The power of community is in its conversation. We know that the best ideas begin amid laughter and grow into success stories through coffee-fueled days and nights among friends. With the “Tell Me a Story” series, we want to know how you got there, wherever that may be; after all, your journey could help another take their first step.
Today, we bring you a story from Christian Newman, digital strategist at Rise Digital, on being a people-centered, coffee-fueled Google Cloud partner.
How It Started
Newman started as a Google Cloud partner in 2017 when he helped TELUS transform its marketing team’s G-Suite into something that exceeded productivity gains and employee engagement expectations.
“Everyone felt like part of the same team with access to the same information at the same time as everyone else with no barriers,” Newman recalls, “It was a game-changing experience for me. … I thought, ‘the world needs more of this.’”
How It's Going
After 18 years in telecommunications, Newman had left TELUS, his current contract was ending, and he was living through a global pandemic.
“I was at a crossroads. Find another full-time job or follow my heart and deliver a solution the world needs now, more than ever: Google Workspace.”
Ultimately, Newman grabbed his coffee tumbler and followed his heart to a Google Cloud partnership, and he couldn’t be happier that he did.
What Makes You Stand Out?
“My most important skill is connecting with and understanding people,” Newman reveals.
That is saying a lot coming from a man who obviously places a lot of value in technical knowledge. He currently holds eight certifications, ranging from Google Workspace Sales to Google for Education Deployment Services to Google Certified IT Support Professional. If there’s something one needs to know about Google Workspace, Newman’s the guy to ask. Despite the current library of Google Cloud knowledge taking up space in his brain and the desire to obtain the Google Certified Collaboration Engineer in the near future, he maintains the most important way to approach this work is by focusing on the people.
“Far too often, companies expect technology to drive digital transformation and business results, but if people lack the mindset, skills, and engagement necessary for a successful transformation, … adoption and return on investment will suffer,” Newman warns.
Building relationships allows solutions to be tailored to specific client goals, making everyone more successful in the end.
Talk Google Cloud Products to Me. Do You Have A Favorite?
“Google Meet has got to be my favorite Google Workspace app right now. … It brings us closer together at a time when we’re forced to be far apart and need human connection more than ever.”
As a Google Cloud Platform Expert, What Drew You to C2C?
“I got involved with C2C to learn from others, develop my skills, be helpful, and work together to meet [the] collective goal of improving lives with Google Workspace,” Newman says.
Get Connected
Since C2C is all about bringing people together. How can the community best get in touch with you?
Visit my website, connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Wanna Talk About It?
- Have a story to share and want to be featured? Email Sabina Bhasin, content manager.
- Want more C2C content or curious about who we are and why we’re here? Visit our website.
