Military Trailblazer Office Hours - Salesforce Career Journey

Introduction

• Host: Dave Nava
  • Solution Engineer at Salesforce
  • Military Trailblazer
• Assisted by Jin Hall and Dave Albre
• Focus: Making things happen in your Salesforce journey.
  • Building productive habits, networking, branding, creating impact.

Co-Host Panel

• Andrew Pel
  • Director of Technology at Ana Group
  • Air Force Veteran
  • Over a decade in strategic leadership and technology
• Desiree Easterling
  • Relation Manager at Quander Consulting Group
  • Navy Veteran
  • Background in project management, Salesforce consulting
• Jacob Reard
  • Manager of Implementation Consultants at Neoo
  • Air Force Veteran
  • Expert in CPQ and Revenue Cloud
• Kayn Moss
  • Self-employed Marketing Cloud Consultant
  • Salesforce Golden Hoodie Recipient
  • Marketing Cloud Guru, Mentor

Embracing Your Authentic Journey

• Every transition is unique, involves rapid change.
• Andrew: Focus on soft skills; not just technical skills.
• Desiree: Importance of community and support, sharing learning online.
• Jacob: Use past experiences (HR empathy) in Salesforce role.
• Kayn: Sharing knowledge on platforms like YouTube; community gives back.

Developing Consistent Habits

• Andrew: Dedicate 5 minutes a day to learning.
• Desiree: Replace social media time with Trailhead learning.
• Jacob: Engage with community via Slack; practical learning.
• Kayn: Surround yourself with people on the same mission.

Staying Motivated

• Recognize burnout, recharge by taking breaks.
• Take advantage of community and learning opportunities.
• Andrew: Balance between pushing through and knowing when to rest.
• Desiree: Fresh air and exercise to recharge.

Specialization vs. Broad Knowledge

• Kayn: Specialization in Marketing Cloud opened global opportunities.
• Jacob: Specialized in CPQ; be ready to pivot.
• Andrew: Leadership path doesn’t require deep technical skills.
• Desiree: Understand business problems and align skills.

Advice to Your Younger Self

• Andrew: Don’t assume certifications make you an expert.
• Desiree: Don't be afraid to ask questions; lean on community.
• Jacob: Track issues and solutions for future reference.
• Kayn: Systemize workflow and processes.

Closing Remarks

• Continuous evaluation of your path is necessary.
• Thank you to the co-hosts and attendees for their participation.