It’s Independents Week at 10K and we’re celebrating by profiling successful Salesforce entrepreneurs from the 10K Expert Community. Follow along with us at #IndependentsWeek as we give a peek into each person’s journey to independence, lessons learned along the way, and advice for others who might be interested in joining the thriving Salesforce ecosystem.
Can you tell us a bit about your business?
I recently founded 10X Cloud Value, a boutique consulting shop dedicated to helping Salesforce customers build their own Center of Excellence to accelerate value creation.
I recently founded 10X Cloud Value, a boutique consulting shop dedicated to helping Salesforce customers build their own Center of Excellence to accelerate value creation.
In short, I help customers get their money’s worth from their investment.
I’ve been in the Salesforce ecosystem for 16+ years and I realized that many Salesforce customers struggle with common challenges that get in the way of getting the most value and they can benefit from learning from “best-in-class” COEs. In fact, 10K’s COE handbook confirmed my hypothesis. 91% of companies that report the highest levels of ROI from Salesforce have a COE in place, but 40% of customers aren’t taking advantage of its benefits.
How did you know it was time to go independent?
I transitioned from Deloitte at the end of 2020 and I took a mini-sabbatical. The pandemic created a lot of clarity to prioritize a healthier lifestyle where I can better balance work with family. I also had multiple headhunters interested in my background and Salesforce expertise. Therefore, I decided to formalize my consulting business and that led me to create my company.
What is the best part about being your own boss in the Salesforce ecosystem?
Flexibility. I love the freedom to be selective about my clients and projects.
I love the freedom to be selective about my clients and projects.
Salesforce also provides access to many valuable resources, like Trailhead, to help me keep my skills sharp. The sense of community is also awesome and a unique aspect of the ecosystem.
Another bonus is no longer having to spend time dealing with corporate politics. When you work on your own, time is money, every hour matters and there is no time for nonsense meetings. I’m enjoying this new stage of being an entrepreneur and having the choice to choose what success looks like.
Are there any lessons you can share with those who are starting their own Salesforce consultancy?
Remain focused. Don’t try to offer everything or the world to everyone. Pick a niche where you can add value and resist the temptation to go after shiny objects.
Remain focused. Don’t try to offer everything or the world to everyone. Pick a niche where you can add value and resist the temptation to go after shiny objects.
It also helps to be a door opener. Try volunteering in the ecosystem to build relationships and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! The Salesforce community is incredibly supportive. Try creating a list of things you’re good at then reach out to people you trust – potential clients, colleagues, even friends – and ask for their feedback. This exercise helped steer the initial direction of my company.
Also, try not to overthink trivial things like the colors of your logo. You need to make decisions, accept them, and move on. This will help you keep momentum and make progress because let’s be honest, there’s a lot of work to be done when starting your own consultancy.
Enjoy the small successes; it’s part of the journey!
Enjoy the small successes; it’s part of the journey!
What about the Salesforce ecosystem’s future gets you excited?
Salesforce is going to double its revenue by 2026. That means there’s enough pie on the table for everyone! And with that, I’m also eager to see the outcome of all the latest acquisitions including Slack, Tableau, etc.. so I can evolve my services to meet the needs of my clients and take on new ones.
And, of course, Dreamforce 2021. I know it’s going to be a more intimate event than in past years, but I can’t wait to see what they’ll do and I look forward to connecting with my colleagues again.