By Elke Porter | WBN News Vancouver | May 31, 2025
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At the Web Summit Vancouver, one of the most practical sessions was “Microsoft Magic – Unlocking the Microsoft Magic: AI, Networking and Scale”, hosted by Microsoft on May 29. Led by Adrianne Erdman, Account Executive for Digital Unicorns, and Greg Carnie, Unicorn CTO, the packed masterclass offered powerful insights into how startups and scale-ups can tap into Microsoft’s vast ecosystem to innovate, grow, and lead with AI.

This 45-minute session focused on leveraging AI tools for sales leadership, expanding digital networks, and harnessing the strength of “outies”—external partners, collaborators, and community—for career development and business growth. Erdman, a Team Canada triathlete and experienced entrepreneur, shared her journey into Microsoft, emphasizing how a high-performance mindset and strategic thinking can help start-ups accelerate with the right tools. Carnie, an AI and Azure expert, detailed how understanding customer challenges and aligning them with Microsoft’s scalable technologies can unlock tangible results.

A standout message was the importance of using AI not just as a flashy trend but as a practical, integrated part of sales leadership and decision-making throughout every aspect of your day. One practical tip shared by the speakers: start by making a rundown of your daily schedule—meetings, emails, strategy sessions, content creation, analytics reviews—and then identify the AI tools that can help streamline or elevate each task. From using Microsoft Copilot to draft and refine presentations, to leveraging AI-powered CRM tools to prioritize leads and customize outreach, AI becomes most powerful when embedded into your existing workflow. The goal is not to replace your expertise but to multiply its impact—helping you work faster, think deeper, and lead smarter.

In addition, the speakers encouraged attendees to adopt an AI-first mindset when structuring their daily workloads. This includes asking: What can I automate? What can an AI tool handle? Where can an intelligent Agent step in? By evaluating your day through the lens of “What can I outsource, AI source, or Agent source?”, professionals can strategically delegate repetitive or high-volume tasks, freeing up time for innovation, strategy, and human connection. This reimagined approach to productivity is where AI truly delivers transformative value.

Satya Nadella’s oft-quoted guidance to Microsoft developers—“Don’t join Microsoft to be cool. Join to make others cool.”—was echoed throughout the masterclass. Microsoft’s goal is to enable others to build, scale, and shine. This ethos is central to the work happening at Microsoft Vancouver, now home to over 2,700 employees across AI, Cloud, Gaming, Security, and more. With roots in gaming and an expanding focus on applied AI, Microsoft continues to invest deeply in Vancouver's tech talent and innovation landscape.

The company’s role as a founding partner of the Cascadia Innovation Corridor underscores its commitment to regional collaboration and long-term growth. As both speakers emphasized, Microsoft isn’t just a tech provider—it’s a partner in transformation. And for Canadian SaaS innovators, the invitation was clear: tap into the Microsoft magic, and let your next stage of growth begin.

Microsoft Magic #AI Leadership #Web Summit Vancouver #Tech Innovation #Future Of Work #Digital Transformation #WBN News Vancouver #Elke Porter

Connect with Elke at Westcoast German Media or on LinkedIn: Elke Porter or contact her on WhatsApp:  +1 604 828 8788

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