Talent Hub Talk

Nikunj Doshi on Salesforce enthusiast to CTA

In today's episode, we're joined by Salesforce Manager and Certified Technical Architect, Nikunj Doshi.

 

Nikunj has an interesting story, having begun his career in sales and business development, before first learning to code as part of an intensive training program with Infosys in India. He explains what the training campus and the culture are like, as part of one of these large intakes, and how he found the program as a way to learn.

 

Having worked as a Tech Lead for a broad range of international clients in India following his completion of the program, Nikunj went on to relocate to Australia. With the support of mentors and peers, he worked his way into an architecture role, and pursued the CTA credential.

 

Nikunj walks us through his two Review Board attempts, what he learned, and how he was able to achieve the elusive pass, the second time around. He gives valuable tips and insights for others who have also the ambition to become a Certified Technical Architect.

 

We discuss the Developer role, and it's day-to-day challenges; the issue of poor quality code, and the importance of conscientiousness in this area.

 

It was great to catch up with Nikunj and hear his story, including how he immersed himself in the ecosystem when he first arrived in Australia. Definitely follow him on LinkedIn to continue to follow his story!

 

We'd like to thank our sponsors for this episode, FlowRepublic, the elite Salesforce Academy, who are experts in coaching other aspiring CTA's through their preparation.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

 

Jordan Nelson on the value of creating a personal brand and how to get started at any level of Salesforce experience

In today's episode, we're joined by USA based Senior Applications Administrator, Jordan Nelson on the topic of content and personal branding.

 

Jordan shares how he first became a part of the Salesforce ecosystem and what his personal journey has looked like, as well as why he decided to document his journey, and share it with others.

 

He explains how to get started with selecting your topics even if you're a Salesforce beginner, the automation tools that he recommends for efficiency, and the many benefits of cultivating a personal brand.

 

People can sometimes be hesitant of sharing online, due to fears of being negatively received, and Jordan opens up on his own experiences, and the best way to deal with this mindset, and how to approach any less than positive exchanges.

 

As a person passionate about digital innovation, Jordan talks us through the various social platforms which he holds in high regard and why, as well as the newer platforms that he's experimenting with, both as a content creator and consumer in his day to day life. Are you using these?

 

Jordan has some exciting plans for the future which he shares in the episode, and so do make sure you're following him on LinkedIn, and that you subscribe to his YouTube channel and podcast, Head In The Clouds.

 

We hope you enjoy this episode, and we look forward to seeing your own content very soon!

Bibhu Pati on his path to Salesforce CTA and framing failure as a stepping stone to success

In today's episode, we're joined by Melbourne based Salesforce CTA, Bibhu Pati. Bibhu is the CRM Practice Director at AFDigital and has an interesting background, having worked across the Salesforce ecosystems of India, Germany, and now Australia.

 

Bibhu hadn't initially set out on a career in I.T, and he explains in the episode how he transitioned from Sales into I.T, and how the two skillsets have complemented one another and enabled him to develop in his career.

 

With both offshore experience in India and onshore project experiences in Germany and Australia, Bibhu has had challenges to navigate throughout this time, including setbacks as he pursued the goal of passing the CTA Review Board, which is known to have a painstakingly low pass rate.

 

However, Bibhu has persevered and overcome difficult moments to turn situations around, and he talks us through his mindset approach and the influences that he's embraced on his journey, in the form of coaches, mentors, and study buddies.

 

He shares insights on the projects he's worked on, the differences he sees in joining organisations at various stages of their growth, and his exciting plans for the future. Do make sure you're following Bibhu on LinkedIn as he's happy to connect with like-minded individuals, and we hope you enjoy this episode.

 

A big thank you as always to our episode sponsor, FlowRepublic, the elite Salesforce Academy. You can find out more about how they can enhance your own career by visiting their website and following them on LinkedIn for further information.

Cameron Cronin on the early days of Salesforce consulting, his personal journey to CTA, leading teams and experiencing different cultures

In today's episode, we're joined by Cameron Cronin, who is a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect and Principal Director at Accenture, based in the UK.

 

Hailing from Australia, Cameron first began his Salesforce career in Sydney a decade ago, and he shares with us what it was like to be a part of an emerging market, and how his skills and experience have led him across the globe. We think you'll find it fascinating to hear about the market back then, and how it has changed, in detail.

 

Having previously worked at Tquila UK, a highly regarded organisation that was able to cultivate talent to convert a high number of CTA's, Cameron describes his time there, and the reasons why so many achieved the elusive credential and have gone on to do great things in their careers. As one of their first CTA's, Cameron talks about what his own CTA journey was like, and how the Architect role itself has changed over the years, as Salesforce has evolved and acquired further capabilities. Having been a CTA for a number of years, he sheds light on the traits of the very best Architects, and how he identifies whether a person is near ready for the Review Board.

 

As a manager of large teams, Cameron gives insight into his own journey as a manager, particularly given that he is technical himself, and the qualities that he looks for when hiring, including on the non-technical side. 

 

All in all, a really interesting episode to kick off 2021, from a valuable perspective by Cameron given his tenure in the ecosystem. Make sure you're following him on LinkedIn, and that you check out our episode sponsor, FlowRepublic, who are masters in coaching and mentoring aspiring CTAs.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Brooks Johnson on pivoting from a career in the military to Salesforce Development

In today's episode, we're joined by Brooks Johnson, who is a Senior Salesforce Developer and creator of the Brooks Johnson Salesforce Developer YouTube channel, based in the US.

 

Brooks comes from a non-technical background, having served in the US military for a number of years, and so his story is particularly interesting. He shares how he first became acquainted with Salesforce, the concept of coding, and the Developer career path that he set his sights on.

 

We discuss which tools and resources he used to upskill, and which of those he'd recommend to others in a similar position with the ambition to pivot into a Salesforce career, particularly within the development space. 

 

Brooks is a passionate and skilled content creator, and we enjoyed finding out more about the topics he covers on his YouTube channel and how they can help others. He's had an inspiring career path since becoming a Salesforce Developer, and we talk about the opportunities which have come to him, and his plans for the future.

 

Make sure you're following Brooks on LinkedIn and YouTube to benefit from his content and videos, in which we're sure you'll find a lot of value.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

 

Pei Mun Lim on effective project management and empowering others in their learning

In today's episode, we're joined by Pei Mun Lim, who is an experienced Project and Programme Manager in the Salesforce space, based in the UK.

 

Pei shares her insights around how she first carved out her career in the industry and the path that has led her more specifically into the Salesforce ecosystem. She explains what her first projects looked like, and the lessons that she's learnt along the way which have enabled her to grow in her effectiveness. 

 

She explains the Project Manager Iron Triangle principle and the key differences between the responsibilities of a Project Manager versus a Programme Manager, as the two are often confused.

 

Pei shares her views on the skills and values within team members that she has found to be the most successful on her projects, and the management style which she adopts to steer her team and their deliverables to the best outcomes.

 

Pei has been helping others by sharing her skills and knowledge in recent times. She explains the ways in which she's been doing this, how she hopes it can assist others in their learning, and in getting the best out of their implementations and their teams.

 

Make sure you're following Pei on LinkedIn to find out how you can get involved in her courses yourself.

 

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Karishma Lalwani on work speaking louder than individual differences, and the journey to CTA

In today's episode, we're joined by US-based Salesforce CTA and Director for Product Management at Salesforce, Karishma Lalwani.

 

Karishma shares her story of why she first embarked upon a career in I.T and computer science, and how it has led her to the point in her career that she's at today.

 

Having achieved the Salesforce CTA credential, she sheds some light on what this journey was like for her, why she set it as a goal for herself, and how it has enabled her to progress from architecture, into the role that she holds today, with Salesforce.

 

Having worked in situations frequently where females are under-represented previously, she talks us through how she has approached this, the observations she's made, and how she has overcome challenges around self-confidence in the past.

 

 

We talk about what traits some of the very best Architects that she's worked with possess, and why these are important, and she shares tips for aspiring Architects to adopt.

 

It was very interesting to hear about what Karishma is passionate about for the future of the platform, and so make sure you're following her on LinkedIn to keep up to date with her future speaking engagements and content.

 

We'd like to say a big thank you to our episode sponsor, FlowRepublic, the elite Salesforce academy. You can find their website and further details about their courses, here.

 

Enjoy the episode!

Saurabh Gupta on the data privacy space and launching a product on the AppExchange

In today's episode, we're joined by Saurabh Gupta, Founder of Plumcloud Labs, a Salesforce partner, and AppExchange product business, specialising in the data privacy space.

 

Saurabh comes from a Siebel background himself, and we spoke to him about his career in the Salesforce ecosystem, the roles that he's played, including his previous role at Salesforce, and what prompted him to launch Plumcloud Labs.

 

We talk about the idea for the product and how he saw the opportunity and gap in the market, his strategy for scaling by bringing specific expertise into the team, and the process of launching a product on the AppExchange.

 

Saurabh shares valuable insights around starting and running a business, the growth of the data privacy space, and the future for Salesforce enterprise customers globally. We think you'll find the episode an interesting listen and so make sure you're following Saurabh on LinkedIn for further updates, and that you check out the Plumcloud Labs company page and website for further details.

 

Enjoy the chat!

Michael Diamond on launching a consulting business during a pandemic and being future fit for a post-COVID world

In today's episode, we're joined by Michael Diamond, Founder of Arcturious, a recently launched Salesforce Partner based in Sydney.

 

Michael comes from a sales and account management background, and we spoke to him about his career in the Salesforce ecosystem, the roles that he's played, his MBA, and what prompted him to launch Arcturious.

 

Starting a business during the COVID period comes with its own set of unique challenges, and Michael shares not only the reasons behind some of the decisions that he's made but how he has shaped the culture and set the business up to thrive in a post-COVID environment.

 

We talk about how the market has changed and the reasons why it's evolved, and signs which indicate what the future of work could look like in Australia. In a time of emerging trends, we talk about how they've implemented a virtual first approach.

 

Michael shares valuable insights around resilience and adaptability, and we think you'll find the episode an interesting listen, wherever you sit in the Salesforce ecosystem. Make sure you're following Michael on LinkedIn, and that you check out the Arcturious website and company page for further details.

 

Enjoy the chat!

BONUS EPISODE: Jim Hutcherson and Dipanker "DJ" Jyoti on co-authoring "Salesforce Architect's Handbook"

In today's bonus episode, we speak with US-based Architects, Jim Hutcherson and Dipanker "DJ" Jyoti, about the release of their book, the "Salesforce Architect's Handbook", and the value that it can provide aspiring and existing Architects.

 

We discuss their Salesforce careers, how they first came to meet, where the idea first originated from, and the gap in the market that it caters for.

 

If you're aware that there is material available out there, but like many, can find it a little sporadic and disjointed to wrap your head around, the "Salesforce Architect's Handbook" brings it all together for you, reignites your passion for architecture, and is a must-read if you're aiming for the CTA. 

 

You can pre-order your copy online here for a January delivery date, with 20% of profits being donated to St Jude Children's Hospital:

 

https://amzn.to/2KCcpuY

 

Electronic versions can also be purchased at www.apress.com and Kindle.

 

Do make sure you're following Jim on LinkedIn and Twitter, and DJ on LinkedIn for upcoming announcements and insights.

 

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!