In this conversation, Tom Leddy, a seasoned architect from Salesforce, shares his extensive journey in the tech industry, focusing on his experiences with Salesforce and nonprofits. He discusses the evolution of technology, the importance of communication skills in tech careers, and the challenges faced by nonprofits in adopting technology. Tom also highlights the role of AI in nonprofits and the future of architecture in the tech landscape, emphasizing the need for strategic thinking and adaptability in a rapidly changing environment.TakeawaysTom Leddy has over 20 years of experience in tech, with a focus on Salesforce.He transitioned from a developer to an architect due to his communication skills.Tom's early work in telecommunications helped automate complex calculations for cell towers.He recognized the potential of Salesforce while working with SAP CRM.Nonprofits often struggle with technical debt and lack of skilled IT personnel.AI is set to revolutionize how nonprofits operate and manage donations.The Well-Architected Framework aims to provide guidance for nonprofits in tech.Tom emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking in tech architecture.The nonprofit sector is diverse, making it challenging to implement standardized solutions.There are significant opportunities in tech for those willing to adapt to AI.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Tom Leddy's Journey05:50 Early Career and Impactful Projects11:07 Transition to SAP and CRM Systems18:31 The Shift to Salesforce25:17 Finding Purpose in Nonprofits and Community Work28:33 Navigating Nonprofit Technology Challenges34:47 The Importance of Strategic Software Implementation37:23 Creating the Well-Architected Framework42:45 AI in Nonprofits: Opportunities and Challenges51:59 The Future of Roles in the Age of AI56:35 Intro Banner.mp4Connect with Tom- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomleddy/- https://amazon.com/author/tomleddy

In this episode, Abhinav hosts Mohith Shrivastava, Developer Advocate at Salesforce, to discuss:

• The transformative role of AI in Salesforce, including tools like Agentforce and Data Cloud.

• Tips for developers to stay ahead in the AI-driven era.

• The art and science of prompt engineering and how it empowers LLMs.

• Mohith’s personal journey from hackathons to advocacy, blending creativity with technology.

Tune in for actionable insights and an engaging conversation on the future of AI, agents, and Salesforce innovations.

References:

- Connect with Mohith on LinkedIn

- Prompt Engineering Blog by Mohith

In this conversation, Abhinav hosts Neil Sarkar and Aryan Trip, co-founders of Clientell, to discuss their entrepreneurial journey, their startup's evolution, and AI's role in enhancing Salesforce operations. They delve into the challenges faced in the startup ecosystem, the importance of revenue operations, and how AI agents can streamline business processes. The discussion also covers the future of AI in tech jobs, the capabilities of Clientell's AI tools, and their vision for the company's future.

Takeaways

- Neil's journey into entrepreneurship began with a dating app in college.

- Clientell was founded to solve issues with data management in marketing.

- Salesforce is a powerful tool that many companies underutilize.

- AI agents can significantly reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks.

- The future of AI in business is about enhancing human creativity, not replacing it.

- Clientell aims to create a fully automated admin agent for Salesforce.

- The integration of AI into business processes can lead to better decision-making.

- Data loader.ai simplifies the data loading process for Salesforce users.

- AI will empower users to interact with their data in natural language.

- The architecture for AI agents in Salesforce is evolving rapidly.

Summary

In this conversation, Kapil Varma shares his extensive experience in data migration and integration, discussing the evolution of data handling techniques, the challenges faced in early data entry processes, and the shift towards cloud technologies like Salesforce. He highlights the emergence of new tools for data migration, the importance of understanding data behavior, and the future trends in data management, including the impact of AI. Kapil also reflects on complex migration projects and the lessons learned throughout his career.

Takeaways

Data migration is crucial for effective data management.

Understanding data behavior is key to successful migration.

The evolution of data handling tools has made processes easier.

AI is transforming how we analyze and utilize data.

Salesforce has significantly changed the landscape of data management.

Challenges in data entry and processing require innovative solutions.

New tools for data migration are emerging rapidly.

Integration tools have become more accessible for businesses.

The future of data migration will involve more AI-driven solutions.

Kapil's journey illustrates the importance of adaptability in tech careers.

References -

Summary

References:

Connect with Robin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/polymorphicrobin/

Explore more about this podcast - https://linktr.ee/tags_podcast

Summary

In this conversation, Abhinav and Chirag discuss the ISV ecosystem of Salesforce and the nuances of listing a paid app on AppExchange.

They also touch on chatbots and the Salesforce AMP program. Chirag shares his journey as an ISV and discusses his app, Metadata Search.

They discuss the development cycle for building apps and the importance of having a solid business plan. They also address the challenges of customer requests for customizations and the decision to offer unmanaged code. The conversation provides insights into the ISV ecosystem and valuable tips for ISV partners. In this part of the conversation, the speakers discuss the options for ISVs when building and pricing their apps. They talk about using unmanaged packages, feature management, and extension packages. They also discuss the importance of setting the right pricing strategy, including per-user or per-org pricing, tiered pricing, and multi-year discounts. The speakers also touch on trials, support, and chat tools.

Takeaways

Listing a paid app on AppExchange requires understanding the nuances of the ISV ecosystem and the marketing tools provided by Salesforce.

Building a successful app involves having a solid business plan, conducting market analysis, and starting with a minimum viable product (MVP).

Customer requests for customizations should be carefully evaluated to ensure they align with the core product and do not compromise its integrity.

Offering unmanaged code should be approached cautiously, considering the potential risks and implications for the product's security and intellectual property.

Maintaining a strong support system, providing regular updates, and focusing on customer satisfaction are key factors in an app's success on AppExchange. ISVs should avoid using unmanaged packages and instead consider options like feature management and extension packages.

Pricing strategies for ISVs can include per-user or per-org pricing, tiered pricing, and multi-year discounts.

Trials are important for customers to test the app, and feature management can be used to control access to certain features during the trial period.

Support is crucial for the success of an app, and ISVs should consider offering global support and building a strong knowledge base.

Chat tools can be useful for providing real-time support to customers, but it's important to have a team available to respond to chat inquiries.

More 🔗 - ⁠https://linktr.ee/tags_podcast

In this conversation, Abhinav and Harting discuss five App Exchange security review tools that every ISV should know.

The tools covered are Checkmarx, Code Analyzer, OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, and Chimera.

Checkmarx is a must for AppExchange apps with code, while Code Analyzer is a powerful code scanner for Salesforce native code.

OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite are used for scanning external API integrations, with ZAP being more comprehensive in its free version.

Chimera is used for scanning servers that are owned by the client. The tools have different levels of CI/CD compatibility and limitations.

Kavindra Patel, a community-centric person at Salesforce, discusses his journey and the importance of community in the tech industry. He emphasizes the need for technical professionals with strong people skills to excel in roles like product evangelism. He also highlights the importance of teamwork and quality over quantity in community events. Kavindra shares his observations on the differences between Indian and Western communities and the key takeaways each can learn from the other. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by the new generation and the impact of AI on the workforce. Salesforce India has experienced significant growth in recent years, with a focus on expanding its workforce and establishing talent hubs across the country. The company is strategically focused on roles in technology, R&D, sales, business support, and customer success. Salesforce India is positioning itself as a technology hub, strongly emphasizing AI and innovation. The country's trailblazer community is the largest in the world, and the sales economy in India is projected to create 1.8 million jobs and generate 88 billion in revenue by 2028. Developers in the Salesforce ecosystem need to adapt to the shift towards low-code development and AI, focusing on prompt engineering and skilling up in new technologies. Dreamforce is expected to highlight the importance of AI and data, and provide opportunities for developers to deepen their skills through hands-on experiences. Love and balance are key life lessons that can guide individuals personally and professionally.

Summary

This conversation is about Salesforce startups and ISVs. The guest, Shailendra Singh, shares his journey as an ISV partner with Salesforce and the success of his app, Astonous, on the Salesforce AppExchange. He discusses the importance of gardening and how it relates to building a startup. Shailendra explains the challenges he faced in building his app, including outdated technology and lack of flexibility in existing apps on the AppExchange. He also shares tips for ISVs, such as visualizing success, being transparent with employers, and continuously reviewing and providing feedback to freelancers. In this conversation, Shailendra Singh and Abhinav discuss various strategies and challenges for ISVs in the Salesforce ecosystem. They emphasize the importance of putting the right keywords and customer reviews on the AppExchange to attract leads. They also discuss the role of graphic designers and content writers in creating attractive listings. Shailendra shares his experience with co-marketing programs and the importance of scalability. They also touch on the challenges of providing support and the benefits of using Salesforce for documentation and knowledge base. The conversation concludes with tips for ISVs, including focusing on building a sustainable business and finding niche markets.

Takeaways

Building a startup is like gardening - it requires nurturing and care.

ISVs should focus on building dynamic apps that can be easily configured for different use cases.

Transparency with employers about building an app can lead to support and a smooth transition to full-time entrepreneurship.

Manifesting success through visualization and setting goals is important for ISVs.

Hiring freelancers requires regular feedback and prompt reviews.

The first customer can validate the app's functionality and boost morale.

AppExchange is a valuable channel for finding customers, so it's important to optimize the app listing and keep it updated. Put the right keywords and customer reviews on the AppExchange to attract leads

Consider hiring graphic designers and content writers to create attractive listings

Explore co-marketing programs and partnerships with Salesforce account executives and SI partners

Focus on scalability and finding niche markets to grow your business

Provide support by documenting customer implementations and using Salesforce for knowledge base

Submit your app for business approval and be transparent with Salesforce about your idea and strategy

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:40 Gardening as a Metaphor for business

03:31 Journey of Building an App on AppExchange

06:19 Making application dynamic, saving implementation time.

10:34 Acquiring non-tech skills to be an ISV

12:49 Moonlighting and working part-time as an employee

17:16 Setting own office

18:56 Power of Manifestation

20:48 Initial Challenges as an ISV

25:45 Getting the First Customer

28:03 AppExchange, Listing and it's Impact

30:11 Outsourcing Graphic Design and Content

33:10 Co-Marketing with Salesforce

36:20 Challenges and Scalability after 2 years of launch

39:15 Support and Documentation

42:04 Handling Different Time Zones in Customer Support

45:17 Utilizing Salesforce to the Max

48:06 Book Recommendation: Rework

50:30 Finding Gaps and Building a Sustainable Business

54:13 Submitting for Business Approval

56:30 Intro Banner.mp4