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Sunday marked the unofficial beginning of Dreamforce '14, with a schedule of pre-conference activities that included an inspiring panel of leading women in technology.

The panel, led by Salesforce SVP of Partner Programs Neeracha Taychakhoonavudh, featured a stellar lineup:

Panelists started by introducing themselves, and most shared stories of early determination and purpose. McCorcle, for instance, mentioned losing a ball behind the sofa when she was just three — and being found, by her mother, physically moving the sofa to get the ball. At that point, McCorcle says, her mother realized that McCorcle "could do anything." 

They spoke about their childhood dream jobs — which ranged from an astronaut to a teacher — and their mentoring relationships (pro tip: have lots of mentors, and rely on them for different things at different times). On the subject of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's recent comment on women's pay came up, the panelists advised women to build their negotiating skills rather than waiting for someone to notice their success. "Karma is not a strategy," Blackmore noted.

"I have never gotten what I wanted unless I asked for what I needed," Lea added.

At the end of the panel, a cake appeared onstage — a celebration of five years of Girly Geeks, the women in technology group started by Salesforce MVP Geraldine Gray at Dreamforce in 2010. If you're at Dreamforce, learn more about women in technology events here.