MVP Diaries – Dani Kahil

How did you feel the first time you met a unicorn? Ok, maybe not a unicorn but one of your idols that you look up to. It does not happen every day. And when it does, it is pretty cool.

Now, I am not saying Dani Kahil is a unicorn. But some of his work on Business Applications processes for analysis and estimations or use of Agile is! He and Neil Benson were one of the first MVPs I looked up to when learning. His process diagrams and teaching methods are so clear; they partly inspired my love for Design Thinking and Change Management.

It is not just his technical magic that makes Dani special. Upon meeting him at MVP Summit, I noticed what a humble and kind person he is! To my surprise, he knew me already which blew me away. But most importantly, seeing how genuine Dani is reinforced how special the community is. A group of people driven by technology, united by passion and a deep sense of care.

Say Hello to Dani Kahil

Let's hear it straight from the source, what makes Dani...Dani! 

“Over the last 15 years, I have been implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM / 365 CE solutions in multiple countries. I specialize in guiding companies to better understand their needs and translate those into simple and clean solutions using the Microsoft Business Applications and Dynamics 365. Since October 2020, I am a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional, (MVP), which resulted from my love to share his knowledge with the community.”

You can keep up with Dani on LinkedIn, Twitter or his blog. Let’s see what made his tech journey so unique. 

Origins: How did you discover your passion for technology and what was your first project?

At Uni, I got involved in a Student Association and volunteered to design their website. I loved that project and that was the catalyst for my IT career.

Award: What are some of the most rewarding or impactful experiences you have had during your time as an MVP? How did they change the way you learn and interact with others?

I get a lot of positive feedback from the diagrams and visuals I create. People somehow associate me with those diagrams.😄 

Real talk: How do you balance work and personal life? Do you ever have to deal with imposter syndrome, and how?

I rarely have to deal with the imposter syndrome.

The line between work and personal life is a little blurry for me😀. I love what I do so I often "work" early mornings, evenings, or weekends. However, I also take some time off to spend time with the kids during the week. I often take a few hours to pick up the kids and spend some time with them during traditional working hours... but I make those up in other parts of the day.

Giving back: How do you support and uplift aspiring MVPs or Community members? How can we drive new perspectives, for example those with neurodiverse superpowers?

Support them on LinkedIn by commenting or sharing their work. I sometimes mentor aspiring MVP's.

Fun: If you had a WWE smackdown between 2 products, which ones would it be and why?

Even if they are not Microsoft products, we could do the whiteboarding and collaboration tools:

Miro vs Figma (FigJam).

Reflecting and learning with a smile:

Learning from each other brings us all closer. Here are my top five thoughts from what Dani has shared with us:

• Being passionate about what you do makes work life more meaningful; we must find fulfilling areas in what we do

• Sharing with the community is a labor of love and a means to a legacy

• Family comes first, it is important to find ways we can balance work for our loved ones

• Supporting others can take many shapes, and social media support means more than many people can imagine

• FigJam is the best kind of jam, who knew!!

A massive thank you to Dani for joining the MVP Diaries series. Cannot wait to hear your thoughts and AHA moments which inspired you.