Talent Hub Talk
By Talent Hub
Talent Hub Talk is a podcast brought to you by Ben Duncombe, Founder of Talent Hub, the Salesforce Recruitment Experts
Talent Hub TalkJun 09, 2020
Anjali Subburaj on life after CTA in an enterprise environment within an end-user
In today's episode we speak with UK based Certified Technical Architect, Anjali Subburaj, who is Digital Commerce Chief Architect for a large end-user organisation.
Anjali has a fascinating story as she had an extensive Microsoft career prior to Salesforce, and so she explained what it was that appealed to her and her experience of the transition.
Anjali talks us through how she prepared for the CTA, and how she actively drove her career, and the choices that she has made since the achievement, which have taken her in an ambitious direction outside of the usual path.
She talks Salesforce mentoring, a life of continuous learning, and her top tips for advancement if the CTA is on your roadmap in this episode.
Make sure you're following Anjali on LinkedIn and you can also check out our sponsors, FlowRepublic as you prepare for the CTA journey.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
Dan McBeth on ways to spot potential Salesforce talent, and New Zealand as a place to develop your Salesforce career
In today's episode, we're joined by New Zealand based Salesforce Practice Manager for Davanti Consulting, Dan McBeth.
Dan talks to us about his early career in the UK, explaining how he first became involved in the Salesforce space, and the world of Salesforce projects.
As the leader of a sizable team at Davanti, Dan explains his preferred model for recruiting new members, and the interviewing strategy that he takes to uncover potential talent, not only from a non-Salesforce background but often from a non-technical background.
Dan gives us an interesting overview of the New Zealand market. He shares insight around what makes it different to other areas of the world as a place to live and work, and why it's an excellent place to develop in your career.
An insightful episode this week, and we recommend that you follow Dan on LinkedIn and that you check out the Davanti website for further reading.
We hope that you enjoy the episode!
Aidan Flynn on a Salesforce career that has taken him across the globe, the Latin American Salesforce market, and the growth of CPQ
In today's episode, we're joined by Colombian based owner and Founder of Twilo, a Salesforce Partner with expertise in CPQ and Billing projects that have disrupted the model of Salesforce offshoring.
Aidan's extensive Salesforce career has enabled him to relocate initially from London to Sydney, before launching his own business in Latin America, and working closely with the US markets.
We talk to him about his career before Salesforce, the early days of Salesforce projects in London, and the differences not only between the regions but the evolution of the Salesforce market that he's seen over the years.
Having built a team in Colombia with Twilo, Aidan explains his preferred model for growing the business, the strategy for uncovering talent in Colombia, and the approach he takes to training and upskilling.
As specialists in CPQ and Billing, with extensive experience in Field Service Lightning, we talk to Aidan about the size and frequency of Twilo's projects in the US, and best practices for companies undertaking CPQ projects of their own to be aware of.
An insightful episode and we recommend that you follow Aidan and Twilo on LinkedIn and that you check out the Twilo website for further reading.
We hope that you enjoy the episode!
Susannah St-Germain on Salesforce data and a recovery strategy
Today's episode is a rebroadcast from a LinkedIn Live that we did with Boston-based Salesforce Technical Architect and MVP, Susannah St-Germain.
Salesforce are soon to retire their Data Recovery Service, and we went through in detail what this will mean for companies, who really needs to be aware, and why.
Susannah explains the people who should be involved in bedding down a strategy, what a strategy actually looks like within a business, and how to start that conversation. Recovery and back up within a business has limitations and a number of factors to consider, and so a plan of how it would be executed if ever required is key.
This is a really insightful discussion, and Susannah regularly publishes updates on LinkedIn and Twitter, so make sure you're following her for further insights. You can also check out references to Odaseva and their services.
We hope you enjoy the chat!
Brad Riley on deciding to pursue CTA and helping other people on the journey
In today's episode, we're joined by New Zealand based Certified Technical Architect, Brad Riley, to talk about his technology career before Salesforce and the story of how he initially became involved with the platform.
We talk about how his life in Consulting opened up the world of Salesforce certifications, and how he was inspired to pursue the Salesforce CTA, by one moment in particular. Brad gives insight into not only how he prepared for the Review Board, but also how he sees his responsibility as a CTA having made the achievement, and what it has meant for him in his life.
Brad talks us through the work he does with the Davanti Consulting internal Architecture capability within his role, giving him the chance to support upcoming Architects to help them on their own journeys.
This is a really insightful episode, we hope you enjoy it, and we recommend that you follow Brad on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradri/.
This episode is sponsored by FlowRepublic, the Elite Salesforce Academy.
David Dawson on growing your Salesforce career from development into technical leadership
Crucially, we talk to David about his own journey down the lesser travelled path of management and technical leadership, as an alternative to the architecture route that many Salesforce Developers pursue.
David has accelerated his career in recent years by driving his Salesforce career in this direction, and we discuss with him his early days in development and the transitions he's worked through to get to the point of where he is today.
We talk about his experiences working for a technology business, how his learning is amplified when working alongside high calibre Engineers, and how his principles and mindset were challenged to think differently, particularly when moving from smaller projects into enterprise-level projects.
We delve into how David interviews for his own team, what he looks for, and the tips and advice that he shares for others who find themselves at a similar fork in their own career path, from Salesforce Developer, with several routes to consider.
Make sure you're following David at www.linkedin.com/in/daviddawson90/ and we hope you enjoy the episode!
Shane Williams on engagement and performance in distributed Salesforce teams
We reference the survey which we conducted in the midst of COVID-19, the results of which will be published in very soon, in June 2020
BONUS Q&A: Virtual Dreamin 16-17 May 2020 - 7 must-watch sessions with FlowRepublic Founder, Sebastian Wagner
Virtual Dreamin is a two-day Salesforce event over the weekend of 16-17 May 2020, and is available online no matter where in the world you are located.
We talk with Sebastian about the seven particular sessions that he recommends you attend, no matter your individual career goals and interests, as they are jam-packed with rich content and insights.
Find out how you can get involved by visiting the Virtual Dreamin site.
Make sure you’re following Sebastian on LinkedIn for more CTA related content.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
Doina Popa on being the first female CTA outside of the USA and becoming a new business owner in the Salesforce ecosystem
In today's episode, we're joined by Germany based CTA and Founder of InnoTrue, Doina Popa. We first met Doina over five years ago and having collaborated on a number of content pieces previously, it was great to catch up with her.
Doina has a unique perspective on the Salesforce landscape, having previously worked in a senior capacity for a broad spectrum of business types, and has a deep understanding of the nuances between ISVs, end users, consultancies, and even Salesforce themselves.
As the third female CTA in the world and the first outside of the USA, we spoke with Doina about her journey to CTA, how she prepared for the Review Board, and how her experiences and thirst for knowledge have led her to recently launching her own Salesforce Consultancy following a relocation back to Germany.
Doina is generous and inspiring with her time, and is heavily involved in a number of on and offline Salesforce initiatives, as well as being a Master Coach at Architect Training Academy, FlowRepublic.
We enjoyed hearing what excites her for the future, and her plans for the Women in Tech Community Group in Munich. Make sure you're following Doina on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/doinapopa/.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
Pia McKeown on building a diverse Salesforce team and leading successful technology delivery
Pia has lived in a number of different countries and so we talked about what first brought her to Australia, her career before Salesforce, and how she has come to reach a senior role within the Salesforce ecosystem and made a life Down Under.
Pia has an interesting background and perspective, having worked both in consulting and client-side, and we discuss with her how she has steered and developed her career into a leadership capacity. Pia explains that transition, why she's passionate about people management, which elements she considers to be crucial for effective leadership, and how she continues to improve daily as a leader.
Diversity is an area that Pia is committed to, and her work and dedication over the past two years has led her to achieve balance within her Salesforce team to where it currently sits at over 50% female to male, which is no easy feat within the technology space. We talk about how balance and diversity is a key component to growing a strong team, the reasons for this, and the challenges that her team have faced and overcome throughout the recent COVID-19 crisis.
Finally, we dive into large-scale technology transformation, agile delivery methodology within different organisations, and the impact of small, medium, and large user bases within technology delivery.
Made sure you're following Pia on LinkedIn for discussion around diversity and leadership at www.linkedin.com/in/pia-mckeown-b735a429/ and we hope that you enjoy the episode!
Mike Wheeler on training over 110,000 students in Salesforce, and the importance of creating your own experience
Mike, who is based in the USA, has previously held various Salesforce roles himself, before using his talents to help others and we were fascinated to hear how he first became a part of the Salesforce ecosystem, and how the idea first sparked to move specifically into Salesforce training.
He shares his insight on the market, given his tenure in the ecosystem, and where he sees the most demand currently. We discuss how people can prepare themselves for roles and be well placed for success, given the growth that Salesforce is forecasting in what Mike calls, the 'grand reopening', and harness the idea of shaping an 'experience' to get ahead.
Mike explains the non-technical skills that companies typically look for, and we discuss the claim that you don't need to be technical to excel at a career within the Salesforce space. Is it really true?
We enjoyed hearing success stories that Mike shares on the podcast of students using his platform, and the plans he has for the future to provide even more value to students as they discover the world of Salesforce and develop further in their careers.
Make sure you're following Mike on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/mikewheelermedia/ and check out mikewheelermedia.com/ to find out how you can benefit from his resources.
We hope that you enjoy the episode!
James Neave and the growth of Salesforce in the Public Sector space
In today's episode, we're joined by CRM Practice Manager for Transport NSW, James Neave. He shares with us an overview of the work he and his teams are doing in the Public sector space, and how Salesforce has experienced exponential growth within government in recent years.
We talk about the challenges of growing an internal team and how to develop high performing teams, as well as how James uses Partners for specific pieces of work and how he models that partnership.
It was fascinating to hear about James's background, and entry into the Salesforce space, as well as the ways in which the Public sector has been able to leverage the power of Salesforce in order to support the Community, particularly in rapidly evolving times like these.
Make sure you're following James at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jneave/. We hope you enjoy the episode!
Ben Edwards on his journey to CTA and the New Zealand Salesforce market
We were fascinated to hear his background and experience within a varied range of Salesforce markets, as Ben's Salesforce skills enabled him to continue to build his career when he moved to London for a two year period. He talks us through the differences and similarities to the ANZ market, and how the exposure pushed his development ever further.
Having passed the CTA Review Board, Ben talked us through what the path to CTA looked like for him, how he identified his own gaps and successfully bridged them, and how others can look to do the same.
Ben gives us some great insight into the New Zealand market, a snapshot of what the lifestyle is like there, and how the transferable skills you can develop in NZ could take you all over the world. You can follow Ben at www.linkedin.com/in/benedwards44/.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
Chris Baldock on life as a CTA, and how the Consulting Partner you choose to join, could shape your future
Chris relocated to Australia seven years ago with his Salesforce career, and soon discovered a common passion and camaraderie for learning within the close-knit team that he had joined at Consulting Partner, Cloud Sherpas. Working alongside existing CTA's and other talented colleagues with aspirations to reach that career pinnacle, Chris was inspired.
We find out how that particular role has shaped his career today, the people who helped him on his CTA journey, and why he continues to enjoy team management, mentoring and leadership at his current organisation.
He shares what being a CTA is really like, and talks us through how Partners of different tier and size can be quite different from one another.
We enjoyed hearing how he prepared for the Review Board, and what continues to excite him about the platform as we look further into 2020.
Make sure you're following Chris on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-j-baldock/, and we hope that you enjoy the episode
Richard Clarke on key sectors where Salesforce projects are being delivered during these times
In today's episode we're joined by Richard Clarke, who leads a national Salesforce practice for PS+C Artisan, from a previous background of various Salesforce roles.
We were fascinated to hear his insight on the market, given his tenure in the ecosystem, and his take on Salesforce projects during this current time. We talked about where he sees the platform potentially growing and discussed possible future scenarios, particularly around the framework of Salesforce acquisitions.
We discussed the industries that are still delivering or even accelerating Salesforce projects, which industries could be feeling pain currently, and where there are opportunities available for anybody who finds themselves as a job seeker in the current environment.
Richard had some good tips for coming out of the other side of this period with additional skills, and we'd recommend you follow Richard on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardaclarke/ for future content.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
Sai Lavu on the early Salesforce years and growing a successful Salesforce practice
In today's episode, we're joined by Sai Lavu, one of the original founders of one of the very first Salesforce practices in ANZ, System Partners.
We enjoyed hearing about the early days in the market, what inspired starting the business, and who the early adopters were from an end-customer perspective.
Sai gave us insight into what the talent market looked like a decade ago, and how they went about building their capability and team in such an environment. We spoke about the kind of people that they brought into the business and why, how they scaled, and the challenges they faced. Finally, we touched on some of their many achievements and how the ecosystem has evolved and developed in this region.
Hopefully, you enjoy the snapshot of the history of the ANZ Salesforce market, and make sure you're following Sai on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sailavu/.
Enjoy the listen!
Andrew Echevarria on building a personal brand online and securing a job at Google
Andrew attributes part of why he secured his role to his personal brand activities online, and shares his own experiences and tips with us. He explains what he believes makes good quality content, and the traps people should avoid, as well as how to get started if you have reservations.
Andrew moved to California for his new role, in what are somewhat unusual times, and he tells us about the onboarding experience he has experienced and having made the move outside of Consulting and into an end-user, he gives us his first impressions.
We enjoyed hearing about what he's most looking forward to in this new chapter, and his plans for the future in terms of his online presence.
Make sure you're following Andrew on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsfdc/ and we hope you enjoy the episode!
Leo Alves on expanding his skillset as a Salesforce Developer, and remote onboarding during lockdown
He shares his experience and tips for other companies who find themselves facing this sudden challenge, and how to make the remote onboarding process as seamless as he has found his own.
Coming from a non-technical background, Leo became a Salesforce Developer but discovered a keen interest in other coding languages and expanding his development skill set. We discuss with Leo how Salesforce is perceived from the broader Developer community, and how Salesforce is positioning the platform to become increasingly appealing to non-Salesforce-specific Developers.
We talk about the market in Holland, and all that he is excited about for his new life Down Under.
You can follow Leo on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/leofilipealves/ and on Twitter at leofilipalves@
Pip Marlow, Salesforce CEO ANZ on joining the Salesforce Ohana and leading through change
She talks us through her biggest highlight at Salesforce so far, the Salesforce Ohana, what it has meant for her, and the plans for the region in the future, including the Salesforce Tower in Sydney.
She talks us through her approach to visibility within the Community, social media and networking, and how embracing these have helped her push forward with her team and remain closely connected with customers. We talk about learning and career development when in a CEO role, and we're so thrilled to be joined by special guests from the Ohana, each with a thought-provoking question.
You can follow Pip on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/pipmarlow/ and Twitter at @pipms
Implementing Einstein bots effectively and why they're more relevant now than ever with Suri Chandramouli
We discuss what he looks for when hiring Salesforce Developers and we ask him for his insights into chatbots and A.I, including best practices when implementing Einstein bots, which he has learned from his experiences on a recent project.
This episode is relevant to the challenges we find ourselves in currently, as we delve into how Einstein bots can assist companies receiving increased contact from customers, and we also touch on remote working within the Salesforce ecosystem.
You can follow Suri on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suric/, and we hope you enjoy the episode
Blazing trails in the not-for-profit space with Jessica Macpherson
You can follow Jessica on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamacpherson/
E.A to Salesforce Solution Architect in a start up with Priscila Renwick
In today's episode, we speak with London based Salesforce Solution Architect, Priscila Renwick, about her Salesforce journey coming from a law background in Brazil, before joining a start up in London as an E.A. Her Salesforce journey started here, where she looked after the Salesforce org, and this ignited a passion for learning inside Priscila, over the years leading her to become a Business Analyst, before making her way into a Solution Architect position. She talks with us about the resources and support that she has leant on in this journey, such as her local Salesforce community, her mentor, and the Ladies Be Architects movement. She's an example of how attitude can take you far, and as she joins a Consulting firm as a Solution Architect this month, how joining a start up can accelerate your career. She's proof that you don't have to come from a technical background to become a Salesforce Architect.
You can follow Priscila's journey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscila-renwick/
Learning to code and writing your first line of Apex with Zabou Nicoul
Today we talk with Salesforce Platform Manager, Zabou Nicoul about her career journey in the Salesforce world so far.
Zabou learned to code in Salesforce having come from a non-technical background, and talks us through the roller-coaster journey of persistence and determination which has led her to the point today of being proud of the code she writes.
Zabou gives listeners advice, tips and resets expectations as to how a journey into Salesforce development is likely to unfold, as well as the rewards she feels being able to write Salesforce code affords in the current Salesforce ecosystem, and your own role.
You can follow Zabou on LinkedIn to ask any questions and continue to follow her exciting journey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zabounicoul/
Learnings from undertaking a large-scale Salesforce transformation project with Robert Whitaker
In this episode, we talk with technology leader and Head of Salesforce Platform, Robert Whitaker, who was recently involved in one of the largest Salesforce transformation projects in the Asia Pacific.
We talk to Rob about the assessment and initial investment decision around why Salesforce was chosen, the value that they got from working with a consulting partner, and the key roles that are required on such a big project. He explained to us the challenges that they faced throughout the program of work as well as how they tackled them. We covered best practices, including the most critical points throughout a project, when commencing such a huge piece of work right through to delivery.
We touch on recruitment and ongoing learning, and reflect on how far Rob has come in his knowledge of the Salesforce platform.
Lastly, Rob shares what he loves the most about the Salesforce Ohana and the opportunity that the industry presents for collaboration with other business.
You can connect with Rob on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/robswhitaker/
BONUS Q&A: Do I need to work for a Consulting Partner to be a CTA? Plus other questions from listeners, answered by Ben Duncombe
Did you know that you can send your Salesforce career questions directly to us, and Ben will answer a selection from listeners on the podcast. You can leave us a voice note via the Talent Hub website, or just send Ben a message on LinkedIn and let him know it's for the podcast. Make sure we answer yours next time.
Here are a selection that Ben answers on this week's show:
1) How difficult is it going to be to secure my first Salesforce role?
2) I am a Web Developer and looking to transition into Salesforce. Do I need to go down the Admin path first?
3) Someone said I should go for a Functional Consulting role rather than Admin as I am from a Sales background. Would you also advise this?
4) I am applying for roles but not getting much response. What am I doing wrong?
5) What is the best way for me to get sponsorship for Australia?
6) Is 'not having local experience' really a factor?
7) Do I need to work for a Consulting Partner to be a CTA?
8) Why aren't there more remote roles in Australia?
Employee experience that delights with Olga Rankin
In this episode, we talk with Employee Experience Director at Simplus, Olga Rankin, and take a deep dive into what the role entails and how she works day-to-day to effectively influence a positive workplace both generally, and specifically, within a Salesforce Partner environment.
We talk to Olga about recruitment - how to hire for attitude as well as skill set, and how to ensure an engaging on and offboarding process. She gives insight into retaining and managing staff through acquisitions and challenging projects, alongside the client site component, elements common within the consulting world, and how to build and maintain a good culture when teams can't always be together in the physical sense.
We also tackle the topic of pay increases, with the particular context of the Salesforce ecosystem, and Olga shares her views, as well as some tips if you're considering your own pay and how to approach asking for a raise.
Lastly, Olga shares what she loves the most about the Salesforce Ohana and the opportunity that the industry presents.
You can connect with Olga on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgarankin/
From NASA to Salesforce with Bhavana Singh
In this episode, we talk with Salesforce Developer, Bhavana Singh at Dreamforce in San Francisco to discuss her career before Salesforce, and her contributions across the globe that have led her to be awarded not only Salesforce MVP status but the Developer Golden Hoodie in 2018.
Bhavana comes from a really interesting background, having worked in the NASA control center before discovering the world of Salesforce, and opening her own business.
We discuss her advice for people looking to transition into Salesforce, and the thriving ecosystem in the USA; the events and Community Groups that are held there and how the WiT are on a mission to increase the number of female CTAs in the ecosystem across the globe.
We enjoyed finding out more about the others who inspire her in the Salesforce Ohana, such as the Ladies Be Architects group, led by Gemma Emmett, Charly Prinsloo and Susannah St-Germain, those in the RAD Women (Radical Apex Developers) group run by Angela Mahoney.
Bhavana talks about the support she draws on from having a study-buddy on her path to CTA and how she's been able to apply her natural flair for teaching in her role as a RAD Women coach.
You can follow Bhavana on Twitter at @singhbhavana8, and find her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/singhbhavana8/.
How to build your personal brand online with Zachary Jeans
With a Twitter following of close to15k, and VP of Marketing in his role, Zachary, it is fair to say, knows his stuff in the world of marketing and online connections. He explains the power of social media in the Salesforce world and in fact, any industry, and gives his tips for getting started. He explains the benefits and enjoyment in leveraging it's potential reach, and the value of having an online presence.
Zachary is a self-described elevator of people, and he shares his thoughts on a range of topics as well as making his suggestions for people to follow on Twitter for valuable and useful content.
We enjoyed finding out more about the others who inspire him in the Salesforce Ohana, and the great work he does in the local market and beyond.
You can follow Zachary on Twitter at @zacharyjeans
The Salesforce ecosystem in India with Rupesh Bhatia
In this episode we talk with Salesforce MVP and 13X Salesforce certified Application Architect, Rupesh Bhatia, at Dreamforce in San Francisco to discuss his career before Salesforce, and his contributions across the globe that have led him to be awarded Salesforce MVP status. With TDX India coming up on 19th December 2019 we talk about the event and what attendees can expect.
We discuss his advice for people looking to transition into Salesforce, and the thriving Salesforce ecosystem in India; the events that are held there every year, and how this region has the second-largest Salesforce Developer community outside of the U.S.
We enjoyed finding out more about the others who inspire him in the Salesforce Ohana, and the great work he does in the local market and beyond.
You can follow Rupesh on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupesh-bhatia/and check out TDX India at https://www.salesforce.com/in/trailheadx
Setting up a Salesforce Implementation Partner with Sauce Consulting
Today we talk with the Founders of Sauce Consulting, Albert James, Martine Campagna and Hiral Swala on location in San Francisco.
Sauce has recently been launched in the Australian Salesforce market, and between them, the Co-Founders bring a wealth of Salesforce experience. We met up with them at Dreamforce to discuss the process of becoming a Salesforce Partner, the value that they, as a business, put on Salesforce certifications, and the importance of having complementary skills between business owners.
Sauce are refreshing in their approach to hiring, with a big emphasis placed on hiring for potential and passion, and we spoke to them in more detail about what makes them different.
Finally, they shared their key takeaways from the huge week at Dreamforce.
You can follow Albert on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertjames/, Martine at https://www.linkedin.com/in/martine-campagna-4b7093117/, and Hiral at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiral-sawla-a2917299/.
Their website can be found at https://www.sauceconsulting.com.au/
We hope you enjoy the episode
Salesforce conversations uncut with Chris Hopper, John Knight, Ben Fuller and Andrew Echevarria broadcasting from Dreamforce
Featuring alongside Ben Duncombe; Chris Hopper, The CRM Recruiter, John Knight, Salesforce Practice Lead at Marketwake, Ben Fuller, President of Cloudtrailz and Andrew Echevarria, Salesforce Technical Lead at Deloitte.
All are very active on LinkedIn and so we recommend you introduce yourselves for educational snippets and un-bridled Salesforce content.
Chris Hopper - www.linkedin.com/in/thecrmtechrecruiter/
John Knight - www.linkedin.com/in/knight2413/
Ben Fuller - www.linkedin.com/in/bdfuller/
Andrew Echevarria - www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsfdc/
The modern Salesforce Developer with Sameed Khan
Today we talk with Salesforce Developer, Sameed Khan to discuss his background from electrical engineering into software engineering, and ultimately into Salesforce. We delve into why he chose Salesforce as his specialism, and how he approached his own self-development and use of resources to upskill.
Sameed sheds light on the nuances of Salesforce versus other development languages and domains, and how software engineering can be viewed as an art. Find out more in this episode about the repercussions of good quality versus sub-quality code, and how companies can attract upcoming Developers like him, for their teams.
You can follow Sameed on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sameed-khan-1a637670/
Personal brand, learning to code and the Salesforce Ohana with David Liu
David famously taught himself to code, and is now a Technical Architect at Google, with the CTA held firmly in his sights.
As a result of his own experiences, David founded a very successful and renowned blog and resources hub, SFDC99, which has visitors daily from all over the globe, benefitting from his easy to follow tutorials. He explained to us, and the audience at Down Under Dreaming, that absolutely anybody can teach themselves to code, and more importantly perhaps, why he thinks that they should.
Since his first steps of teaching himself Apex, David has been awarded Salesforce MVP status six times, as well as the inaugural Salesforce Developer Golden Hoodie at the 2018 Dreamforce, and has 17 Salesforce certifications under his belt to date.
In this podcast, we discuss his views on Salesforce development, the Admin/Dev hybrid role, what he looks for when he's interviewing talent, and his top pieces of advice for those considering a move into the Salesforce industry.
You can follow David on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/dvdkliu/and Twitter at @dvdkliu, and of course, check out his website, SFDC99.
From a non I.T background, to CTA and a Master of I.T with Jannis Bott
Jannis came to visit Australia nine years ago with a plan in mind to return to Germany after 8 months. He'd put his plan in action of becoming a neurosurgeon having completed his mandatory civilian service prior, in the health space, driving an ambulance for the Red Cross.
However, on Australian shores, Jannis discovered Salesforce, and rapidly found that he had a special talent which led him to the point nearly 2 years ago, when he joined the Salesforce elite of achieving the Certified Technical Architect credential.
The CTA is the absolute pinnacle of any Salesforce career, and as an ambition held by so many in the ecosystem, you'll want to hear Jannis talk to Ben Duncombe about his own path to Salesforce CTA, and how he approached his preparation alongside a study buddy, travelling on a similar professional journey.
We discuss his views, his deep insights, and understand more about what it's actually like to be a Salesforce CTA, including the other goals that people can strive for.
You can follow Jannis on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jannisbott/ and if you're a Sydney based Developer, find out more about the User Group that he co-leads at trailblazercommunitygroups.com/sydney-au-developers-group/
Training Architects to pass the CTA review board with Sebastian Wagner
The CTA credential is the absolute pinnacle of any Salesforce career, and an ambition held by so many in the ecosystem, and so you'll want to hear Sebastian talk to Ben Duncombe about his own journey to Salesforce CTA, and how he now helps others on their own journey to the review board.
We discuss his views as to how he identifies if someone is, or isn't ready, the challenges people face in the review board itself, and insight into the success and value he has been able to provide through his work with FlowRepublic.
You can follow Sebastian on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/se6wagner/ and find FlowRepublic at www.flowrepublic.com/
Transitioning from other technologies into Salesforce with Matt Robison
Today we talk with Salesforce Technical Architect, Matt Robison, who fell in love with Salesforce having spent a significant period of time previously working in the development space with other technologies.
Matt fully immersed himself within the Salesforce Community right from the beginning, and his Salesforce career has progressed rapidly since initially securing his first Salesforce role as a Salesforce Developer 18 months ago. Today, Matt is a Salesforce Technical Architect, and we took the opportunity to ask Matt to talk us through his journey.
We discuss his views about what differs from other markets, what makes Salesforce interesting to other Developers, and pinpoint any potential challenges.
Finally, we talk to Matt about what the Salesforce Community groups have meant to him, and his exciting aspirations for the future.
You can follow Matt on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-robison-salesforce/
The power of the Trailblazer Community with Lorna O'Callaghan
Today we talk with Sydney WiT co-leader, Lorna O'Callaghan to discuss her background and roles within the Salesforce ecosystem, including her most recent move which encompasses people management. We touch on her views of the differences between working for a customer versus a consultancy, mentorship, and strategy.
Having relaunched the Women in Tech Trailblazer Community group alongside her co-leader Maddison Deans, we talk to Lorna about what the Community groups have meant to her, and the exciting plans for the group going forward.
You can follow Lorna on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lornaocallaghan/
Salesforce projects and customer success with Nolan Keenan
Today we talk with Nolan Keenan to discuss his deep insight and experience of Salesforce projects and how they have evolved over the past decade.
As a previous employee of Salesforce, we chat about life working for the organisation themselves, how Nolan initially became a part of the ecosystem, and the roles he has held over the years.
We discuss what companies can, and should do when embarking on a Salesforce project with regards to the best methodologies to use, as well as best practice for project management in a more general sense.
You can follow Nolan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolankeenan/
Q&A from listeners on Salesforce recruitment trends in ANZ and the USA with Christopher Hopper
Today we talk with USA based Salesforce Recruiter, Christopher Hopper to discuss current and emerging trends in the Salesforce market, both in the ANZ, and the USA. We unpack both the similarities and differences and how candidates and clients can maximise their success.
Thank you to all of the listeners who wrote in with questions for Ben and Christopher. They answer a selection of these on the episode, such as "is it better to know a little about a lot, or a lot about a little" when it comes to Salesforce, as well as their tips for accelerating your Salesforce career in innovative ways.
We last met up with Christopher last year at Dreamforce and so it was an insightful conversation, catching up on what has evolved in the Salesforce talent market in the past 12 months.
Christopher comes from a technical background himself which gives him a unique insight, and he shares in Talent Hub's values of being socially engaged and so he's a valuable voice and content creator to follow on social media. You can find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecrmtechrecruiter/
Effectively performing a remote Salesforce role with Jodi Church
Today we talk to Perth based Salesforce Solution Architect, Jodi Church, who runs the Women in Tech User Group in the WA region. Jodi has recently relocated back to Western Australia from the UK and remained in her role with her UK based employer, now working 100% remotely. She talks to Ben Duncombe about how she makes it work, her Salesforce journey, and how she initially moved into the Salesforce ecosystem to the role that she's in today. She discusses her professional ambitions within the Salesforce space, and the goals that she has to grow both the WA market and the Trailblazer Community group that she runs there
Passing the Salesforce CTA review board at 28 with Jan Aertgeerts
Today we talk to Belgium based Salesforce Certified Technical Architect, Jan Aertgeerts, who has recently secured this elusive credential, which is the absolute pinnacle of any Salesforce career, and an ambition held by so many in the ecosystem.
He talks to Ben Duncombe about why he pursued the CTA and at what point he felt that it was a realistic goal to actively undertake. He shares his deep insights into approaching the exam, and how the 601 workshop and the support of mentors played a part in his preparation.
Jan's journey to Salesforce CTA has been enhanced by the major projects he has driven in his role, and he discusses not only these, but also his goals for the future and what keeps him excited in the world of Salesforce.
22 interviews later.. how resilience pays off when starting your Salesforce journey with Kierin Spark
Today we talk to 9x Salesforce certified trailblazer, Kierin Spark, as he shares own journey of breaking into the Salesforce ecosystem and continuing to accelerate in his Salesforce career.
He faced tough challenges when he first started interviewing for Salesforce roles, but he made up for any limitations in hands-on experience, with his passion for the platform and resilience to overcome obstacles which stood in his way to get to where he is today.
Kierin explains his own approach to Salesforce certifications, and how best to prepare for a successful outcomes. He shares his tips for securing your first Salesforce role, and continuing your Salesforce development journey, and we discuss his own ambitions from here.
Kierin's story so far is a must listen for anybody listening who is starting in their own Salesforce journey at the moment.
A catch up on the world of DevOps with the Salesforce DevOps King himself, Adam Best
Today we talk to Senior Program Architect, Adam Best, as he shares his deep insights into the Salesforce DevOps world and life working at Salesforce.
Adam explains how the Salesforce DevOps market in APAC is continuing to grow, and why he's passionate about growing the capability in the region.
We discuss what companies can, and should do when addressing how their development teams are delivering, and the development and collaboration tools that are available.
What really makes a CTA with Steven Herod
Today we talk to Certified Technical Architect, Steven Herod, co-host of the successful Salesforce Developer Podcast, Code Coverage, as he shares his deep insights into the Salesforce world, his own journey into the Salesforce ecosystem, and what the ecosystem looked like back in 2010. We look at how the roles have changed on Salesforce projects and in Salesforce teams from then, until now.
Being a CTA himself, Steven explains the Architecture path and Salesforce certifications, and how these relate to the end goal of becoming a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect.
We discuss the difference between a Salesforce Developer and an Architect, and how people can and should, interview Salesforce Developers, and the things to look out for.