We get it – the end of the year is busy. Whether you're wrapping up your year-end programs, planning for next year, and still trying to make time to celebrate with friends and family, there's plenty on all of our to-do lists. Missed some of the posts published on the Salesforce Blog this week? Not to worry, we've summarized some of the top posts for you to add to your reading list — no #longreads here!

1. Our Path to Equality: The Salesforce Annual Update

This week Salesforce published our annual diversity numbers to ensure transparency regarding our workforce composition, and hold ourselves accountable for progress. Research has shown that companies that invest in Equality — such as diversity programs and equal pay — and lead with values have a competitive advantage over those who do not. We are honored to be recognized by Fortune as one of the best workplaces for diversity, but we know there is much more work to be done. Salesforce's Chief Equality Officer Tony Prophet shares some of the key findings from the report, as well as reflections on progress made in 2017.

2. For Trailblazers, Success Looks Like This

We love the opportunity to hear directly from our Trailblazers. We put out a fill-in-the-blank prompt on Twitter that said, “Success looks like...” We were blown away by the incredibly insightful, moving responses from the Salesforce community. See what our Trailblazers had to say.

3. How AI, Predictive Analytics, and Apps Can Close the Customer Experience Gap

It is no longer a debate: Companies who provide great customer experiences will be winners in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. But acknowledging the importance of customer experience is one thing, having the technology in place to undertake the cultural and organizational change to achieve great customer experiences is a different matter. Salesforce's Chief Value Officer Robert DeSisto digs into why, despite massive technology advancements, companies still struggle to close the customer experience gap.

4. 5 Founders Reveal Their Most Trusted Business Advisors

We all need trusted advisors in our careers, but when you're starting a business, that need for mentorship, advice, and feedback grows immensely. We caught up with five founders at Dreamforce and got their input on the mentors and advisors who have helped them navigate the choppy waters of starting a new business.

5. 3 Strategic Factors to Consider Other Than the Size of Your Email List

Email continues to be the #1 ROI-generator of any marketing channel. As such, many marketers are understandably focused (read: obsessed) with growing their email lists. While the size of your list is important, it is not the only factor to think about as you build and grow your email program. Here are three additional elements of an email marketing strategy to consider other than email list size.

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