Talent Hub Talk

Meradith Stretz on developing her skills to build a successful freelance Salesforce career

In today's episode, we're joined by freelance Salesforce Administrator and Manager, all the way from Kansas City in the USA, Meradith Stretz.

 

Meradith shares her journey into the world of I.T and Salesforce, having excelled in the Arts in her education and early career, and how that came about.

 

She talks us through the challenges she's overcome in her previous roles, how she has built on and progressed her skills, and her approach to self-learning.

 

Meradith takes a strategic approach when working with new customers, and she explains how she's able to add value quickly, and drive adoption through the angle of understanding.

 

Meradith's story is inspiring, and it's a candid chat where we explore self-doubt and believing in ourselves to achieve greatness.

 

Make sure you're following Meradith on LinkedIn, and a big thank you to Chris Hopper for making the introduction.

 

Enjoy the episode!

PART 2: Ben Duncombe on the ANZ Salesforce Talent Survey 2021: Insights

In this week’s episode, we cover the results of Talent Hub’s annual ANZ Salesforce Survey, of which Part 2 focuses on the results from Salesforce professionals.

 

You can download your copy of the ANZ Salesforce Market Survey here. In this podcast, listen to Ben’s response to the data, what he believes that it means and why, and how it compares to what he’s seeing on the ground day-to-day.

 

We look at what Salesforce professionals look for in a new role, where their ambitions lie, and where they most want to work, amongst other data points.

 

You can also take a peek back at our 2020 survey to see how the market has evolved over the last 12 months.

 

We hope that you enjoy the episode!

 

PART 1: Ben Duncombe on the ANZ Salesforce Manager Survey 2021: Insights

In this week's episode, we cover the results of Talent Hub's annual ANZ Salesforce Survey, of which Part 1 focuses on the results from Salesforce managers, followed by next week, where we bring you insights from Salesforce professionals.

 

You can download your copy of the ANZ Salesforce Market Survey here, and in this podcast, listen to Ben's response to the data, what he believes that it means and why, and how it compares to what he's seeing on the ground day-to-day.

 

We look at what Salesforce managers are prioritising when making new hires, how many expect to expand their teams in the next 12 months, and which Salesforce-related Clouds/products are predicted to see the most growth, amongst other data points.

 

Whilst this survey relates to the Australia and New Zealand regions, we'd love to know whether it falls in line with your region. Tell us in a written review in whichever app you use to listen to your podcasts what you're seeing, as we're keen to hear from other regions.

 

You can also take a peek back at our 2020 survey to see how the market has evolved over the last 12 months.

 

We hope that you enjoy the episode!

Fahad Akhtar on helping other aspiring Salesforce CTAs pass the Review Board

In today's episode we're joined by Salesforce CTA and Global CTA Academy Lead at Accenture, Fahad Akhtar.

 

He shares his early career and background, including his early roles and projects as he became a part of the Salesforce ecosystem.

 

Hailing from Pakistan, Fahad explained his move to Australia, his reasons for selecting this part of the world, and how he stepped up from a Technical Consultant to a Technical Architect through the transition.

 

Having achieved his CTA credential a few years ago, he talks us through his preparation, gaps, self-motivation, and experience of pursuing the ambitious goal, plus how it felt when he finally passed.

 

Today Fahad supports others in achieving the CTA through the Global CTA Academy that he leads, and he shares valuable tips and advice in this episode for putting your best foot forward.

 

Make sure you're following Fahad on LinkedIn to stay connected, and that you check out our episode sponsors, FlowRepublic for details about their Elite Salesforce Academy coaching.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Carl Vescovi on the evolution of the Salesforce market in ANZ and his views on the current market

In today's episode, we speak with Senior Principal at Slalom in Victoria, Australia, Carl Vescovi.

 

Carl has a unique perspective on the Salesforce market in the ANZ region given that he was one of the early professionals in the space and so we were interested to hear what it was really like back then. We hear about what implementations typically looked like in the past, as well as the Salesforce talent pool and how it has evolved.

 

We look back at his previous roles and how he was first drawn into the Salesforce space, including transitioning from sales into delivery, and what he has learned from his broad range of experiences.

 

We look at the elements that are challenging for customers in the current market and given the growing number of vacant Salesforce Developer roles which currently exist in an environment which increasingly favours clicks over code, why this could be the case. What does a Senior Developer actually look like in 2021?

 

Carl has built solutions himself which he shares with other Salesforce professionals and so we were interested to hear more about them, as well as what keeps him engaged and excited about the future of the platform.

 

Make sure you're following Carl on LinkedIn and we hope you enjoy the episode!

Seamus Ruiz-Earle on an alternative approach to Salesforce consulting and providing opportunity for students with a passion for technology

In today's episode, we speak with USA-based Founder of the Salesforce consulting business, Carabiner Group, Seamus Ruiz-Earle.

 

Seamus has a very interesting story, having challenged a number of obstacles that many initially find, either when starting out their careers, or building a business. It was inspiring to hear how Seamus first secured the opportunity to work on Salesforce projects and build on his skills and experience, and how circumstances led him to launch his own business.

 

Seamus shares how the model he developed for Carabiner Group differs from the standard consulting model, how this retained model works, and the pain points that their point of difference addresses for their clients.

 

We talk about scaling a business, the approach that he takes to hiring talent, and how he introduces students to the Salesforce ecosystem and accelerates their learning. Seamus shares insights into the period that it takes for new hires to ramp up, and the tasks and responsibilities that they take ownership of.

 

Finally, we discuss his plans for the future and how he sees Carabiner Group evolving and growing.

 

This episode will be useful to people who are interested in finding out more about becoming a part of the Salesforce ecosystem, whether currently studying or working, plus those considering starting their own business. 

 

Do make sure you're following Seamus on LinkedIn for more content and insights, and that you check out Carabiner Group.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

BONUS Q&A: Salesforce careers and the current market with Chris Hopper and Ben Duncombe

In today's episode, we share a LinkedIn Live Q&A with previous guest, USA-based Salesforce Recruiter, Christopher Hopper.

 

Chris and Ben take a host of candid questions from our audience around all kinds of Salesforce job-related topics and answer them based on their experience and current market trends. They cover a broad range and so there may be a question there that you've been wondering yourself.

 

We regularly catch up with Chris on the podcast, as he's a popular voice with our listeners on the job market. There are several previous episodes that we recorded at past Dreamforce events and throughout the year with him, including insightful conversations with others in the ecosystem, for candid chats, predictions and observations. If you've missed any of these, then head back through the show to catch up on what you missed.

 

Christopher comes from a technical background himself which gives him a unique insight, and he's a valuable voice and content creator to follow on social media. 

You can find him on LinkedIn, or visit his website for articles, videos, and information.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Mark Tossell on the power of analytics and weaponising your data

In today's episode, we speak with Practice Lead of Visioneer360, Mark Tossell, on the subject of analytics, machine learning, and the data space.

 

We first recorded with Mark back in 2018, when Visioneer360 was first launching, and so we thought it was time to catch up again to find out how the business and his role have evolved, particularly given the flurry of acquisition activity which has been happening in the space.

 

Throughout the episode, we discuss products and their capabilities, how they are shaping industries, and the innovation which has been occurring in a world where we've been pushing to transform with remote work. 

 

We talk about opportunities businesses have to harness their own data, and how powerful having insights and using them is, in transforming organisations to be more efficient, productive, and profitable.

 

The episode will be useful to people interested in data and analytics, AI, BI, and machine learning amongst other topics, and Mark gives his insights into how industries are doing analytics well, and of course, what excites him about the future of the platform.

 

You can check out the Visioneer360 website for further details on what we've discussed in the episode.

 

Do make sure you're following Mark on LinkedIn and Twitter for more content and insights, and look out for his upcoming book, on his website, A Most Unlikely Trailblazer where you'll also find blogs such as:

 

Are you confused about Einstein, Tableau and Tableau CRM?

Tableau or Einstein Analytics - which is best for you?

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Bradley Rice on helping individuals level up their Salesforce careers and the world of independent consulting

In today's episode, we speak with USA-based Founder of TalentStacker, and independent Salesforce Consultant, Bradley Rice.

 

Bradley has carved a successful career and business for himself, aligning to his commitments of achieving genuine work-life balance, through independent consulting, or freelance work. We discuss how he first became introduced to the idea of freelancing, and the strategies he's adopted to grow his business. He shares the challenges that he faces, how he overcomes them, and how it has led to the inception of helping others do the same.

 

Throughout the episode, we discuss his Salesforce career and the path that he took, as well as where the idea first originated to start his business, TalentStacker, to help individuals start their Salesforce careers, and Salesforce professionals level up their careers. We discuss the impact that 2020 and the emergence of remote working has had on the market, and what excites him about the opportunities that it opens up.

 

The episode will be useful to people who are interested in finding out more about freelancing in the Salesforce ecosystem, and likewise, if you're new to the space, or are considering moving roles. Bradley has tips for optimising your odds of success and how to secure a role outside of searching on job boards.

 

Do make sure you're following Bradley on LinkedIn and Twitter for more content and insights, and you can check out TalentStacker on LinkedIn and via their website.

 

Bradley also has a YouTube channel called 'Salesforce for Everyone' that features a number of value-packed videos, and so make sure you subscribe to be notified of new content being published.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Tameem Bahri on writing "Becoming A Salesforce Certified Technical Architect" and helping Salesforce professionals on their journey to CTA

In today's episode, we speak with UK-based Certified Technical Architect and European Salesforce CTO at Capgemini, Tameem Bahri, about the release of his book, "Becoming A Salesforce Certified Technical Architect". 

 

Throughout the episode, we discuss his Salesforce career, his journey to CTA, and where the idea first originated to write a book. 

 

Having led CTA development programmes in large SI's previously, we delve into what makes people ready to take on the Review Board, how the role of Architect has changed over the years, and the common problems that he sees within the architecture space. We talk about the contents of the book, and how it covers example-led architectural strategies and best practices.

 

The episode will also be useful to people preparing for a career in Salesforce, and Tameem gives his insights into the non-technical side of the skills spectrum, and of course, what excites him about the future of the platform.

 

You can order your copy of "Becoming A Certified Technical Architect" online here. Electronic versions can also be purchased at Kindle.

 

Do make sure you're following Tameem on LinkedIn for more content and insights, and we look forward to seeing your posts and tweets about the book on our social feeds.

 

We'd like to thank our sponsors, FlowRepublic, the Elite Salesforce Academy for their support in bringing this episode to you, and we hope you enjoy both the podcast episode and the read!