It’s been a while since I wrote a TSql2sday post – too long, in fact. But I saw the topic trending on Twitter in the SQL Server Community and knew I needed to add my 2 cents…

It’s difficult to list all the people who have inspired me. Many continue to inspire me in small and great ways. I will mention as many as I can here, but please know there are dozens of people who inspire me in our awesome community.

Years ago, I wrote – in a post called Things I Know Now – about meeting Ken Henderson and Kalen Delaney (@sqlqueen) at the PASS Summit 2004. They helped me keep my first data-focused job (“Application DBA”) while working to tune my very first data warehouse. Both were inspiring in person and through their training and writing.

I’ve been blessed to work in vocational and community capacities with others who have and continue to inspire me: Scott Currie (@scottcurrie), Steve Jones (@way0utwest), Brian Knight (@brianknight), Andy Warren (@sqlandy), Brian Moran (@briancmoran), Bennett McEwan; all of whom stretched my understanding, all of whom taught me (some continue to teach me). I’ve been honored to work alongside two dozen authors on a dozen book projects. I’m a proud member of the Richmond Technology Community – an eclectic collection of philosophical geeks in .Net, SQL Server, and other technologies. I get to communicate often (and occasionally work with) with people I consider masters of this trade: Brent Ozar (@brento) and Kimberly Tripp (@kimberlyltripp) and Grant Fritchey (@GFritchey) and Kendra Little (@Kendra_Little) and Paul Randal (@paulrandal) and Adam Machanic (@adammachanic) and Andrew Kelly (@GunneyK) and Brian Kelley (@kbriankelley) and Jimmy May (@aspiringgeek) … and so many others.

And, of course, this awesome community inspires me.

Who inspires me today?

Tom Roush (@GEEQL) inspires me each time we interact. I often refer to Tom as “the best unpublished writer I know.” Tom has an inner strength hidden beneath his calm, cool exterior. He’s wise and kind and “in him there is no guile.”

Frank La Vigne (@Tableteer) – my partner in crime at Data Driven. Frank and Brent are tied for the most productive people I know personally. Whenever people ask me how I get so much done, I immediately think, “I’m not Frank or Brent.” Frank is a survivor. He delivers. He gets things done. He’s a voracious reader and learner. I could say the same things about Brent Ozar.

I am surrounded, assisted, and (sometimes) carried by two men at Enterprise Data & Analytics: Kent Bradshaw and Nick Harris. Every day these gentlemen encourage me to be better than Yesterday-Andy.

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