devoted to decreasing pointless waste and preserving our planet’s sources to realize this objective. It’s truthful to say that almost all respected companies favor to companion with organizations working towards a zero emissions baseline and as such, new alternatives and features of income have opened. An instance is when a enterprise relocates to new premises; Prosperity 23/7 takes care of their previous premises by managing the recycling and repurposing of their previous community infrastructure, from the racks via to the customers desks, computer systems, and displays.
Let’s transfer on to our buyer advocacy neighborhood. It appears such as you just lately joined this system and are already climbing up within the ranks as an Advocate Rising Star. How would you describe Cisco Insider Advocates to those that aren’t acquainted with it?
I joined Cisco Insider Advocates in 2023. I instantly noticed the worth on this neighborhood and the way, via gamification, I may get pleasure from studying about new services and products that provoke constructive conversations with shoppers, whereas constructing factors to redeem on future purchases via the Cisco Retailer. Becoming a member of and enjoying an lively function inside CIA actually is a win-win state of affairs, and I genuinely suggest everybody be a part of.
What made you need to be a part of, and the way has being part of Cisco Insider Advocates impacted you each professionally and personally?
Over the previous couple of years, a number of colleagues and associates joined the neighborhood and have been clearly having fun with the expertise and the plentiful challenges they participated in. Not least, they loved the problem of rising via the ranks collectively.
After I joined the neighborhood, I too started collaborating within the challenges and located lots of them to be each inspiring and insightful. Assembly a number of of the CIA members at Cisco Dwell introduced a direct reference to them, particularly after we have been discussing our shared approaches to expertise and creating enterprise. I shaped new and valued friendships, and I’m trying ahead to the following time we meet, whether or not that’s at one other Cisco Dwell or after we go to one another’s nation.
On an expert stage, Cisco Insider Advocates is proving to be the proper vacation spot for self-development and encouragement to step outdoors of your consolation zone. An incredible group helps Cisco Insider Advocates, they usually’re excited to help and encourage advocates to develop themselves and in flip, their careers. To succeed in the upper ranks, advocates can full challenges that may contain writing on-line evaluations, talking at a Cisco occasion, and so forth. These could also be out of the strange for a lot of engineers and consultants; nevertheless, with Cisco Insider, you’re given the chance to excel and develop your worth at your individual tempo. Many organizations see these newfound abilities as constructive attributes and justification for a possible wage enhance, or the rationale to decide on one candidate over one other.
Let’s transfer on to Cisco Dwell 2024 Amsterdam held this previous February. You met a few of your friends from the neighborhood and members of Cisco’s Buyer Advertising and marketing group for the primary time!What did you get pleasure from most about assembly everybody at Cisco Dwell this 12 months?
Cisco Dwell 2024 in Amsterdam was nothing wanting superb. Assembly friends from inside the neighborhood felt like I used to be seeing previous associates that I hadn’t but met in individual. What an incredible bunch they have been!
Although we’re new associates, dwelling in disparate jurisdictions, we may collaborate and share concepts and experiences with one another. It’s protected to say that the Insider neighborhood has enabled like-minded specialists, strange guys who share a thirst for all times, to attach and make a constructive distinction.
I can be staying in contact, and we’re trying ahead to the following time we reconnect in individual. Cisco Dwell 2025, right here we come!
Through the convention, we provided lots of enjoyable actions on the Cisco Insider sales space. Amongst them, which was your favourite and why?
There was a plethora of enjoyable actions out there throughout Cisco Dwell 2024, all of which have been really nice! What stands out for me most was the panel session (and wine tasting!) held within the sales space. The occasion featured one of many world’s Masters of Wine, of which there are lower than 500 in whole. All of us realized an incredible deal and loved the newfound style explosions in the course of the wine sampling (the perfect bit).
My because of all of the group for his or her work and energy in making the entire expertise memorable.
Earlier than I allow you to go, I’ve saved the perfect questions for final! Do you might have any recommendation for anybody attending Cisco Dwell for the primary time? What are your greatest tricks to them to assist them put together, each earlier than and in the course of the convention?
- Be sure to affix the Cisco Insider Advocacy neighborhood and climb these ranks.
- You should definitely ebook Cisco Dwell early and start scheduling your occasions earlier than they refill.
- Be sure to provide your self time in between periods to recoup—they’re going to be lengthy days!
- Reap the benefits of the free Cisco examination and start getting ready as early as you possibly can.
- Take the time to socialize with like-minded associates that you just haven’t met but.
- Select your resort and placement correctly.
…and we’d love to complete with three issues you possibly can’t stay with out?
That’s straightforward (but it surely’s going to sound very boring!)
No.1 My household & associates (dishonest right here)
No.2 My well being
No.3 My zest for all times—adventures, enjoyable, ethical compass, and spontaneity
It’s been a pleasure to speak with you, Rob! Thanks for being a valued Cisco Insider and for becoming a member of us!
Learn extra advocate interviews.
You may get pleasure from this interview with Wouter Hindriks.
Be a part of us!
For our prospects who’ve already joined our Cisco Insider Advocates neighborhood, say howdy to Rob when you haven’t met but. And when you’re a Cisco buyer however aren’t a neighborhood member, contemplate becoming a member of. You’ll be capable to:
- Join with friends in a gamified, on-line neighborhood
- Have a chance to fulfill 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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