Hi Okta Community! I’m excited to share a new member spotlight with you. This series aims to highlight and acknowledge stand-out individuals within the Okta Community. Today, we discuss Hengfeng Ge’s journey with Okta, how he found the Community, the important lessons he’s learned (or shared) in the Communuty, and his favorite tips and tricks for using Okta’s products and solutions. 

Please share a little bit about yourself and your background. 

I am the CTO of FreeLink, responsible for all things technical. With over 20 years of IT experience, I started my career with five years of software development and product design. For the next ten years, I worked in pre-and post-sales for BlackBerry products. I've expanded into other security products in the past five years, such as Okta, SentinelOne, YubiKey, Onfido, Fingerprint, and DocuSign. 

My typical day involves various technology-related tasks. I focus on addressing complex technical issues. I also offer API consulting services for integrating products for which we are partners like Okta/DocuSign/Yubico, collaborating closely with clients to meet their unique needs and seamlessly integrate these technologies.

How are you working with Okta to drive on your company’s mission and delight your customers?

We primarily focus as a partner for excellent security solutions that lack comprehensive Chinese language technical support from their original solution provider. We exclusively select products with top-tier quality and hold prominent positions in Gartner's rankings. Our mission is to provide high-quality technical support and integration consulting services in Chinese that are timely, within the same APAC time zone, culturally aligned, and of the highest caliber, ensuring that our clients can harness these products to their fullest potential. We proudly serve as an authorized partner for renowned brands such as Okta, SentinelOne, Netskope, YubiKey, Onfido, BlackBerry, and DocuSign, catering to a diverse clientele spanning fintech, high-tech, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and retail industries.

What motivates you to contribute so much of your time and knowledge to the Okta Community? 

I have a deep passion for the Okta Community and what it represents. This community allows individuals to come together and share their experiences, knowledge, and insights, which I truly value. As someone who has gone through the journey of familiarizing myself with Okta, I have a strong desire to help others who may be facing similar challenges. By providing helpful answers to their questions and sharing my expertise, I am not only able to assist others, but I am also able to gain a deeper understanding of the platform and continue growing my skills and knowledge.

Additionally, the Okta Community offers a sense of belonging and encourages continuous learning and growth, which is incredibly important to me. By participating in this community, I can stay up-to-date on the latest developments and best practices in the Okta space and collaborate with others to find innovative solutions to complex problems.

Finally, participating in the Okta Community is a way to expose myself and my company to a larger audience. By demonstrating my expertise and commitment to the platform, I aim to increase awareness of the work that we are doing and attract new business opportunities. We hope to connect with Okta customers who require Chinese language technical support. By offering our expertise in this area, we can create mutually beneficial collaborations that benefit Okta, the clients, and our company. Overall, I am grateful to be a part of the Okta Community, and I look forward to continuing to contribute in meaningful ways.

Do you have a favorite Community knowledge article, discussion thread, or blog post you found helpful? If so, please share the link(s) to those.

I actively seek answers to my questions in the Community questions forum about new product features. I’m also passionate about helping others succeed by extending my expertise and providing best practices, tips & tricks. Here are a few that I’m most proud of:

• Learning about new MFA features 
• Getting my questions answered about Workflows by Okta product experts 
• Sharing my knowledge about API token push notifications, desktop shortcuts, and single sign-on errors.

What advice would you share for those who are just getting started with the Okta Community? 

• Engage Actively: Don't hesitate to jump into discussions and ask questions. The community is a great place to learn from others and share your own knowledge.
• Search First: Before posting a new question, search the community for similar topics. Often, your question may have already been answered.
• Be Specific: When asking a question, be as clear and specific as possible. Provide details about your setup and the issue you're facing.
• Respect Others: Remember to be respectful and considerate of other community members. Treat others how you'd like to be treated.
• Contribute: If you have insights or solutions to offer, share them. Helping others not only benefits the community but also enhances your own understanding.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest Okta updates and announcements in the community. It's a valuable resource for staying informed about platform changes.

Are you Okta certified? If so, which certifications do you hold?

With my experience and past Okta project experience, I passed the Okta Certified Professional/Administrator/ Consultant/Developer exams in just two weeks in September of last year. I’m one of the few who have passed all four exams in such a short time.

Thank you for sharing your professional and personal journey with us. We are grateful for your contributions, continued support, and passion for Okta. 

If you’d like to share your story, get in touch with Community@okta.com 

Visit the Okt Community today!