Salesforce Posse Podcast

Curious about how to succeed on the Salesforce AppExchange?

💡 In this episode, we dive deep with Igor Stuyver, the creator of PDF Butler, a groundbreaking app that's transformed document generation for businesses. From his humble beginnings as an architect to becoming a successful app creator, Igor shares the struggles, strategies, and lessons learned while building a successful app for the Salesforce ecosystem.

🔍 Discover how he tackled challenges like speed optimization, gaining trust from customers, and passing Salesforce's tough security review. He also spills the secrets on how to stand out in a crowded market, innovate on existing ideas, and find the perfect moment to take the entrepreneurial leap.

💥 Whether you're a Salesforce professional, aspiring app creator, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of app development, this conversation is packed with actionable insights. Don't miss out!

Visit www.SalesforcePosse.com to learn more

In this episode of The Salesforce Posse Podcast, host Francis Pindar sits down with Shane Smyth, CTO of Saltbox and Salesforce B2B Commerce expert. Shane shares his fascinating journey into the Salesforce ecosystem, starting back in the days of ExactTarget, and dives deep into the world of B2B Commerce. From the evolution of Salesforce Commerce Cloud to practical tips for creating successful storefronts, this conversation is packed with valuable insights. Key topics include:

• The history and differences between Salesforce B2B and B2C Commerce
• Best practices for storefront design and platform integration
• Navigating product pricing, order fulfilment, and checkout complexities
• Future trends in B2B Commerce and the impact of Salesforce innovations like Hyperforce and Data Cloud

Whether you're a seasoned Salesforce professional or new to B2B Commerce, Shane’s advice and experience will provide actionable insights to help you elevate your digital commerce strategy. Don't miss this knowledge-packed episode!

You can find Shane on LinkedIn and YouTube!

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:15 Meet Shane Smith: B2B Commerce Expert 01:56 Shane's Journey into Salesforce 04:21 Understanding Salesforce B2B Commerce 06:00 Differences Between B2B and B2C Commerce 10:28 Building a Successful B2B Storefront 16:08 Challenges in B2B Commerce 25:26 Future Trends in Salesforce B2B Commerce 30:43 Getting Started with B2B Commerce 39:39 Final Thoughts and Advice 42:09 Closing Remarks

You can find Shane on LinkedIn and YouTube!

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes on Salesforce best practices and industry insights!

In this episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast, host Francis Pindar sits down with Ian Gotts, founder and CEO of Elements.cloud, for an eye-opening conversation that every Salesforce professional needs to hear. Ian takes us on a journey from his early days as one of Salesforce’s first customers to the cutting-edge innovations in Data Cloud that are shaping the platform's future.

Curious about how Salesforce is evolving to handle the massive amounts of data that drive today’s business decisions? Want to know how Data Cloud can finally deliver on the promise of Customer 360? Ian doesn’t just talk theory—he shares practical insights and real-world examples that can help you navigate this complex landscape. From understanding the critical importance of planning and data strategy to avoiding costly pitfalls, this episode is packed with advice that could make or break your next Salesforce project.

But that’s not all. Ian and Francis dig into why the days of being a Salesforce generalist are over and why specialising in areas like data and AI is the key to future-proofing your career. They discuss the challenges of implementing Data Cloud, the hidden opportunities it presents, and why getting your hands dirty with this technology could be the smartest move you can make this year.

Whether you are just starting your Salesforce journey or looking to deepen your expertise, this episode will inspire you to think differently about your career and the technology shaping our world. Don’t miss out—tune in and get ahead in the rapidly evolving Salesforce ecosystem.

Step into the forefront of Salesforce innovation in this captivating episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast. Recorded at the heart of London’s Calling, this episode features host Francis Pindar in conversation with Salesforce experts Vanessa Grant and Adam Olshansky, exploring the architectural advancements and strategic insights driving Salesforce's next era.

Amid the vibrant atmosphere of London's premier Salesforce event, this episode unravels the journey from traditional Salesforce roles to the cutting-edge realms of AI and architecture. Vanessa, with her extensive consulting experience, and Adam, hailing from his technical architect role at Google, shed light on the evolving Salesforce landscape, highlighting the critical role of business analysis and the transformative power of AI.

"Architecting Success" offers a deep dive into the pivotal shifts and emerging trends in the Salesforce ecosystem, providing listeners with a roadmap to navigating and excelling in this dynamic environment. The podcast not only charts the technical evolution of Salesforce but also captures the personal growth stories and professional insights of those leading the charge.

Tune in to "Architecting Success" for an insider’s perspective on the next generation of Salesforce development, the strategic importance of business analysis, and the innovative integration of AI. This episode is a must-listen for anyone eager to grasp the future directions of Salesforce, from seasoned architects to newcomers aspiring to shape the next wave of success in the Salesforce community. Join us on this journey at London's Calling and be part of the conversation defining Salesforce's next era.

In this episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast, host Francis Pender engages with Vanessa Grant, a Los Angeles-based business analyst and consultant with over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. Vanessa discusses the critical role of quality business analysis in Salesforce projects, sharing insights from her experience and emphasizing the importance of effective stakeholder management. Ideal for Salesforce professionals seeking to enhance their BA skills or understand its impact, this episode is packed with valuable advice and fun anecdotes from Vanessa's career journey.

What you will learn

• What is a Salesforce Business Analyst?
• Why developing strong business analysis skills is crucial for Salesforce admins and developers.
• The significance of quality business analysis in Salesforce projects.
• Vanessa Grant's journey from music to Salesforce and her approach to business analysis.
• Strategies for managing complex stakeholder relationships effectively.
• The challenges business analysts face in the Salesforce ecosystem and how to overcome them.

Welcome to another episode of the Salesforce Posse Podcast! In this episode, we're diving deep into the fascinating intersection of Salesforce and the nonprofit sector. Our special guest is Lawrence Newcombe, a Lead Technical Architect and Certified Technical Architect (CTA) at giveclarity.org. With years of experience in the charity and nonprofit sectors, Lawrence is the go-to expert on how Salesforce architecture is being leveraged to bring about positive change.

What You'll Learn:

• Getting Started: Lawrence shares his journey of how he entered the nonprofit world and the role Salesforce played in that evolution.
• Salesforce and Nonprofits: Discover the primary reasons why nonprofits and charities are adopting Salesforce for essential tasks like fundraising and program management.
• Implementation Nuances: Learn about the distinct strategies employed when implementing Salesforce in small vs large nonprofit organisations.
• Career Tips: Hear Lawrence's advice for anyone looking to gain experience and build a career working with Salesforce in the nonprofit sector.
• Challenges: Understand the hurdles nonprofits face, including the difficulties in recruiting the right talent for Salesforce roles.
• Future Outlook: Get a glimpse into what’s on the horizon for Salesforce’s Nonprofit Cloud and how data analytics and artificial intelligence might shape the future.

If you're interested in the Salesforce ecosystem, particularly in a nonprofit or charity setting, then this episode will offer a wealth of knowledge and insights. Don't miss out!

Tune in to enrich your understanding of how Salesforce is not just a CRM but a powerful architecture that can drive change and impact in the nonprofit and charity sectors.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of our "State of Salesforce Implementations" Webinar Series! 🌟 This is your ultimate guide to unlocking the full potential of Salesforce for your organization.

👥 Your hosts for this series are industry luminaries:

- Francis Pindar, a titan in the Salesforce ecosystem

- Lars Malmqvist, the go-to expert for scaling and governance

- Ines Garcia, an agile aficionado who’s all about delivering value

- Kristian Jørgensen, a master in evolving end-to-end implementation capabilities on Salesforce

📋 What can you expect from this groundbreaking series?

- Managing Change When Scaling and Rolling Out: Transition smoothly and reduce hiccups along the way.

- Governing Multi-Team Salesforce Programs: Take charge and lead your team to Salesforce success.

- Delivering Value in an Agile Way: Adapt and deliver with speed and efficiency, even as the landscape gets more complex.

- Becoming a Product Organisation: Transition from project-based to a product-centric focus.

- Evolving Salesforce DevOps Capabilities: Scale your technical acumen and operations seamlessly.

- Data Management, Analytics, and AI: Make data-driven decisions that make a difference.

🎯 The aim is to provide you with actionable insights, best practices, and cutting-edge strategies to succeed in the ever-changing Salesforce landscape.

Don’t miss this golden opportunity to level up your Salesforce game! Sign up for the rest of the series at https://AdminToArchitect.com/sos/

Stay tuned, and let's transform the way you do Salesforce, together. 🚀

#Salesforce #StateofSalesforce #WebinarSeries #AdminToArchitect

Join us in this captivating podcast episode, where we engage in a conversation with Kristian Jorgensen, an accomplished Salesforce professional and author of the 'Salesforce End-to-End Implementation Handbook.'

Kristian offers invaluable insights and knowledge about Salesforce implementation and project management, making this conversation enlightening and informative.

Kristian is a skilled business and IT leader who excels in building high-performing teams that enjoy their work. With extensive experience in both commercial roles and expertise in Salesforce, Kristian has a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by enterprises. This unique perspective enables him to provide valuable guidance to organizations as they plan, execute, and expand their Salesforce initiatives.

Kristian delves into the intricacies of navigating Salesforce projects, from initial planning stages to successful execution. He shares his expertise in designing effective solutions, managing technical debt, aligning with business objectives, and fostering collaboration between stakeholders. With a background in consulting and diverse industry experiences, Kristian sheds light on common challenges and shares practical strategies for overcoming them.

The discussion emphasizes the significance of understanding user needs and aligning them with the overall business strategy. Kristian reiterates the importance of continuous communication and collaboration among business, IT, and development teams. Additionally, he explores the role of a Centre of Excellence in guiding Salesforce initiatives towards success.

Listeners will gain valuable insights on strategically approaching Salesforce implementation projects, maximizing platform value, and ensuring a smoother journey for all stakeholders involved. Kristian's passion for sharing knowledge and improving the Salesforce ecosystem shines through, making this podcast a must-listen for anyone looking to excel in Salesforce implementation and project management.

Connect with Kristian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristianjorgensen/

Salesforce End-to-End Implementation Handbook: amazon.com/Salesforce-End-End-Implementation-Handbook/dp/1804613223/

Get the Transcript at: https://salesforceposse.com/how-to-make-salesforce-implementations-successful/

Sponsored by: AdminToArchitect.com Salesforce Architect Training

“Confidence is coming from a place of feeling comfortable.”

Andrea Pacini

In this episode of the Salesforce Posse Podcast, I have a conversation with Andrea Pacini. He is a presentation coach and Head of Ideas on Stage UK. He specialises in working with business owners, leaders and their teams who want to become more confident presenters. 

Since 2010 Ideas on Stage has worked with thousands of clients around the world, including companies like Microsoft, Lacoste, The World Bank and over 500 TEDx speakers. 

Andrea is on a mission to stop great ideas from failing just because of the way they are presented. His vision is to help hundreds of thousands of business leaders share their message so they can grow their business, increase their influence and make a positive impact in the world. 

We start the conversation with Andrea’s childhood, career journey, and why he wanted to become a presentation coach. Communication is how we share thoughts, ideas, and feelings. To establish good communication between people, we have to explain them effectively. It doesn’t matter if you have brilliant ideas or experiences if you can’t communicate them properly. Every audience is different. Some prefer simple language, and some prefer more complex language. It’s based on the knowledge level the audience has on the subject. In this part of our conversation, we discuss the importance of using language that everybody in your audience can understand.

Resources:

• Read Confident Presenter Book: Amazon UK, Amazon US

• Take the Confident Presenter Scorecard
• Visit the Ideas on Stage website.

A brand new episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast is now live. I, Francis Pindar, had the honour of hosting Lars Malmqvist, Partner at Implement Consulting Group, a #Salesforce CTA from Denmark, who is the master of Salesforce anti-patterns and generative AI.

🔎 In this episode, we deeply dive into the world of Salesforce anti-patterns, like the common belief that 'declarative is always safe'. Any seasoned Salesforce professional will confirm that this is far from the truth! As well as some other fascinating anti-patterns.

🧩 We also unpack the concepts of patterns and anti-patterns, highlighting their significance in architecting sound Salesforce solutions.

💼 If you are a Salesforce admin, developer, or aspiring architect, this episode is a treasure trove of tips and insights to help you navigate your career path and avoid common pitfalls in Salesforce implementation.

📘 Lars, author of two insightful books on AI and Salesforce anti-patterns, helps us explore the limitations of the platform and design decisions to take, which isn't adequately addressed by Salesforce's own training.

🎧 Tune in to the Salesforce Posse podcast to enrich your understanding of Salesforce anti-patterns and glean insights from industry influencers. You're guaranteed to take away something valuable from my conversation with Lars!

Improving the maturity of the Salesforce DevOps process is essential for increasing work productivity and delivering value to an organization in a timely manner. A key aspect of enhancing DevOps involves prioritizing testing and shifting it to the early stages of development. It is crucial to choose the right functional testing tool, comprehend quality, and optimize release quality in Salesforce implementation projects. In this podcast episode, we have Samuel, a product manager and architect at Provar, a leading Salesforce testing tool, who shares his expertise on various quality and testing topics in the Salesforce ecosystem. He also explains how to integrate quality into all aspects of a Salesforce project.

Samuel is a respected figure in the Salesforce community, serving as a product manager and architect at Provar. He is known for his proficiency in developing apps on the Salesforce platform and his emphasis on quality. Provar is an automation testing tool that is integrated and code-free, tailored particularly for Salesforce. Samuel is also the founder of Yplicity, a Salesforce ISV partner, and has extensive experience in transforming intricate concepts into user-friendly apps for the Salesforce ecosystem. In this podcast, Samuel shares his perspective on what defines quality. The conversation then delves into the challenges of balancing automated testing with small development changes in Salesforce. Samuel also discusses the trend of embedding testing and quality frameworks within DevOps processes to maintain quality in the industry. Additionally, we explore how to handle failed deployments or implementations in production. We also touch on the importance of achieving comprehensive coverage across all systems through end-to-end testing expansion. Samuel offers recommended resources for those interested in unit testing, automated testing, and quality assurance. Lastly, Samuel shares his own experience in the Salesforce ecosystem. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in quality and testing in Salesforce implementation projects.

Whether you are an experienced Tableau user or are just starting your data visualization journey, this episode will provide valuable insights and inspiration. So sit back, relax, and join us for an exciting conversation where we will discuss everything about Tableau with Sarah Bartlett and Zach Bowders. In this episode, we will dive into the Tableau ecosystem, explore the vibrant community surrounding the tool, and discover how to learn more about Tableau.

Sarah Bartlett is a Tableau Visionary with over 12 years of experience partnering with clients to deliver analytical solutions to solve complex data challenges. She is passionate about data community building, user enablement, data strategy, and helping organizations embrace a modern data culture. Sarah is a Tableau Public Ambassador, a Tableau Desktop Certified Professional, and has experience working with other BI tools. She is the founder of the famous #IronQuest community project and co-leads the London Tableau User Group. In 2020, she was recognized as a Tableau Visionary and served her fourth annual term.

Zach Bowders is a Business Intelligence Specialist at Jones Lang LaSalle, passionate about data visualization and storytelling. He has a background in data analysis and holds an MBA degree. He is particularly interested in understanding businesses and using data to drive change and improve processes. Zach is skilled in various data tools and technologies, including Tableau, SQL, and Excel, and is always looking for new ways to innovate with data.

Throughout today's episode, Sarah and Zach converse about various topics related to Tableau and data analysis. They outline what Tableau is and share how they got into the Tableau world. They also emphasize the importance of Tableau Public, where users can download the tool and access the Viz Gallery, including the "VIZ of the Day" selection that highlights exciting and cool visualizations made by the community. Moreover, they suggest downloading Tableau Public is a great way to start learning and that sharing work on social media, such as LinkedIn or Twitter, can be valuable. Also, Sarah and Zach encourage users not to be afraid to share their work publicly, as the community is generally favourable. However, they mention that different social networks attract other people and reactions. Sharing work publicly and asking for feedback is crucial for growth and improvement.

00:00 Introduction

03:50 What is Tableau?

10:51 What is Tableau Public?

14:14 Free Learning resources

18:24 Why is Storytelling in Data Important

21:50 The Future of Tableau and Data Science

29:31 How to start learning Tableau

30:35 Why you should Share Your Work

35:17 Tableau Communication Mastery

39:02 Turning Back Time - Reflecting on life lessons

Resources:

Connect with Zach & Sarah:

Zach Bowders: linkedin.com/in/zachbowders/

Sarah Bartlet: linkedin.com/in/sarah-bartlett-5a42b830/

Mentioned in the episode:

Website: tableau.com/community/iron-viz

Sara Loves Data: sarahlovesdata.co.uk/category/iron-quest/

Data + Love : podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/data-love/id1489547501

Tableau Tim: youtube.com/channel/UC7HYxRWmaNlJux-X7rNLZyw

Iron Viz: tableau.com/community/iron-viz

Viz Gallery: tableau.com/viz-gallery

Tableau Student Guide : thetableaustudentguide.com/

Makeover Monday: makeovermonday.co.uk/

Dan Carlin's Hardcore History : podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dan-carlins-hardcore-history/id173001861

The End is Always Near: Apocalyptic Moments, from the Bronze Age Collapse to Nuclear Near Misses: goodreads.com/en/book/show/49947205

In this video, Noz Urbina from Noz Urbina Consulting will discuss the importance of exceptional onmnichannel Customer Exerpeices. Noz will share techniques to help you design and achieve a great omnichannel customer experience.

Noz Urbina has years of experience in omnichannel architecture and design, and he'll be discussing how his experiences have helped him design exceptional customer experiences. If you want to improve your omnichannel customer experience, this is the video for you!

Salesforce Posse Podcast often features interviews with thought leaders or significant Salesforce ecosystem members. Yet, in this episode, we interview someone less involved in the Salesforce ecosystem. Noz Urbina, the founder of Urbina Consulting and OmnichannelX, joins today's conversation to share his knowledge and expertise on omnichannel customer experiences.

We begin with understanding what omnichannel is. Noz elaborates on the application of personalization and customer-centricity to omnichannel. He explains that omnichannel personalization is a method for pre-digesting content and making it easier for the user to ingest. In addition, we explore the omnichannel customer experience, detailing how this experience is tailored based on the customer's location and segmentation. Besides that, Noz outlines the questions an architect should ask to determine if a company is truly implementing omnichannel or merely installing multichannel under the guise of omnichannel.

Noz Urbina is a globally recognised leader in the field of content strategy and customer experience. He’s well known as a pioneer in customer journey mapping and adaptive content modelling for delivering personalised, contextually relevant content experiences in an omnichannel environment. Noz is co-founder and Programme Director of OmnichannelX. He is also co-author of the book “Content Strategy: Connecting the dots between business, brand, and benefits” and lecturer in the Masters Programme in content strategy at the University of Applied Sciences, Graz.
Noz's company, Urbina Consulting, works with the world’s largest organisations and most complex content challenges. He has assisted dozens of multinational organisations with developing or improving their content strategies, managing tool selections, pilot projects, delivering training, and guiding implementations. Clients include Johnson Pharmaceuticals & Johnson, Microsoft, Sanofi Vaccines, Mastercard, Barclays Bank, Abbott Laboratories, and many more.

[09:37] Omnichannel - What is omnichannel, and how does it work?

[16:12] Personalization - Noz adds that omnichannel personalization involves breaking down content into the right pieces and delivering them to the customer at the most relevant time.

[22:58] Customer Centricity - Difference between multichannel and omnichannel.

[24:43] OmnichannelX.digital - OmnichannelX has changed its approach from holding paid in person events yearly to hosting webinars, podcasts, and other learning materials more frequently.

[28:15] Architect's Role - How does omnichannel relate to the role of an architect?

[30:43] Customer Experience - We explore what the omnichannel consumer experience entails. Also, we further elaborate on how it is tailored based on the customer's location and segmentation.

[37:34] Data Integration - Determine how unstructured data is processed or labeled, whether it is offloaded or performed on the platform, and how the process is integrated with system components.

[39:43] Advice to Younger Self - What would Noz tell himself If he could go back in time?

Connect with Noz:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bnozurbina/

Website: urbinaconsulting.com/

Website: omnichannelx.digital/

Podcast: omnichannelx.digital/podcast/

Sponsored by AdminToArchitect.com

The Salesforce AppExchange is a marketplace for cloud-based applications that can be used with Salesforce's customer relationship management (CRM) software. No matter where you are on your Salesforce journey, you'll have access to tried-and-tested apps, that will help you tackle your particular business challenges and speed up your digital transformation. Luca Benini, COO and co-founder at Nativevideo a Salesforce AppExchange Partner and features in today's episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast to share his incredible experience at Salesforce.

Luca has been in the Salesforce ecosystem for many years and was MD of Europe for Buddy Media, a social media tool that Salesforce acquired in 2012.

Today, we started the conversation by discussing how Luca got into the Salesforce ecosystem and the world of App Exchange apps. We delve into the many types of Salesforce App Exchange apps, the creation process at a high level, the various ways in which you may monetize your app, and the best practices for making a successful app. Furthermore, Luca elaborates on why he enjoys participating in Demo Jams. Also, we discuss our favourite audiobooks, and Luca shares some words of wisdom he would give his younger self if he could travel back in time.

Resources

Connect with Luca: linkedin.com/in/lucabenini/

Audiobooks we talk about:

• Born to Run: audible.com/pd/Born-to-Run-Audiobook/B002V8KTYG
• Shantaram: audible.com/pd/Shantaram-Audiobook/B00GT1240I
• The Phoenix Project: audible.com/pd/The-Phoenix-Project-Audiobook/B00VAZZY32

When thinking of a Salesforce Architect, people usually jump to the need for a deep technical knowledge of Salesforce. But that’s only part of the picture and there are so many other skills that are important to become a highly successful Salesforce Architect. Keir Bowden, Chief Technical Officer at BrightGen, features in today's episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast to share his incredible experience at Salesforce.

Today, we talk to Keir Bowden about the value of people skills, how to handle difficult situations, and the significance of effective communication across organizational levels. We discuss the need to make things as easy to use as possible and the design principles behind this philosophy.  Also, Keir explains critical things you need to know and where to begin your training to become an architect. At last, we reach a point in the conversation where we talk about learning to say no.

Keir has worked in the information technology sector for the past three decades and is currently the Chief Technology Officer at BrightGen, a Salesforce Platinum Partner in the United Kingdom. He is responsible for the current and future technical strategy, certification and product development there. Since 2008, Keir has been developing solutions and applications on Salesforce, and Keir currently possesses a number of qualifications, including the highly sought-after Technical Architect (CTA) certification. In addition to being a Salesforce MVP, he is the author of the Visualforce Development Cookbook, a frequent blogger on topics related to Apex and Visualforce solutions, and a speaker at events such as the Salesforce World Tour, Dreamforce and London’s Calling. He maintains a blog in his leisure time, writing on Apex, Lightning Components, and the Salesforce Command Line Interface.

[02:08] Background - Who is Mr. Big Bob Buzzard?

[04:00] Soft Skills – We are all savvy with PCs, but dealing with actual humans is a different story.

[09:27] Keir's Role - Keir shares his role and objectives in the room.

[11:46] Be Simple – We discuss the importance of simplicity in design and how to achieve it.

[15:04] Difficult Conversations - Disagreement is typical at times of transition. Keir shares his ideas on how to cope with crises like these.

[20:56] Communication - The importance of communicating at different company levels.

[24:08] Key Learnings - Keir outlines the essential skills you need to become an architect and where to start learning.

[33:54] No - The art of saying "No."

Resources:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keirbowden/

A clear vision leads to understanding what an organization wants to achieve as a business. Gemma Blezard joined us today to discuss aligning salesforce architecture to organizational vision.

Gemma Blezard is the founder of The Architect Club & Ladies Be Architects. She is also a Salesforce MVP, entrepreneur, and an influencer of Salesforce architects around the world. She has talked at Salesforce and community-led conferences, including user groups, Dreamforce, Salesforce World Tour London, the Salesforce Partner Forum, French Touch Dreamin', and many more. She has won several awards, including Salesforce's Golden Hoodie (May 2018), WeAreTheCity's TechWoman100 award (2018), Salesforce MVP, BIMA100 Digital Champion for Change & Computing's ENT Role Model of the Year. In 2020, she delivered a free online salesforce training course for the unemployed and won the Digital Revolution award for Outstanding Contribution to the Salesforce ecosystem. Gemma lives in Bedford, England, United Kingdom.

During today's conversation, Francis and Gemma discussed governance in a salesforce project, following into what empathy can do for others. Gemma shares information about building a vision for her community, The architect club. Further into the conversation, they talk about the relationships between the client and the organization, how they manage risks, and the difference between a developer and architecture. Gemma shares what it is to be a part of a community with her and her journey through years with Salesforce. Wrapping up today's conversation, Gemma shares what advice she wants to give to her 20 years old self and why.

[02.47] Governance – Starting the conversation, Gemma explains what governance means in a salesforce project.

[07.05] Empathy - Gemma shares the importance of having empathy towards other people because it helps them to perform better.

[09.03] The architect club – A clear vision is a must in any organization. Gemma dives into how they take considerable time to build their vision first and then go to the others.

[13.39] Relationships – Gemma dives into customer relationships' role in an organization's well-being.

[19.51] Readiness – Gemma addresses 'readiness' as one of the most significant issues in salesforce projects.

[24.52] Open-ended questions – Gemma shares what questions are better when conversing with your clients.

[32.18] Managing risks – Managing risks is vital. Gemma shares how they manage risks and the part architecture has to play in that situation.

[39.53] Developer vs. Architecture – Francis and Gemma shares opinions about the difference between an admin or a developer and architecture.

[45.00] Working with Salesforce – Gemma shares how she joined Salesforce and her journey through the years.

[49.09] Salesforce community – A community gives a sense of belonging to anyone. Gemma talks about what it is like to be a part of the salesforce community.

[55.06] Words of wisdom – Gemma shares a piece of advice for her 20 years old self.

Resources

Connect with Gemma

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/gemmablezard/

Twitter - twitter.com/ArchitechClub

Website (Personal) - gemmablezard.com/

http://www.ladies-be-architects.com/

Sponsored by Admin To Architect Salesforce Training

As the Salesforce ecosystem expands and integrates with global business technologies, the salesforce DevOps has significantly matured and grown since it started. In today's episode of the Salesforce Posse Podcast, we are joined by Vernon Keenan to talk about the Salesforce DevOps Ecosystem and the importance of Value Stream Management.

Vernon Keenan is a Senior Industry Analyst at SalesforceDevops.net. He is an industry analyst and technologist entrepreneur who has founded businesses that use cutting-edge technology to serve customers. He is an internationally renowned Internet commerce sector analyst and thought leader. He was a pioneer in the study of how e-commerce affected the US economy. With original content and thought leadership intended to advance Salesforce app development at all levels, Vernon Keenan fills the gap between targeted market research and inspirational content. He aims to increase prospects and exposure for each participant in the Salesforce DevOps market.

During today's conversation, we dive into the current state of DevOps in the salesforce ecosystem and what value stream mapping is. Furthermore, we discuss application lifecycle management and wrapping up the conversation, Vernon shares some sites to learn more about Salesforce DevOps.

[00.57] State of DevOps – Starting the conversation, Vernon dives into the current state of DevOps in the salesforce ecosystem along with the key difference between developing systems based on salesforce and other SAS systems.

[07.23] Value Stream Mapping – Vernon defines value stream mapping and what it is trying to do.

[13.31] The platform – Vernon talks about where DevOps stand in the ecosystem, saying it's not a tool but a platform.

[18.55] Application lifecycle management - Application lifecycle management (ALM) is an integrated system of people, tools, and processes that manages software applications development, testing, maintenance, decommissioning, and retirement.

[22.06] Learning more – Vernon mentions some sites to discover more about Salesforce DevOps as well as a free learning resource for learning more.

Resources

• SalesforceDevops.net Industry Map
• Dora Metrics
• Value Stream Mapping: Digital.ai
• Gearset DevOps
• Copado
• Salesforce DevOps Center
• Prodly
• Elements.Cloud
• Atlassian Jira
• Free DevOps Training at GearSet LaunchPad

Sponsored by AdminToArchitect.com Salesforce Training

If you want to submit a question to SalesforcePosse, please do!

The Salesforce Architect Group in London is a local resource that enables Salesforce architects, administrators, and developers to learn about Salesforce features and partners and network with one another. Francis Pindar, Tom Bassett and Sam Wadhwan have kicked off the new community group in London and we talk about why we started it all off and what we want the community to get out of it.

Tom currently works for Trigg Digital as a Solution Architect. He has over five years of experience working with the Salesforce platform and is also a Salesforce application/solution architect. Tom's goal is for customers to get the most out of the CRM, maximise their return on investment, and benefit from working with him. Also, he helps to disseminate the Ohana culture by giving the broader Salesforce Community support in the form of new feature ideas and responses to questions that have been posted. On the other hand, Sam is a Salesforce-certified technical architect and the Chief Technical Architect at PwC.

During our discussion today, Sam and Tom shared their professional backgrounds and the path that led them to become a part of the Salesforce ecosystem for the first time. In addition, we discuss the widespread misperceptions surrounding architects and their work and the numerous campaigns and initiatives undertaken in recent years to dispel these misconceptions. Also, we talk about how the work of an architect needs a great degree of imagination and how important it is to explain a complicated notion in a way that is easy to understand as an architect. Moreover, Sam and Tom share what they are looking forward to experiencing in the community group, in which they highlight that it is impossible to be an expert in everything, and we must narrow our focus to our areas of expertise. Furthermore, they state that they are looking forward to the community group since they believe it will aid the architect community in London and those individuals who aspire to become Salesforce Architects.

Resources:

Connect with Sam and Tom:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tom-bassett-uk/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/samwadhwani/

Tom Bassett: trailblazer.me/id/tombassett

Sam Wadhwani: trailblazer.me/id/swadhwani

Mentioned in the episode:

Architect Group, London, UK

Register for Meetings/Events here: https://trailblazercommunitygroups.com/salesforce-architect-group-london-united-kingdom

As time passes, organisations that are using Salesforce have become more and more dependent on it. Salesforce DevOps is focused on ensuring administrators and developers can release updates and go through the software development lifecycle as efficiently as possible, with the least defects and user interruption. Jack McCurdy, Salesforce DevOps Advocate at Gearset, features in today's episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast to share his experience as a salesforce advocate.

Jack shares knowledge of DevOps throughout the salesforce ecosystem. He has spent the last few years working with businesses to establish DevOps teams and procedures, which are essential for delivering Salesforce installs successfully and fostering both business growth and customer satisfaction. His passion is supporting the creation and maintenance of outstanding cultures that serve as the pillars of DevOps best practices.

During today's conversation, we explore what DevOps is, what it provides people, and Jack’s experience working at DevOps. Jack dives into what common problems people want DevOps to find solutions to and how they make it simpler and errorless. Furthermore, he discusses the importance of metrics when measuring success and maturity, and wrapping up the conversation, Jack dives into how communication can solve problems and make a better workplace for employees.

[04.44] DevOps – DevOps is a set of practices combined with software development and IT operations. Starting the conversation, Jack dives into what DevOps is and how they help people to identify problems sooner and solve them.

[06.10] Problems – Jack dives into the common problems people come to DevOps for solutions.

[13.14] Backups – Having backups and the mental health benefits of DevOps. Jack dives into how Dora metrics are used by DevOps.

[15.58] Metrics – Jack explains how essential metrics are when measuring success or maturity.

[21.33] The phoenix project - A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win by Gene Kim.

[22.42] Mindset shift – Role changes can be difficult in the beginning. But, with the right communication, you can change the environment for employees and build a level of maturity in the organization.

Resources

• Contact Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-mccurdy/
• Gearset Website
• The Pheonix Project Book

Sponsored by: www.AdminToArchitect.com

Find out more at: https://salesforceposse.com/what-is-salesforce-devops/

In this episode of the Salesforce Posse podcast, we invited Quratulain Tariq; co-founder of PakDreamin’, a Salesforce Certified Sr. App Engineer at Ortoo to today’s episode we share her fascinating journey with the Salesforce community. Quratulain graduated in 2017 as a software engineer in Pakistan and expected to go into another quality assurance, but in the end, became employed by the UK company Ortoo. Then after searching for the term ‘salesforce.’ She then realised that there’s a whole community out there on Salesforce, and by joining the London’s Calling DemoJam live streaming picked up the Salesforce bug and got hooked. Then she got into Trailhead and started creating her own Trailhead internal community at work.

Quratulain became a salesforce MVP; an award given by Salesforce to people with expert Salesforce knowledge who share their experiences to help others achieve in Salesforce. In addition, she collaborated in starting the Pakistan Dreamin’ event, where they had 700 - 1000 registrants, which was a great platform for Pakistani people to connect with trailblazers and different companies and countries and really did put the Pakistan Salesforce community on the global map. Pakistan Dreamin’ happened in August this year.

During today’s conversation, we dive into how Quratulain learned about Salesforce and what kind of value people can get from joining a community. Then, Quratulain shares how she became a Salesforce MVP. In addition to that, we explore Pakistan Dreaming, what it is, what opportunities it gives people, how it opens doors to another level of Salesforce for people, and more. At the end of the conversation, Quratulain shares a piece of lifelong advice to people hoping to make a career in Salesforce by saying, be yourself, don’t beat yourself too much over something, and you will get there eventually, whatever your goal is.

At Salesforce Posse, we interview influencers in the Salesforce ecosystem so that we can gain a better understanding of how to excel in a career path from a Salesforce Admin or Developer to an Architect.

[01.45] Learning about Salesforce – Quratulain walks us through how she got into Salesforce and how she found out there’s a whole salesforce community out there.

[04.21] The value of community  – The joy of having a community that has your back in times of need and the acceptance of anyone without concern where they come from as the value of having a community, says Quratulain.

[11.45] Becoming Salesforce MVP – Quratulain shares the moment when she became a salesforce MVP and how she processed becoming an MVP.

[15.35] Dreaming events – Quratulain dives into how dreaming events are organized in the US and around the world and what value those events have for those communities.

[17.48] Pakistan dreaming – First community-led conference within the salesforce ecosystem in Pakistan.

[24.26] Advice for Youngsters – Stop comparing and bringing value to your community in what way you can as the advice that she gives to her younger self, says Quratulain.

Connect with Quratulain

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/salesforcequrat/?originalSubdomain=pk

Twitter - https://mobile.twitter.com/iqurattariq

Resources Mentioned in the Podcast

Indeed Jobs: https://www.indeed.com/

PakDreamin: https://pakdreamin.com/

Salesforce Community Conferences: https://trailhead.salesforce.com/community/conferences

Salesforce Community Events: https://trailblazercommunitygroups.com/