This episode features host Reece talking with Laura Graham-Brown, a Data Platform and Business Applications MVP who bridges the gap between the data and low-code worlds.
Show Introduction & Guest Background
[01:46] Laura introduces herself as someone who sits between the "Data people" and the "Power Platform people." She is commonly known as Laura GB.
[02:10] She discusses her career path, which started on the business side. She spent years working with Excel and Access databases before moving into training, consultancy, and development.
[03:04] Laura reveals she was originally a CC Mail Administrator for a big insurance company. After having a baby, she tried to be a stay-at-home mum but realised she needed the "tech buzz" to stay sane.
[03:37] She returned to work as a freelance trainer. She admits she would often "bluff" her way into teaching specific courses—like charging double her daily rate for PowerPoint training because she hated doing it (and was surprised when clients still paid it).
[07:29] Entry into Community: Her entry into the tech community was accidental. A client asked for SharePoint training, so she bought books by Penny Coventry to learn it. She then attended a "SharePoint Saturday" to meet Penny.
[08:16] The Beer Tokens Story: Laura describes herself as shy. At that first event, she helped a speaker (Andy Talbot) pack up his stand. He gave her a handful of "beer tokens" he hadn't used. This gave her "social currency" to enter the bar and network, which she says she wouldn't have done otherwise.
Data vs. BizApps Communities
[15:06] Reece asks about the differences between the communities Laura straddles.
[15:15] The Data Community: Described as older and more established (e.g., SQL Bits has been running for 18+ years). The members have known each other for decades and know how to party without getting kicked out of hotels.
[16:58] The BizApps Community: described as "noisier" and newer. It is filled with problem-solvers from non-tech backgrounds (e.g., former window cleaners). Laura recounts a specific conference where the BizApps crowd nearly got banned for partying too loudly at 4 AM.
[20:34] Laura notes she saw a similar "hype cycle" hit the data community recently with the launch of Microsoft Fabric, mirroring the excitement the Power Platform saw years ago.
Segment: Building a Copilot Agent (Video)
[21:29] Reece introduces a pre-recorded segment where he attempts to build a Copilot Agent live without editing.
[22:22] He sets up the agent to be a "Sports Commentator" and uses the Formula 1 website as its knowledge source.
[24:49] The Failure: He asks "Who won the last race?" The agent initially fails, giving information about a sprint race rather than the main event.
[26:23] The Fix: Reece enables "Search Results" in the settings.
[26:50] The Success: The agent correctly identifies the winner (and Lando Norris as the runner-up), though Reece notes it didn't quite adopt the "sports commentator" persona he hoped for.
Discussion: The Future of AI
[28:16] Back live, Laura shares her thoughts on AI. She notes AI isn't new (she sat in AI lectures during her computer science degree 35 years ago), but the processing power is now available to everyone.
[30:51] Fabric Agents: Laura hints at new announcements (some under NDA) regarding "Fabric Agents" that can be pointed at specific data tables, giving users more control over the AI's knowledge source.
[31:37] She shares a story about AI being used to detect oil deposits based on sea wave patterns—something humans wouldn't have thought to look for because it seems illogical.
[37:54] Laura draws parallels to historical fears: search engines were supposed to ruin our memories, and the printing press was feared for making us stop talking to each other. She believes we will adapt to AI just as we did to those.
[38:42] Alexa Story: She tells a story about a friend's father who was going blind. He used to have four different radios tuned to different stations because he couldn't see the dials. An Alexa smart speaker completely changed his world, allowing him to access books and radio by voice.
Quick Fire Round
[45:39] Favourite Power Platform Service: Power BI (an easy choice for her).
[45:50] Favourite Conference: SQL Bits.
[46:01] Last Music Listened To: "A Spaceman Came Travelling" by Chris de Burgh.
[46:25] TV or Podcast: TV is the lazy option; Podcasts are for driving.
[46:39] 2 Hours Free Time: Building Lego. Laura reveals she has a massive collection (a 4-foot pile of boxes) and maintains Excel spreadsheets to track her pieces and their value.
[47:45] Books or Audiobooks: Physical Books.
[47:56] Glass Half Full or Empty: Half full—because that means there is "space for more wine."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41TGyMYnvtU
