Who Am I?
Hi, I’m Andrew Connell, a full-stack developer focusing on Microsoft Azure & Microsoft 365. I’m a 20+ year recipient of Microsoft’s MVP award and have helped thousands of developers through the various courses he’s authored & taught. Whether it’s an introduction to the entire ecosystem, or a deep dive into a specific software, my resources, tools, and support, I help web developers become experts in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem so that they can become irreplaceable in their organization.
In 2016, I founded Voitanos, a platform where I create and deliver live & self-paced technical training and educational resources for Microsoft 365 developers. My mission is to help you be the best web and cloud developer you can be, by providing you with high-quality courses, practical guidance, and up-to-date information on the latest trends and best practices in the Microsoft cloud ecosystem. Whether you are new to the cloud, or an experienced developer looking to advance your skills, Voitanos is the place for you to learn and grow.
Tech Blogging
I started my technology-focused blog in 2003 as my own personal tech journal but over the years it became my publishing platform. Over time, my blog became a trusted resource in the industry and continues through today.
Authoring Books
The natural progression from writing blog posts is to work on a bigger and more structured project. This means writing a book! After contributing to numerous books as a co-author and many technical articles (which you can find in this list of publications and books on my Amazon author page), I wrote my first book, Professional SharePoint 2007 Web Content Management Development.
In-Person Classroom Training
In 2009 I co-founded an in-person classroom training company, Critical Path Training, that focused on Microsoft Office and SharePoint related courses. During this time I learned a lot about the training business, what worked and what didn’t work so well. Classroom training is a great resource, but in today’s world of frequently improving products and rapid releases, a one-time classroom experience doesn’t work in favor of a video based offering that can be easily updated. I owned and operated Critical Path Training with my business partner until early 2013 when I sold my interest to seek new challenges.
Technical Course Author
I spent a lot of time authoring technical courses while involved with Critical Path Training. These were big courses too!
After Critical Path Training, I continued writing courses for customers including Microsoft. Microsoft hired me numerous times to write courses for their Microsoft Learning site including 30+ modules across learning paths 5+ supporting self-paced learning for the MS-600 exam on topics like Microsoft 365 Fundamentals, Microsoft Identity, Microsoft Graph, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Framework, and Office Add-ins.
I’m also the author of the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Program training course among many others.
Delivering the Partner Center SDK Developer Training course I authored and produced for Microsoft
Conference Presentations
During all this time I was working my way up through the ranks of presenting at user groups, regional conferences ultimately moving up to major international conferences.
Throughout the years I’ve been fortunate enough to share what I’ve learned at conferences like Microsoft’s TechEd, Build, Ignite, the Microsoft 365 Collaboration Conference (formerly the SharePoint Conference), the European SharePoint Conference, 365 EduCon (formerly SPFest), Angular’s ngConf & AngularU, SPTechCon, and SP Live360, among many others all around the world in North America, Europe, Asia & Australia.
I get a rush in sharing knowledge and making sure the people who attend have fun learning too!
That's me delivering a full-day, pre-conference workshop at Microsoft Ignite
I love presenting to huge rooms like this at Microsoft Ignite
On-Demand Video Training
Another education vehicle I’ve used is video. I’ve published numerous on-demand video courses through Pluralsight, a popular platform… you can the list of nearly 20 courses I’ve published on my bio page on Pluralsight.
This experience of publishing my own courses on another platform for me thinking about the ideal educational experience. On-demand video nailed it, but I wanted more flexibility in how my content was delivered and how people could consume it.
Which Brings Me To Voitanos
I believe that on-demand video-based training is one of the most effective ways to learn. You not only get to see how someone does something but as an instructor, you can convey excitement and passion that you simply can’t do in print.
So why did I start Voitanos? Voitanos is where you will find my courses going forward. This way I can control the learning experience and delivery to consumers in the way that works best for them, free from the limitations of existing platforms.
While Voitanos will initially have traditional video-based courses that have a similar delivery format to what you see in other places, this is just the tip of the iceberg. I have some big & very different ideas on how to best deliver the perfect online learning experience.
But you have to start somewhere… so just stay tuned.
Until then, I invite you to join in on this journey with me!