Another year down, another cup of coffee emptied and what a year this one has been.

This year has easily been one of the biggest for Brewed in the Cloud. I’ve written 16 series totalling 82 individual posts, each one fuelled by equal parts curiosity and caffeine. On top of that, I joined my first public event with Azure Back to School, was invited onto the I Am IT Geek YouTube Channel and PoV: You’re in Tech Podcast and, to top it all off, was honoured to receive my Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award.

It’s been a year of writing, talking, and sharing all things Microsoft Azure — and one of immense personal and professional growth.

Balancing Consulting and Creativity

Balancing a full‑time consulting role while producing this content was no small feat. It’s always difficult to meet the demands of customer projects while wanting to give back to the community, but I’m incredibly fortunate to have the support of the cubesys team encouraging me along the way.

Making time for your creative craft is essential but equally, it should never feel like a chore. If it does, both your enjoyment and the community’s experience suffer. The goal is to share out of passion, not obligation, and to keep the process energising rather than draining.

A Major Milestone – Becoming a Microsoft MVP

One of the biggest highlights of the year was being recognised as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP). It’s an incredible honour and something I’ve aspired to since starting Brewed in the Cloud. This recognition represents not just the content I’ve written, but the collaboration, conversations, and mutual learning we share across the Azure community every day. It’s a reminder that genuine knowledge sharing really does make an impact.

By the Numbers

This year, around 4600 unique users visited the site with just under 9000 page views, according to Google Analytics. Those numbers are far beyond what I expected when I first started this journey and it’s all thanks to those who stop by, read, comment, or reach out. Every click and message provides motivation to keep learning and sharing.

The cubesys team also had a massive year, being recognised as a Global Finalist for Community Impact at Microsoft Ignite 2025, and locally as a Cloud Finalist at the ARN Innovation Awards. To be part of a team delivering that level of community impact has been an absolute privilege.

Highlights from the Blog

A few series really stood out for me this year:

• Essential 8 ML2 in Microsoft Cloud VDI:
  This series was well outside my comfort zone, but by implementing and testing a lot of theory, I proved to myself that I can learn, adapt, and teach especially in moments when I might be hitting a creative block.

• Mastering Azure DNS Solutions:
  This one filled what I felt was a real gap in the community: explaining the range of Azure DNS options and how they apply in real‑world solutions. It connected with a lot of readers and reinforced how powerful clear, practical education can be.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Next year, I want to continue writing but start branching out into new mediums as well expect to see more video content and podcast‑style discussions, expanding how Brewed in the Cloud shares knowledge with the Azure community.

It’s time to brew up the next format and see where it takes us.

A Seasonal Note

As we close out 2025, I want to thank everyone who’s taken the time to read, share, or drop a comment through the year. Your support fuels this project more than you probably realise.

Have a safe and joyful holiday season and a great start to the new year I’ll be back in late January 2026 to kick things off again.

Thanks again for being part of this journey. Here’s to another well‑brewed year ahead.