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I recently called a friend that I hadn't spoken to for a couple of years. He asked what I was doing for work these days, having known me for 15 years as a Baptist pastor. I hesitated at first, then answered, “I am the CIO of a business intelligence company.” I cannot express how surreal it felt to say that.
Everyone has a story, their own unique journey. I suppose mine is just a bit different than most. A lot has happened in short amount of time. It actually seems a lot longer than that. However, the truth is stranger than fiction, so I know my journey, at first, may seem almost too fanciful to be true. Yet, it very much is.
I suffered a mental and emotional breakdown in late 2014. It took me years to recover. As a result, I left the only vocation I had known for 25 years and resigned from my position as a pastor. I now entered into the great unknown. Saying this experience was "terrifying" would be a gross understatement.
After a whirlwind book tour in the U.S. – where I shared my story of hope for the depressed – I came home to Sydney to look for what people would call a “normal” job. I thought it would be fairly easy to find work, seeing as I have a degree in mechanical engineering. I couldn't have been more wrong. Months went by with no success. I became more and more concerned as our savings evaporated. Eventually, in May 2017, time ran out: our money was gone, and I had no work prospects. I needed a miracle...
And I found my miracle in Salesforce! I'm now the co-founder, partner, and CIO of an amazing business intelligence company that builds B.I. (Business Intelligence) solutions on the ingenious Salesforce Einstein Analytics platform. This work has also made me the proud recipient of the #AwesomeAdmin award and the coveted Golden Hoodie. I am so lucky to have a fantastic role working with an energetic and innovative team in an extraordinary industry. Not to mention, I also get to partner with my long-term friend and brilliant businessman, Neil Moodley.
Since my Salesforce journey began, not only has my income more than doubled, but I’ve also made great friends from all over the world. I feel challenged and stretched by the work I do every single day. I love it! My road to success was bumpy, to say the least. Here, I share my golden journey with you.
Back in 2016, Neil approached me with an opportunity. “Come and help us implement a CRM system,” he said. After agreeing, I quickly searched for what “CRM” stood for. “Cool,” I thought. “I love tech.”
After my first job interview in 20 years, I found out that Salesforce – more specifically, the Financial Services Cloud package – would be their core business system and that I would soon be the person who would customize and implement that system for them. I had never even heard of Salesforce before. But how hard could it be? That evening after accepting the job, I went online and took a first look at the system that would soon become the center of my vocational life. I was impressed. It looked flexible and powerful. Then reality set in, and I got a bit nervous. Perhaps this wouldn't be as simple as I had thought – or hoped.
I had just three weeks to prepare. I watched recorded Dreamforce sessions – for about 50 hours in the first week! – and then I found a new friend, Trailhead. The remaining two weeks were filled with the things I now love most: Trailhead learning and espresso.
Of course, at the time, I had no idea just how complex and demanding a Salesforce implementation could be, especially without any IT training or Salesforce experience at all. Dark thoughts circled my mind, “Taking this job was the biggest mistake of my life. What on Earth was I thinking? I have zero experience with this complex and powerful system. I have no idea what I’m doing! I should resign, so they can hire a more competent, qualified, and experienced consultant to do the job properly...”
I was tired, overwhelmed, and discouraged. I felt done-in. It was just too hard. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I was moments from running away. How desperately I wanted to throw in the towel and tell our CEO to hire another consultant, letting me get a boring job where I might actually have a vague idea of what I was doing.
But I didn't give up. I continued to push the envelope on both the professional and personal front. Now, I'm a certified Administrator and find myself regularly diving head-first into new systems, solving new problems, or building new applications.
Richard Branson once said, "If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity, but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!" So, following these wise words, I just keep saying, “Yes!” And here I am.
It takes courage, persistence, belief, support, and a little bit of naivety to do what I have done over the past couple of years. It isn’t for everybody – and that's fine. It can be terrifying and stressful at times, but it's worth it. Has it been easy? Nope. Would I go back and take the easy, well-traveled path? Never!
Now as the CIO of Visioneer360, I'm miles away from my comfort zone, and I absolutely love it. In fact, I wouldn't have it any other way. We build cutting-edge business intelligence solutions with Einstein Analytics and continue to be active as contributors to the Salesforce ecosystem.
So, my advice: take a risk. Go all in. You're not an island, and the good news is you'll never be alone in the Salesforce world. I can't tell you how grateful I am for the incredible online learning platform that is Trailhead – I wouldn't be where I am today without it – for the amazing Salesforce Ohana, and for my wife, my church, and my God. I couldn't have made it without them.
My advice to those on a similar path is to “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Here's one of my favorite quotes from Mark Twain that I live by:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Come across something you don't know about? Learn about it in Trailhead. Want to prove you know your stuff? Become Salesforce certified. Keen to talk about Salesforce to anyone who will listen? Join or, better yet, lead a Salesforce User Group. Stuck on an issue you just can't find a way around? Join the Trailblazer Community – and ask for help. There are so many ways to become an active member of the Salesforce Ohana, to blaze your own trail, and to help those who are following your path.
As one once very unlikely Trailblazer, I can assure you: if I could do it, anyone can! You just have to try.
Mark is a certified Admin, Trailhead Ranger, Analytics Trailblazer, Golden Hoodie and #AwesomeAdmin award winner (and all-around nice guy!). He lives in Wilberforce, a semi-rural region west of Sydney, with his wife, Christina, and 11-year-old son, Adam. When he's not busy with his #LifewithGoldie, Mark likes to drive while listening to his favorite tunes, play video games with his son, hang out at church, and read. He's also an avid F1 fan with a life motto of: “Be good to everybody because everybody is having a tough time.”
