I moved to Portland in 2012 with energy and optimism, but without a job. Within six months, I was fortunate enough to find a job, in part due to having “Salesforce” on my resume. I’d first used Salesforce as an AmeriCorps member. I input volunteer statistics, and when I learned that my data helped my boss secure grants and partners, I was sold. Let’s share and relate our data! Let’s make informed decisions by looking at colorful dashboards!
When I resumed using Salesforce in 2012, I was thrilled to learn more about its mechanics and capabilities, and that there was a thriving, creative community of learning – nationwide, but more impactful for me, right here in my new home.
The more admins, devs or users that I meet, the more grateful I am to be part of this conversation, particularly in Portland. The passion, curiosity, and kindness shared by my local Salesforce advocates is very exciting to me. Not too long ago, I avoided learning many new things; if I built my skill set, I was facing the possibility of failure. Thankfully, I tackled my fear, and have been actively pursuing my goals and learning a lot, including Salesforce tips, tricks, and new possibilities. For instance, I launched a bimonthly Trailhead working group, to create accountability for myself and others to utilize the tool and earn badges. In the case of Salesforce, the more I learn, the more I approach my work and career with curiosity and passion.
To be clear, I’m not inspired simply by the force.com platform – the local people I meet are also fascinating! I realized that attending local events can really help drive you. Although I enjoyed Dreamforce (thanks for the sweet backpack), the scale is so macro! From the HOTs in grand ballrooms, to the “big picture” presentations, to the sheer number of attendees, it is easy to become overwhelmed. While I felt inspired and learned new things at Dreamforce, after the flight home, it was hard for me to put those feelings into action. When I attended my first user group event, I found a space with similar energy to Dreamforce, but in this space, I was able to make myself heard, while listening to inspiring, approachable people. In my own city, I found more fuel to help me get things done.
These are just some of the reasons that I am excited to attend Forcelandia this July. I’m excited to be surrounded by this energy, without even crossing the river. I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear from wise, interesting minds, from Leah McGowan-Hare, an inspiring Salesforce trainer, to Amber Neill Boaz, who was captivating and extraordinarily helpful at an 8 a.m. Dreamforce session, to Melissa Prcic, who has shown me the amazing apps she’s built while we sip our beers.
At Forcelandia, I look forward to learning about things that are new to me, and being surrounded by people who have been sparked by possibility. Admins, Devs, Trailblazers, Users, Portlanders – will you be there learning with me?