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Trailblazers are lifelong learners who drive innovation. They’re curious. They 're problem solvers They’re passionate about improving the world they live in. They believe learning can be fun. They know how to take what they learn and turn it into a job well done. And they care about empowering others to access the same opportunities, no matter who they are.
Most of all, Trailblazers leave a path for others to follow.
/treyl-bley-zer/noun
(1) a pioneer; an innovator; a lifelong learner; a mover and shaker.
(2) a leader who leaves a path for others to follow.
(3) most importantly, a person who builds a better world for others.
With the launch of Trailhead in 2014, we dared to introduce the idea that learning enterprise software could be fun. More than fun, it could also open doors for anyone anywhere who wanted to pursue a career in tech. Over the last two years, we’ve witnessed the passion this idea set ablaze in our Trailblazer community as they build their careers on Salesforce.
Each of the trailblazers have blazed their own trail with Salesforce. Learn more about a few trailblazers below:
What was your first experience with Salesforce?
Once I started the job as an admin, I started learning everything I could about Salesforce. I was amazed when I saw what I could do with points and clicks. Every possibility was right at the tip of your finger, just by clicking your mouse. I started building workflow rules, importing data, you name it. After a month of working as an admin, my manager said I should write a trigger. I had no idea what Apex was! I went to the community for help and eventually I was able to write a very basic trigger. After experiencing the platform, I knew that I wanted to become a developer. So I studied really hard and got my certification!
What is your biggest #TrailheadWin?
The company I work for, Great Wave, needed to develop an offline iOS app for Salesforce, but I had no idea how to integrate Salesforce with an iOS app. Luckily, there was a whole trail on building iOS apps with the Mobile SDK on Trailhead. That was a lifesaver. It covered everything I needed to learn -- templates, SmartStore, and more. I was so relieved when I found it. I started applying what I learned from Trailhead to build the app. Trailhead saved the project.
What does being a Trailblazer mean to you?
If you get to say you're a Trailblazer, it’s like saying you're an Olympic Athlete who won a medal. It’s like saying you're always keen to learn, which not everyone is. When I hear Trailblazer, it makes me proud.
How did you get your start with Salesforce?
I was what's known as an "accidental admin," about seven years ago I was working for a venture-capital firm in Ohio using a different tool to manage our investor deal flow. One day my boss came to me and said, "We're going to try Salesforce, and you're going to be the administrator." I had never heard of Salesforce before and figured it would become just another part of my job. However, once I got introduced to Salesforce and started using it, it quickly became the most important part of my role. I realized how much I could contribute to the company and how much I could automate if I really mastered this platform.
How did Salesforce open doors for you?
I went from having never heard about Salesforce to being able to relocate to an area I’ve been wanting to move to for years, all because I had in-demand Salesforce skills! I found out about my new job on the Salesforce Success Community and was able to reach out and get my name on the top of the candidate list!
What does being a Trailblazer mean to you?
Being a Trailblazer means being willing to get out in front, try new challenges, break new ground, make mistakes and fail but still persevere to get something accomplished. To me, that’s a Trailblazer.
What keeps you motivated to learn with Trailhead?
Trailhead motivates me by allowing me to design my own education. I’m able to directly look for the feature I’m very interested in, get the hands-on experience I need to fully absorb the new concepts or features, and all the while have a fun time. For me, this way of learning Salesforce is much easier than in the days before Trailhead. I don’t learn fairly complex processes well by reading large PDF documents. The humor and fun of Trailhead, combined with the hands-on challenges, are what keep me going.
How has Trailhead impacted your company?
We used to train new employees ourselves and arduously personalize lessons for each individual. Now we're using Trailhead and the trainings are a much higher quality and infinitely easier to arrange! We just show them the set of modules they need to do depending on their role in the company. Trailhead has become a part of our onboarding journey. New employees can do modules at their own pace. Everyone wins. Everyone saves time.
What does being a Trailblazer mean to you?
Being a Trailblazer means keeping up with the trends, staying curious, and continuing learning. With Salesforce, the technology is always getting stronger and Trailblazers keep up with this. If someone wants to be hired in the Salesforce ecosystem and does not have any Trailhead badges, I worry for them.
To learn more, check out The Trailblazer on Medium and see more Trailblazer stories here. Blaze trails and earn badges on Trailhead — happy learning!
