Keegan Chambers - Power Platform Today - Let's Begin
This video is the pilot episode of the "Power Platform Today" show, hosted by Reece with his first guest, Keegan. Below is a breakdown of the conversation and key segments with timestamps.
Show Introduction & Guest Welcome
[01:23] Reece opens the show, welcoming viewers to the pilot episode. He mentions it’s a mix of entertainment and technical discussion focused on the Power Platform community.
[02:02] Keegan (the guest) is introduced. Reece explains the show's format: a 30-40 minute live stream airing weekly.
[05:09] Technical Glitch: Keegan attempts to introduce herself, but Reece interrupts to note that the audience couldn't hear her. After fixing the audio, Keegan restarts her introduction.
Guest Background: Keegan
[06:31] Keegan introduces herself as the Director of Operations for a strategic Microsoft partner. She describes her career path as "wavy," moving from a psychology degree to marketing, then to telecommunications, and finally into the Microsoft partner space.
[08:10] She discusses her entry into the Power Platform world, starting with Dynamics CRM (transitioning from version 4 to 2011) and realising this was her route into the tech industry.
[11:28] Keegan recalls her "lightbulb moment" at the first Scottish Summit, seeing Christopher Huntingford and William Dorrington demonstrate the Power Platform. She was blown away by the "Lego block" nature of the tech and decided to pivot her career entirely to the Microsoft ecosystem.
Segment: Scottish Power Platform User Group (Spug) Review
[16:56] Reece introduces a pre-recorded video segment ("VT") reviewing a recent user group event.
[18:24] Event Review: Reece recounts his trip to the "SPPUG" (Scottish Power Platform User Group) meeting in Glasgow on February 25th.
[21:07] Speaker 1: Stuart Baxter spoke about the Government Design System (GDS) and its application in Canvas Apps.
[22:12] Speaker 2: Damian Bird, a Microsoft architect, gave a live demo on building a Copilot agent that could send emails based on website knowledge.
[24:27] Speaker 3: Keith Atherton discussed responsive design in Canvas Apps, using an app itself for his presentation slides.
[26:45] Reece highly recommends attending local user groups for both the learning and networking opportunities.
Discussion: The Value of Community & User Groups
[29:15] Reece and Keegan discuss the "Spug" acronym and transition to talking about the Bletchley AI User Group.
[30:07] Keegan announces that the AI User Group is going national, with plans to launch groups in Liverpool and other locations. She highlights the unique mix of attendees at Bletchley, from local businesses to tech enthusiasts.
[35:13] They discuss why community events change lives. Reece emphasises that networking helps people understand what jobs and roles exist out there, broadening horizons similar to how travel does.
[37:58] Keegan notes the "subconscious learning" that happens just by being in the room—absorbing new terminology and concepts even if you don't fully understand them yet.
Quick Fire Round
Reece ends the show with a series of rapid-fire questions for Keegan:
[39:12] Favourite Power Platform Service: Power Pages (formerly Portals), despite the work involved.
[39:58] Favourite Conference: South Coast Summit, praised for its "all-in-one" location and camaraderie (and free ice cream).
[40:40] Favourite Color: Pink (specifically "chilled out" pink).
[41:00] Last Music Listened To: Karaoke versions of The Pretty Reckless, Paramore, and Evanescence.
[41:40] TV or Podcast: TV. Keegan explains she needs visual cues to focus, which is also why she takes copious notes during meetings.
[42:53] 2 Hours Free Time: She would choose a spa day.
[43:07] Massage or Cold Plunge: Reece loves the cold plunge/Wim Hof method; Keegan prefers a massage and hates the cold.
[44:41] Books or Audiobooks: Books (visual preference again).
[44:47] Glass Half Full or Empty: Always full. Keegan believes in positive manifestation.
[45:39] If you won £1 million: First thought is a "mega house" with a swimming pool and cinema room to maximise quality time with her family.
