Behind the Code: Charlie Kindel - Doing What It Takes To Make A Customer Successful

When thinking about businesses, large or small, it can be easy to lose sight of the individual. For the individuals within those companies, it can be difficult to see the role they play in the big picture and how their personal journey might fit in. For individuals outside those companies, also known as customers, it may feel like their needs are all but invisible.  However, when the importance of an individual is embraced, that is when a company discovers its soul.  And when the role of an individual within a corporation revolves around the needs of the individuals outside of it, that's when true magic happens. 

At Microsoft, one of those individuals is Charlie Kindel, GM of the Developer Ecosystem for Windows Phone division. With a career that has spanned over twenty years at Microsoft, Charlie has been a long-time advocate for the needs of the customer.  He started by helping third party developers build great applications on our platforms, followed by adding advanced technologies into Windows that would allow applications to better interoperate with one another.  Charlie then focused on improving the home experience by founding the eHome group, shipping Windows Media Center, and later being the driving force behind Windows Home Server.  It was through this journey that Charlie found the value and importance of the individual, regardless of their role or their needs. And it is precisely because of his experience with both developers and consumers that Charlie now heads up the applications platform team for Windows Phone 7, giving him the opportunity to truly make a difference, and mostly likely making a difference in how customers use their phone.

Robert Hess moderates this edition of Behind The Code.  Enjoy!