Cisco’s advocacy group, Cisco Insider Advocates, brings our clients collectively and gives a manner for them to make highly effective connections, broaden their skilled and private networks, and study from high consultants of their subject. One in every of our objectives with our advocacy group is to deepen {our relationships} with our clients. 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.
In the present day, we now have one of many friendliest faces locally becoming a member of us for a chat. I’m excited to welcome Wouter Hindriks from Avit Group BV.
Welcome, Wouter! It’s so nice to talk with you right now! Let’s kick issues off by studying somewhat bit about who you’re.
I’m a 45-year-old safety architect dwelling and dealing within the Netherlands. I’m married to Naomi, and we now have two youngsters, ages 12 and 16.
The place did you start your profession in IT? And what skilled choice or alternative introduced you to your present place?
I began working part-time on an web assist desk when many individuals have been getting on-line for the primary time with dial-up web entry. I had a number of jobs and roles after that and labored in several nations earlier than accepting my present place at Avit Group, a community integrator and managed companies supplier.
The risk panorama retains shifting, with new dangerous actors, exploits, and assaults on the horizon. As defenders, we have to hold altering with it. Avit Group protects and displays our clients’ environments for threats and accommodates incidents earlier than they result in a disruption. In my position as a safety architect, I design our service choices to make sure we ship the newest and biggest services and products to maintain customers and knowledge safe throughout the globe.
I spend time with clients, colleagues, and Cisco specialists to find out about evolving challenges and confirmed options to assist enhance our choices. As well as, via the Cisco Insider Advocates group, I get common updates from Cisco Talos, Cisco’s risk intelligence analysis group, in addition to insights from my trade friends and different safety practitioners worldwide.
What an unbelievable journey you’ve been on, Wouter. How has partnering with Cisco helped you in your position?
Cisco has performed an essential position in my profession because the starting; I obtained a Cisco CCNA certification, which actually helped my profession early on. Working at a telco, you’ll encounter Cisco within the edge and core networks, after which, you’ll be happy to see Cisco options in your knowledge middle, website networks, or safety setup. The standard of documentation and buyer assist makes Cisco reliable—each paperwork and TAC assist have saved my day (and night time) quite a few instances!
It’s nice to listen to how Cisco’s options have been instrumental all through your profession! Let’s transfer on to our buyer advocacy group. How would you describe Cisco Insider Advocates to those that aren’t aware of it?
Cisco Insider Advocates is a worldwide group for know-how lovers to attach with each other. New info, attention-grabbing articles about Cisco’s merchandise and applied sciences, and posts from different members are at all times obtainable. Collaborating in actions on this group additionally provides you factors to trade for cool rewards too.
The rewards are undoubtedly an important incentive! You’re one among our group’s “Rockstars” and are part of the “Safety Heroes.” What made you wish to be a part of, and the way has being part of this group impacted you each professionally and personally?
I joined the group at Cisco Stay Berlin in 2017 and was instantly impressed by the sheer scale and number of actions obtainable. On the occasion, I used to be in a position to take advantage of my go to by utilizing the Cisco Insider App, which supplied info on the accessible places and pushed me to discover completely different components of Cisco Stay.
Then, after the Cisco Stay occasion, I saved coming again to the group for the information, conversations, and worthwhile alternatives. Being a member of this group has allowed me to assist others and rapidly join with different consultants in numerous ICT fields. As a Rockstar, I get pleasure from unique challenges, rewards, and occasions. By collaborating with group managers and collaborating in actions, I’ve contributed to weblog posts, movies, and even spoken at Cisco Stay and safety podcasts. This enhanced my writing and talking skills and strengthened my private model, which helped me stand out to colleagues, clients, and potential employers.
We’d love to listen to about your current expertise at Cisco Stay 2024 Amsterdam. We perceive that you just attended along with your daughter this 12 months too. How was it sharing Cisco Stay together with her? On a scale of 1-5 (5 being the very best), how would you charge your total expertise this 12 months in comparison with earlier conferences?
Residing simply 20 minutes from the venue, Cisco Stay Amsterdam felt like a house recreation. It was fantastic exhibiting my daughter round and introducing her to everybody I’ve met over time. I’d charge my expertise a 4.5 this 12 months as I had an Explorer cross, which restricted entry to technical breakout classes. Nonetheless, the occasion was well-organized with good meals, many cubicles, and educated people prepared to help. Interacting with Cisco’s senior management this time was actually insightful; I used to be in a position to have temporary conversations with Oliver Tuszik and Jeetu Patel, which enhanced my understanding of Cisco’s imaginative and prescient and allowed me to share my very own concepts and challenges.
Via Cisco Insider Advocates, I used to be additionally in a position to meet with the Cisco U staff to share my ideas on a consumer’s coaching and academic wants total and supply suggestions on Cisco’s present certifications.
Since 2017, I’ve attended Cisco Stay in Berlin, Madrid, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Amsterdam. It’s at all times a pleasure to reconnect with pals and meet new individuals. Whereas the Cisco Insider Advocate actions add pleasure to those occasions, the devoted lounge for Insiders additionally gives a calming retreat throughout the busy occasion, and assembly group members and managers in particular person is at all times a deal with!
Glad to listen to you loved Cisco Stay this 12 months, Wouter! As you talked about, we had tons of thrilling actions deliberate within the Cisco Insider sales space and one among them was the chance to have a dialog with David Bombal, a British YouTuber and tech influencer. How was your interplay with him, and what matters did you talk about?
It was a delight to have an interview with David Bombal. We spoke about what it takes to get forward in IT and what has helped me turn out to be a safety architect. I emphasised the significance about staying curious, embracing challenges, and studying from each expertise whereas actively collaborating locally round you to facilitate progress and studying.
I’m pleased for you, Wouter. It sounds such as you had a memorable expertise at Cisco Stay this 12 months. We’re virtually on the finish of our interview, and we’d love to complete with three issues you’ll be able to’t reside with out.
In addition to the plain reply: Spouse and youngsters? It will be:
New issues to unravel
New issues to construct
New individuals to fulfill
It’s been a pleasure to talk with you, Wouter. Thanks once more for becoming a member of us!
Learn extra advocate interviews.
You may get pleasure from this interview with Cisco Insider Tim Harmon.
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For our clients who’ve already joined our Cisco Insider Advocates group, say whats up to Tim for those who haven’t met but. And for those who’re a Cisco buyer however aren’t a group member, take into account becoming a member of. You’ll be capable to:
Join with friends in a gamified, on-line group.
Have a possibility to fulfill with Cisco’s executives.
Share your suggestions, questions, and finest practices.
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