Description
Catch up on this webinar with Trailblazers Tiffany Stephan, Melissa Hill Dees, and Michelle Hansen, as they share their career stories as women in Salesforce DevOps. They share:
- Their day to day roles in the Salesforce ecosystem
- How they got involved with the Trailblazer community and mentorship
- How they stay in the game with Salesforce developments
- Advice for women in the field, and much more!
Learn more:
Transcript
Alright. So we're at, thirty one minutes after the hour. Why don't we get started?
And, just welcome. Thank you for being here. Thank you so much to Gear Set for this opportunity to talk with these amazing women in the Salesforce ecosystem.
Michelle and Tiffany both are so gracious to be here today, and Gemma and Claire have been wonderful to work with.
Of course, we will blame this entirely, this entire situation on, the dev advocates that we know and love, Rob Cowell and Jack McCurdy, and appreciate them, knowing us and seeing us and, helping us with the work that we do on a daily basis.
So we are gonna do some quick introductions, and, hopefully, I'll be prompted if I forget anything in particular. But you'll if you've known me for five minutes, you know, I'm very much love casual conversation and interactive questions. And so we've got some prompts for us to discuss. But then as we go through, if you'll be sure and put any questions you might have in the chat, then the team is gonna help us track that, and we'll answer those as we go.
So I rather than introduce these ladies to you, I'm going to let them introduce themselves. And then I may have to follow-up with some comments because I may know some things that that they don't share and that you all don't know and might want to know. So, Tiffany, you wanna start us off with an introduction?
Sure. I am Tiffany Stephan. I am a PepUp Tech alumni.
I just finished the program this summer and started my first Salesforce job at Arcus, just about two and a half months ago. So, I'm a graduate from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in chemistry.
So I have no technical background, just, enjoy tech.
I live in Florida now. I'm a Cincinnati native, but I moved to Florida about two years ago.
And love the sunshine, except today it's cloudy and rainy.
But wouldn't trade it because I don't miss the snow in the winter. So I love the warm you know, I was putting my Christmas lights up a couple weeks ago, and it was, like, eighty five out. So I enjoyed that very much. Yeah. So and then I I, live here with just my puppy dog, Harley.
Awesome. Michelle?
Alright. Well, hello all. Michelle Hanson.
Gosh. Where do I start? I graduated with a degree in leisure studies, back in the day. So recreation, sports, and tourism, they actually changed the major after I graduated, because my junior year, the, the local newspaper voted as least employable major on campus. We beat philosophy, actually.
Been in the ecosystem technically about ten years now. Didn't really find the Ohana, though, until twenty eighteen and have to say that just completely changed my career, my life, my everything.
I've met so many amazing people, so many amazing friends. Just really thrilled for for everything that that brought to my life, including you ladies. So that's been terribly exciting. Let's see. I know Melissa will definitely pull out the fact that, I was awarded a golden hoodie earlier this year. So that was a huge honor at Dreamforce, as well as two time MVP, co run a a user group, cohost automation hour. Just really love to give back to the community in any different way I could possibly find.
And your cat lady.
Oh, yes. There are four, three who are currently within touching distance and will quite likely make an appearance like that one there.
So we'll just apologize for that now.
Thank you. And I amazingly, I don't know very many people in the Trailblazer community whose college degrees match what they're doing now.
Ironically, way back in the day, you know, when Bill Gates was just getting started, I majored in computer science in college.
And, actually wound up in sales, realized I like that a lot more than I did trying to write code in a little eight by eight cube all by myself every day and was wildly successful in sales and corporate America and have only recently come back to the tech world. Tiffany, you said, you know, you're not very technical. I'm sorry, honey. If you majored in chemistry, that's technical.
We're praying my daughter's organic chemistry grade is a passing one. You know, she just finished that semester.
So, I had a conversation yesterday actually with some folks who it's amazing the statistics of people that are musicians by by previous vocation or artists who have come into the Salesforce ecosystem. So if anything, hopefully, our experience will tell you that it doesn't matter where you start. You can go where you want to go in the Salesforce ecosystem.
And my role today is still not very technical. I don't wanna write code. When I run into code problems, I do things like call Rob Cowell or Amnon Kruvy or one of those friends. If I run into flow challenges, I call Michelle Hansen.
So what my role in our company is basically business development. It's a product evangelist.
I love doing that. No one told me in nineteen seventy nine that that was a tech role, that that's something that you could do, that it didn't have to be writing code. It didn't have to be highly technical if that's not what you enjoy.
So, Michelle, how would you describe your role? I mean, you're working for a partner consulting partner now. Right? And what what is your role there?
So my official title is principal. But, really, the role I play can change depending on the product I'm or the project I'm assigned to. So it really has become over the years a mix of some of those technical skills, obviously.
I still put my hands on the keyboard, and I build fields, and I build flows, and and get to nerd out on all that fun stuff.
But there's also a pretty significant element of building decks, running meetings, interfacing with our clients to do discovery and understand what their needs and requirements are and really make sure at the end of the day that the solution we deliver is going to meet the need that they hired us to to solve.
So definitely has elements of both.
Excellent. And, Tiffany, what about you? Is there something in particular in your role? I mean, you're also with a a consulting department, a different one.
But So I am an associate consultant, so I'm in a entry level role right now. So my primary role is to support implementation consultants and, more of I am doing more of the technical stuff, so, I assist in any kinda implementation stuff that they might need, building out the org or whether it's something that might just need to be tweaked or, lot of data stuff, data dictionaries has been a big thing.
So, yeah, there's just been a little bit of everything getting my hands dirty.
So it's been interesting because, it's not really what I was used to. So, you know, I came from an executive assistant background. So, just ton of admin type tasks, and now I get to do more technical stuff, which is fun for me.
So I'm curious, from from what I hear you all saying that you do, I a lot of what I do, especially with our customers, is the discovery and the big picture to start. Right? And you all actually get to implement things, which is kind of fun sometimes too to see that come to fruition. Do you consider yourself a a detail person or a big picture person?
I am a detailed person for sure.
I'm like, what's right in front of me?
I'm gonna do that first and get it perfect.
I'm a perfectionist. You haven't figured that out yet.
But yeah. So I I am very much into the details. It's hard for me to see the big picture and, like, look forward and say, like, oh, well, if we do this, we could do that with it. You know? So that's what I'm starting to learn how to do more.
I think it really depends for me. A lot of times, I'd say I'm more of that big picture person, but then if there's a project that I get put on where I'm working on slide decks or datasets, I very quickly become detail oriented, and I will nitpick to the nth degree of did you realize that you're three clicks over on the footer on slide twenty three.
So I I think it it definitely depends kind of on the situation. But overall, maybe it's not that I am, but I would probably prefer big picture.
Maybe the way to put it.
Oh, that's encouraging, right, to know that different personality types can be successful. You know, it's just finding your niche and where you need to be.
So you mentioned earlier, Michelle, you were talking about, you really didn't get involved in the community until two thousand eighteen.
So how did you find out about I mean, what may what prompted you to get started in the community involved?
I finally convinced my employer at the time to send me to a Salesforce conference or training, actually. It was back when destination success was still a thing, and we were working on getting funding put together to go. My co admin was fortunate enough to attend. The year before, I didn't get the opportunity to do so.
In twenty eighteen, they said, absolutely. We'll send you to destination success, and then all of a sudden, it evaporated and morphed into Trailblazer or Trailhead DX at the time, which is now Trailblazer DX. So, was fortunate enough to get to attend a boot camp as well as the conference, and it was life changing. I mean, the number of people that I met, it was it was kinda like that whole thing, you know, on the outside looking in.
You know? I knew that there was a local user group I went to four times a year, and we talked Salesforce a little bit. But other than that, it was pretty much just me and Google hanging out.
I left with a Twitter account and group DMs with with Salesforce celebrities. I met Jen Lee.
I met Misty Jones and Jean Valanis.
I got invited to Ohana Slack and all of a sudden came home with a six thousand person personal help desk that when I ran into issues and didn't know how to do something in my job, it wasn't me and Google or we're not doing it. It was me and Google and six thousand other people that were willing to to brainstorm and spitball and help me figure out how to solve all these problems. And it was just amazing, the change.
And it's propelled my career forward, and these people have become friends. I mean, Melissa, I invited you on a weekend retreat. So, you know, we we spend time now outside the Salesforce ecosystem as well, and it's just absolutely fantastic.
Can't say enough good things about it.
I love it. And and you have done such a great job as a mentor giving back to that community. So it works both ways. You know? That's the give and take there is phenomenal.
How could I not?
I'm sorry?
How could I not?
I mean, after everything that I got from this community, how could I not just want to give back and be able to pay that forward to the next generation coming up?
Yep. That's awesome. Awesome. Tiffany, you wanna share your experience with the community?
Yeah. So, as I mentioned, I did PeppUp Tech, which is a for those that don't know, it's a ten week boot camp, for Salesforce. And I knew about Salesforce. I had actually been on Trailhead prior to going into PeppUp tech. So I kinda knew a little bit about it, but I had no idea about the Salesforce ecosystem. I knew of Salesforce because I have a friend that works there, the software engineer. But I didn't know this ecosystem, and I didn't know there were jobs outside of actually working for Salesforce.
I've heard of Salesforce admins, but I didn't really understand the whole concept. And so I actually kinda same thing. Like, I got to go to my first event. So I went to Midwest Dream.
It was my first Salesforce event, so I got to go through that through. Gems and Tech actually sponsored me to go to that. And, as somebody that's super introverted and hates big crowds, like, it was very overwhelming for me at first. But, my motto this year has been get comfortable in the uncomfortable.
Or yeah. Because, like, I just you know, I was laid off earlier this year for the second time in two years, and, I just I knew I had to stretch myself. Right? I knew I had to put myself out there. So I did. I went to this event, and I did did just that. Like, I remember walking up to, this was actually witnessed, which is right after Midwest.
But I walked up to a group of ladies, and I was just, like, introduced myself. And I was like, oh my god. What are we doing? Like, you know, I'm sweating.
I'm so nervous, but, everybody was just so kind and, like, just takes you under their wing and just loves on you. And, I just was in all of that, I think, and just kinda overwhelmed with how great people are to you and how willing they willing they are to help you achieve your goals. And so that just made me want to give back. And so, like, I was like, I I even said to, Selena.
I was like, you know, I look forward to the like, coming to this next year and getting to see those people that are at it for the first time. Right? And embracing them and say, don't be scared. Like, this is what this community can do for you.
And, like, just even getting my first role, like, the community just was so well, you know, ready to help. Like, all you do is put something on Twitter and it's like, bam. Like, everybody's just like, here you go. Like, you know, it's like so for me, that was just like, what?
What is happening? Like, there are so there have been so many moments this year going like, what is actually happening to me right now? Like, is this my real life? Like, what's going on?
So yeah. And I got to go to Dreamforce for the first time, and that was amazing. And, yeah, like, this community, I don't even it's hard to put it into words, but it's been a dream come true for me because I've definitely struggled with that in my life and finding, like, a job or, like, a career that I enjoy and wanna be at. And, like, I always say, like, what am I gonna do when I grow up?
And I'm forty, so, like, you know, I think I finally figured it out, but, it you know, I like to take the scenic route in a lot of things in life, and this was part of that. And I'm so glad I did because it led me to this awesome community, and I am just so grateful.
Awesome. I'd of course, you you all know I love the community. I I tease Eric Dreshfield, who is usually my running buddy, that, you know, if we could figure out a job that would just send us to every Dreamin event, every Salesforce event just so we could hang out with the people. One of the most wonderful accolades I ever got, Jean Mueller gave me a pen that, says that I am oh, and I knew I was gonna forget it as soon as I said it. What is it, Michelle?
Emotional support extrovert.
Yes. Because I am frighteningly extroverted. I have never met a stranger, and so that's become part of my goal in the community is to you know, if you're an introvert, come hang out with me. You know, I've had people tell me I'll just hang out with you because you'll introduce me to everybody, and I don't have to say anything or be extroverted at all. And I love to be able to do that because that's a a gift that I have.
I think it's interesting how you're talking, Tiff, about, you know, at Fortitude, what do I wanna be when I grow up? Because I think each of us has seen our roles change even within the Salesforce ecosystem.
Right? And, you know, Salesforce is constantly innovating.
DevOps, in my mind, is kind of a new area, you know, a new conglomeration maybe or putting together of of other things, just like the strategy designer certification that came out recently, you know, was something an area that folks didn't consider maybe before that certification came out. So as much as Salesforce is innovating as fast as things are moving, how do you keep up? How do you, you know, stay in the loop and and know what's going on and and stay on top of your game?
I think for me, it's definitely a balance. The one thing that I noticed throughout my career is as my skill set continued to grow, so did the challenges that I would face. And I don't know if it was that we just as an organization, I started out not with a partner, but, you know, as an admin for an actual Salesforce customer.
And so I matured along with our Salesforce implementation. So we got to grow up together in a matter of speaking. And so I don't know if it was so much that or if it's just that every time a new challenge presented itself, I learned what I needed to for that challenge. So it was really kind of just in time learning, you know, with all the resources that are out there, Trailhead, you know, blogs, help articles, just everything, I was able to find the answers that I needed. And it was at least at that point, you know, manageable to kind of stay up with what I needed at the time I needed it.
But I can absolutely tell you that it feels, at least in the last five years, like that pace has exponentially increased. Like, the flywheel started turning, and now we're spinning much, much faster.
So now it's a balance of trying to keep a pulse on things to at least a high level to know what's out there. Maybe not diving deep into them until I actually have a need to or more importantly, knowing who in my network I can go to for basically the cliff notes versions when it's time for me to really lean into it or get the help I need. Because you cannot know everything about Salesforce. And trust me, I'm one of those people where you say you can't do something, and I'll sit there and go watch me.
How many certifications do you have now?
Only twenty.
But there's still so much coming. Like, DevOps Center just got announced today that it's here. It's live. It's ready.
So there's more that I need to go learn. And, you know, I'm on a project now for NET zero cloud for the first time. So there's more that I need to go and learn. And that's a constant in the Salesforce community, the ecosystem, and hopefully in my career.
I will keep rolling and gather no moss as as long as I possibly can because not only is it just a great way to, you know, improve my career and, you know, stay sharp mentally and everything else, but it's fun.
But I think it also has a lot to do with that mindset as well. Because instead of being overwhelmed, I'm able to kind of compartmentalize and say, alright. I'm gonna focus on this here, and I'm gonna put this over there for now, and we'll get to it later instead of being overwhelmed by, oh my gosh. There's so much stuff out here for me to keep track of, and I just can't. And then, you know, you get overwhelmed, throw up your hands, and and go crawl under the covers of bed.
Sorry.
What about you today? I'm a, I I think, like, I I learn of new things through, you know, like, Twitter and that kind of thing. That's how I always I'm like, oh, that's new.
But I think for me, like, how I learn is by Google and YouTube and, Trailhead, obviously. So I am a person that has to do it to learn it. So, a lot of times, if there's nothing, like I mean, this week, I had to do my first health check, which I had never done before. I'm like, I don't know what this is.
So there were a lot of parts on it. I'm like, wow. I was googling. Like, what should I do for this?
What should I do for that? You know? It's like and then I would just find it, and then I'd go do it. Then I'd be like, okay.
Well, this might not be right or, you know, just trial and error is big for me.
Being having a background in chemistry, you learn real quick how to do that.
So, yeah, it's just I I have to have something where it's challenging me too to learn. Like, the easy stuff, I'm just like, okay. Whatever. Like, that was that. But I love a good challenge. So it's, like, flows for me are super exciting because I'm like, oh, I'll figure this out and we'll do it. So, yeah, I just think, Trailhead is probably the best resource for learning new Salesforce skills if that's you know, if you're trying to learn something.
And then Ohana Slack, is great because you got tons of people. I mean, there's just I don't even know how many people are on there now. I know a lot moved over with the whole Twitter thing.
But I said we had broken ten thousand.
Yeah. So there you go. You got ten thousand people to just say, hey.
I don't know how to do this. Anybody wanna show me? And, like, my job even. Like, there's so many people that I can just say, hey. You know? Can I watch you do that?
Or can you show me how to do that? Or whatever. Or, like, I actually had a flow, and I just asked somebody. I said, I kinda know what I'm doing, but not a hundred percent.
Can you walk this through this with me? And, you know, I'm like, it's this. Right? And, like, I'm one of those people who need confirmation when I'm doing something.
So I'm like, it's this one. Right? And then this one and then this one. Okay.
So, but now I know how to do it. Right? So now I'll take that skill, and I can teach someone else how to do it. But because that for me is huge. Like, that's one another great way I learned too is teaching somebody else how to do it. And that's how I that's how I studied for the admin exam was I started teaching other PepUp tech students, like, how to study or whatever and, like, studied with them, and I would explain the answers to them or whatever. So that's for me, that's how I would study.
Yep. I love it. That's for me, I and I don't like studying so much, but I do like learning, and I wanna know all the new things. And because I don't do that on a daily basis, that's not my role.
Keeping up sometimes can feel a little bit overwhelming. I have, you know, a list of things that I have in my personal Slack, you know, where I remind myself, let's look at this. Let's do this trailhead. Let's do, all the different things I learned.
But I I also am a very kinetic learner and and having someone show me, so a visual learner. Right?
Writing the book on nonprofit cloud, I really had never used trigger driven table management. No. Trayble driven oh, well, I'm not dyslexic, but I know what it is. TDTM.
And, Jim Gilbert was kind enough just to spend twenty minutes with me one day walking me through, showing me what it did, and that was an old thing. Right? But to be able to learn that and I I understand it now even if I can't always remember what the acronym says.
So, keeping up is important. Right?
And and the the last question, because I think we're about at the time where we need to, you know, get some questions from the audience, is the best advice for someone starting their career or looking to progress in the Salesforce system. And I'll start it off just by saying that I think we almost have covered that. My advice to any of the folks that I mentor, that I work with, I'm teaching a new nonprofit cloud class with Peppa Tech in January.
You know, if you're interested in doing that, sign up for that class because get to know the people. I can't guarantee that my teaching is phenomenal. My husband's the teacher, not me. But that cohort so the last time I taught that class, getting to know the folks that were in that class was the best thing I could have ever done because, occasionally, I get to hire people. And if I've already worked with someone in a setting like that, I know them.
That's the best thing in the world for not only for their career, but for my career, right, to be able to hire the right people.
I think networking is everything. I don't think you can, in any way possible, overvalue what networking is all about.
And so that would be my best advice. Do exactly what Tiff did. Even even if you are introverted and shy and reserved, you know, ping me and say, are you going to this conference, Melissa? And I probably am.
And I'll be like, come be my running buddy. You know, get to know people. That's gonna be go to your local user groups. Go to virtual user groups.
I mean, nonprofit dreaming was born out of a virtual user group that met, like, every week during the pandemic.
So get to know people. That would be my advice.
What what else? What am I missing?
I agree. Like, that was my advice too. Like, just, put yourself out there. Like, I never used Twitter.
I actually hated Twitter. And then Selena made us sign up for it. I'm like, dang it. I don't wanna do this.
And I'll be honest. Like, I love it now. I love it. It's one of my favorite things now. So, like I said earlier, my motto this year has been to get, comfortable and be uncomfortable. And I think that's what you really have to do if you're starting out for the first time. You really have to be okay being uncomfortable and vulnerable and, not knowing anything and being okay with that, because you gotta start somewhere.
And I think the other thing to keep in mind, and this is something that I I still struggle with today, You belong here. I don't care if it's your first day or your thousandth day. You belong here. You have something to contribute.
We want to hear from you.
So take that space.
Be willing to share.
Be willing to be vulnerable to open up to to talk about what you do know, what you don't know, what you want to know, who you want to know, all of those different things.
You have something in common with everybody else here. It's Salesforce. I mean, it can be as simple as, is this your first conference? Is simple as, who's your favorite character? Like, there is an easy way to start any of those conversations, and I guarantee you that almost every single one of us is more than happy to nerd out with you on Salesforce at any point in time.
So build that network, have that first conversation, and just don't discount your own worth.
Excellent.
So questions from the audience. Do anybody and I'll have to depend on okay. Here we go. Let's see.
So Jana asks if Peppa Tech is only for people just starting out.
So that's a great question, and I can answer it or a tip if you wanna I know you're involved there too.
Yeah. No. It's actually it's not necessarily for people starting out that don't know nothing about it. There were, plenty of people in my cohort that had used it as an end user. So it's for everyone.
I mean, if if you look up their website I think somebody put it in the chat earlier. We can put it in there again. But, yeah, it's it's open to anyone, not just newbies.
Yep. And I would encourage you to apply.
Selena and Steph Herrera, I know she was very kind this morning with her comments on Twitter. She's on a plane right now, or she would be here with us, and we would make her answer questions.
But I encourage you to to do that. The NPSP cohort, I don't know if Selena's got that registration up yet on Peppa Tech. But, if you subscribe to their newsletter or follow them on Twitter as soon as that's out, and I also obviously will will be promoting that once Selena's got that up and running to to register and to apply to be in that cohort.
So, a question, Tiffany, for you specifically. Did you find your first job at Arcus via networking?
Yes and no. So I actually had help from Selena.
So Arcus has a relationship with PepUp Tech. I started as an intern there, back in October and was there for a little over a month and then got offered a full time role there. So, yes and no, I guess you could say.
Excellent.
So one of the the things that we haven't really covered, I'm wondering so promotions. Right? So we're talking about changing roles in in Salesforce.
Is are promotions possible where you all are? I mean, I'm kind of I've got a not a glass ceiling, but a because I'm a founding partner, I guess that's about where I am. But, but wondering what you all are thinking from a next steps for your own careers and what you feel like is essential to to make that next step.
So for me, it's slalom. There is a very well defined progression, and I think a lot of the the larger Salesforce partners have that kind of thing in place. So for me, there's absolutely metrics that are outlined that I need to master these skills, you know, have these kinds of certifications or experiences to be able to move up to the next next band or grade or or get that promotion.
In addition to that, there's a number of different roles that you can play on the projects that we deliver, and I can also find actionable information on what I need to do to prepare myself for some of those other roles that I may be interested in. So alright. I I don't really have the chops to be a technical architect at this point. What do I need to do to get that?
I need to focus on integrations. I need to focus on multi cloud extra architecture. I need to focus on, you know, systems outside of Salesforce and those kinds of things, you know, as an example. So it really depends on the company, I think, is is the answer.
So for me, yes. I think there's a a clear path for promotion.
Other companies, especially smaller companies, may not have that. You know? The customer that I started my Salesforce career with, there was promotions, but it wasn't really the same type of promotion because there was a a team of two Salesforce admins. So unless that team were to grow, there's there's considerations.
And, of course, you know, we're now living in a time where job hopping is kind of the new way to promote. You know? So there's there's understanding kind of the the time in which we live too.
So but I think truly, you know, for me, it was less about the title or the promotion. I mean, don't get me wrong. I am absolutely thrilled to to get a pay raise, title changes, things like that that that feel like they are representing my skill set and the work that I can deliver. But for me, it was really more about having the knowledge and the skills and abilities to deliver cool stuff and, you know, to help our customers and to just have that for me personally.
But I'm not gonna turn down a promotion. Don't get me wrong.
And so just curious in in relation to that. I mean, do you have an end goal in mind?
Well, CTA is on the horizon.
I still have to fight through the system architect side of the pyramid, and then it's gonna be definitely a a a labor.
I equated to getting your doctorate. You know? So I I really haven't even conquered the MBA yet, but doctorate may be on the on the horizon. So we will we will see, but but, truly, it's just continuing to grow and expand the skill set I need to be able to deliver, you know, for my clients to to get to do new fun things in Salesforce like net zero cloud. And, you know, we'll we'll see. I've I've had a really lucky career, and then I always kinda seem to be in the right place at the right time with the right attitude. So I'm definitely leaning into that a little bit while still trying to, you know, organize the chess pieces a little bit so that when opportunity knocks, I'm in a position to open the door.
Excellent.
So I I'm the same way. Like, I I have same pretty much the same opportunity, like, being in a consulting firm as well. So, I'm in a very entry level job, so I, of course, have no place to go but up, which is great. But, I mean, I can be implementation consultant, technical consultant, engagement manager. There's so many different levels that you can explore, which is kinda nice.
Excellent. I love it.
And I love the idea that, Michelle, that you're working on heading up that CTA letter. That's probably not something I'm gonna strive. Or maybe when I retire, I'll have time to actually study for a CTA.
But an end goal, I think, for me would actually be to be innovative. Right? To create something brand new for nonprofits specifically because that's my personal goal. If you haven't done a b two mom, I would encourage it highly. Sometimes I miss my own success because of the way I feel instead of the metrics.
Right? And I'm a very feeling person. So if I don't feel like I succeeded, then I don't think I have. But the metrics have been there to prove me wrong several times. So, I would definitely encourage you to do that.
And in fact, someone asked about eliminating the negative mental hangouts. You know, like, the openness and the welcomeness of the community is is a little bit overwhelming. And I would I would say the same thing there. You know?
If you create a b two mom and you know what your goals are, then then being overwhelmed is just one of the obstacles that you need to overcome. Right? And there are a lot of different ways to do that. I would encourage you to become friends, you know, even if it's Twitter friends or Ohana Slack friends or whatever friends, put that one person that you know is gonna be have your back, be with you at events, do things with you, and then that makes all the other wonderful people that are going to come alongside you less overwhelming.
If you can make that one connection, that really helps.
Would either of you like to recommend any books or courses that you can use to learn about Salesforce DevOps?
That's off the big shelf. In case you're be disappearing. I saw that question come in. So I actually picked this up at Dreamforce a few years ago.
It's called Mastering Salesforce DevOps by Andrew Davis. It's available, I'm pretty sure, on Amazon. It's the nifty little a press black and yellow. I have about six of these, including one written by our very own Melissa Hildes on nonprofit cloud.
But this is definitely one option.
Also, there are a lot of courses out there that a lot of our DevOps partners run, offer those kinds of things. So, you know, Gearset, especially, is gonna have those things. I know Capato's got several you know, there's there's other DevOps tools out there. I don't know if I'm allowed to say them since I wanna you know?
But, also, there's some great people in this ecosystem who have really specialized in DevOps. So, Blanca Leon Carter, who actually received a golden hoodie at Dreamforce as well this year, has really just dove into DevOps. And, she posts content all the time about what she's using to learn.
Yeah. DevOps Launchpad is also another great place to to go and and learn about those things. So those are those are the things that I would recommend. You know? Find the books that are written by, you know, people highly respected in the ecosystem.
Check out what DevOps companies are putting out for content, and then find people in the ecosystem who have kind of taken that as their passion and get to know them. Pick their brains. Ask them for recommendations on where to start or, you know, where to go next in your journey.
Understanding obviously that, you know, asking for for something like that.
We all have day jobs. We all have other things we have to do. So small asks are always easier to be able to to answer, you know, affirmatively than can you teach me everything about DevOps? Well, probably not, but I can give you about three resources to go and and start your own journey.
As far as everything I know about DevOps, I have learned from Rob Cowell and Jack McCurdy.
And, either one of them are always happy to to communicate with you, talk to you. The the DevOps dreaming events that I actually got to speak at two of them. I did not get to go to the one in Seattle. I hope you all did, are phenomenal ways to, you know, take a day, have some fun, especially if you enjoy people, and really learn. I would encourage you to to do that.
What else? Let's see.
I love this question. What part of your current role do you enjoy the most, and what's the most satisfying part about your job?
Oh, Tiff, I'm letting you take this one first because I won't shut up.
Well, first of all, I work for a phenomenal company. So I think for me personally, that's huge. Because, like, prior to coming into the ecosystem, I worked for corporate America, worked for some small companies, nonprofits, and was not treated very well. Right? So, working for a company that values me and shows me that they value me is huge.
And then, just getting to do things, like, challenge myself and, like, learn while I'm working is kinda cool. So, like, you know, a lot of times I'll be tasked with something I haven't done yet, So I get to learn how to do that while I'm, you know, doing it. Right? So it's kinda neat for me.
And what was so what was the exciting part of that question?
So the most satisfying part.
Satisfying.
I think the most satisfying is when I, like, complete a project or something that I, like, I'm super like, for my my doing my first flow or whatever that was satisfying. Right? Because it's like, I go into it super nervous. Like, I have no idea what the heck I'm doing. I don't you know?
I get lots of anxiety. And then once I complete it, I'm like, I feel so accomplished. I'm so proud of myself. Like, so that for me has really been really big lately.
I also work for a phenomenal company. So I think that has a lot to do with it. Absolutely. Enjoying the company that you work for, the people that you work with.
I've always felt that being miserable at work, wasn't something that I could do. Like, it it didn't matter the money so much. If I was miserable at work, the paycheck wasn't gonna make up for it. So having the support of a great team that I work with that we can bounce challenges and ideas off of each other.
You know, just last night, someone posted a question. Hey. I've I've got this requirement on a project. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to approach it?
And just kinda getting to to kick around ideas and debate pros and cons and and learn some things like that has always been a lot of fun. And so I think the most rewarding part for me, though, is that a huge part of why I took my current position is that the community involvement was important to me, and it was important to me that my employer supported it. And so they have absolutely stepped up and supported my community involvement. Being able to do panels like this, you know, help co run a user group, present at different conferences and events, just really being able to give back.
And I think that goes kind of in the overall I did a v two mom a few years ago when I was changing jobs. And what I really wanted out of a career was the ability to help people. And whether that was teaching other people what I know so they can get, you know, skilled up faster or solving challenges for my customers or my clients or my end users, well, whoever it was, you know, making their day jobs and their lives easier. Like, that's what I really wanted out of it, and that's what I get to do every day.
I love that. That's I mean, obviously, for me, that's the most satisfying part of what I do is when a nonprofit comes back to me and said, you know, because of the work we've done together, I have been able to feed this many more children or provide this much more service. It's just I really want to be able to make a difference and, you know, make the world a better place, which sounds kind of trite these days, but true.
So for the next part of the session, we just want you to get out your pen and paper, do this old school. Right? As if you write it down, then you really, really mean it.
And then share your thoughts with us in the chat box if you're happy to share them. But reflecting on the past year, which achievement are you most proud of?
So think about that for just a minute, and and we'll chat about that for a little bit. But over the past year in fact, I I still have to do this, and it's due tomorrow. So as an MVP, one of the things you have to do is, recap your year and what you've achieved and what you've done, and given back to the community over the course of the past year. And every year, I say I'm going to find a better way to do that than going back through my calendar, like, I'll probably spend the rest of tonight doing, you know, to remember all the things that I've done.
But that does give me a lot of pleasure and to to volunteer to teach for Peppa Tech and to, help with speaking at dream and events. And so, you know, one of those things will probably make you the most proud. I don't know. Did you already think about this, Michelle, and wanna share your answer for what made you most proud that you did this year?
I think what I'm most proud of this year is actually joining the planning committees from Midwest Dreamin and Witness Success and having successful events that were able to impact the number of people that attended. Just being part of those events and knowing that we had, you know, great turnouts and that people came up to us and said this was a great event. I learned a lot. I met so many people. Like, I needed this. That that absolutely has to be my best personal accomplishment this year.
Tiff, what about you for your achievement that you're most proud of this year?
Passing my admin cert.
Yes.
I I have extreme test anxiety. Like, you don't even know. Like, I cried on my way to my exam. I was so nervous.
So I knew I was prepared. Like, I knew I studied. I knew, you know, I went through the boot camp. I I knew I knew the material, but it just the anxiety just overtakes me.
And, like, so being able to pass that was just going, okay. I can do hard things. Right? And I I think that's something I constantly have to remind myself of.
And, you know, I'm getting ready to take another exam here by the end of the year, and I'm just like, I gotta remember. I can do hard things. I can do it. Like, I did it once.
I can do it again. And that's just been a common theme in my life. Like, you know, I've been through one layoff. I can make it through another one.
Or I've been through this, so I can do it again. So just constantly reminding myself of that. So, yeah, passing that was probably my most proud moment, I think.
So did you pass it on the first try?
I did.
So see, that's I always tell people, don't worry if you don't pass it on the first try. I didn't pass the Salesforce admin cert on the first try. It was my second time before I passed it.
It my proudest achievement this year, if it happens, will be that I will pass platform developer one before the end of the year. This will be my seventh attempt to pass platform developer one.
So don't be discouraged. Someone said you you all that we seem so confident in ourselves.
I don't know that I don't know that I am. I I know I'm not. Right? I have so many, areas where I lack confidence.
Platform developers are one of them. And the only reason I'm taking it again is because it pissed me off. You know? It's like, now I just wanna pass it, not because I I need it, but because I haven't been able to.
So, definitely certifications. They're huge. They're a great thing to to achieve.
And proud of you that you've done that. What's the one you've got planned for next?
Platform app builder.
Yes. Do it. Do it.
So in one sentence one sentence, what is your career pledge for twenty twenty three?
Thought the questions were supposed to get easier as we went.
I'm just warming you up. You know?
So Oh, gosh.
I think my Salesforce career pledge for twenty twenty three is going to be to continue to find ways to connect and support those who are newer to the ecosystem.
I think that's great.
I think mine would be to continue to learn and grow and also take those, like, newer people under my wing and show them, like, what what it's like and, introduce them to this amazing world that I've been introduced to this past year. And, I mean, because it's literally changed my life, and I want to be able to do that for somebody else. I want them to look back and be like, this is amazing. Like yeah. So I I just I want other people to have that feeling.
Excellent.
And so, attendee, y'all feel free to share. We'd love to hear your one sentence about, what your career pledge for twenty twenty three is. Mine personally and part of why I've been home in December, is trying to ascertain what my career goals, what my pledge is for twenty twenty three for me personally from a career standpoint.
And so my one sentence would be that I intend to do everything in my power to learn how to be truly innovative.
I think that what we have done in past, you know, incremental innovation is not what is going to cure the evils of the world. Right? We need something disruptive.
I'm probably not gonna make a lot of people happy, but, but if we can come up with something completely different you know, I think we get stuck sometimes. And I feel a little bit stuck, and I wanna get unstuck. I want us to innovate and think differently and incorporate all those brains that are out there that majored in chemistry and majored in cello and majored in art and put them together to come up with something that's never been done before that will be innovative in the technology world.
So, if y'all think I've lost my mind, probably so.
But all all of the career pledges are important.
So I do before we close out, and we've got time for a couple more questions if anybody has them or if you wanna share, you know, in the chat your, pledge for twenty twenty three.
Do wanna remind you that we'll have another, session for this group in January, and you'll be, getting a link in the chat so you can sign up for the women in Salesforce DevOps group and get these future updates. We're excited to have been the the guinea pigs, the the the beta testers on, this women in DevOps group.
And it's only gonna get better from here. I promise.
Anything else? So Rad Women, someone mentioned as a, a career goal. That's Rad Women is another great group. Angela Mahoney and Karen Jamieson. In fact, I'm working with Angela on some things right now for Rad Women. And a great way I did pass that first Rad Women course. I still can't write Apex, but I did pass the course.
So a great tool and way to meet people and get to know people and interact in a smaller group that's not as overwhelming as some of the the big groups you might meet.
Past admin, app builder, BA, and nonprofit success pack cloud in twenty twenty three. That is a great aspiration, a good career pledge.
Trying to see if we have others who've shared their pledges here.
Alright.
Any other questions, pledges, more volunteering, teaching with, Rad? That's great. If you pass the Rad Women too, you know, you can volunteer as a coach. And that's such a phenomenal way to give back, teaching someone else.
It's like, oh, look.
I see a lot of people saying they wanna get their admin certifications, which is awesome.
You can do it. That's I mean, you just gotta keep pushing. Don't give up.
I mean, if you fail, you fail. You learn. It's not a failure. It's just a learning.
And it's cheaper to take it next time.
I intentionally took the business analyst exam at Salesforce or at Dreamforce. I mean, just because I knew I probably would fail it, but I wanted to know what it felt like to fail it. Right? So I didn't have all that anxiety of, like, my perfectionism.
Like, I got past this. I was like, I didn't I didn't study for it. I never looked at the material. So I was like, I'll probably feel this, and sure enough, I did.
But it gave me that experience to see that, like, oh, you didn't pass. Thanks, but you didn't pass. Right? So now that I know how that feels, it's like, I can kinda sit with it and be like, alright.
This wasn't that bad. Like, I don't feel, you know, that terrible about myself. So now I'm not I don't think as as afraid to fail.
Awesome.
Perfect. Perfect note to to end this on to to say, you know, don't be afraid of failure. And maybe that's the career pledge for twenty twenty three. Right? That's just certainly have to fail sometimes to go forward.
So we wish you all the happiest of all the holidays. Enjoy if your company shuts down for a week or so to be able to take a deep breath. If you're like me, if if I'm not working, I feel like I should be studying and learning more because there's so much to learn. But we appreciate it. We, feel free to reach out to any of us. We are glad to be here. Thank you for spending an hour with us, and we'll see you next year.
