Trailblazer & DataFam Communities | 5 Queries, 2 Delegates Decode
Vanessa Grant, the #Trailblazer + Adam Mico repping the #DataFam break down complex topics facing both the Salesforce platform and communities.
For some time now, my Twitter feed has been enriched by the insights of Vanessa Grant (LinkedIn | X-Twitter), a figure who’s made a name for herself with her no-nonsense communication — a true #BadAssBA. Beyond her tweets, she’s a staple in the Salesforce community, offering her expertise as a co-host of the Salesforce Career Show, is 10-time Salesforce Certified, mentor, MBA, and Dreamforce speaker.
Our paths crossed at this very event, sparking my immediate desire to collaborate with her. Together, we’ve sieved through myriad questions, distilling them into five essential inquiries that cut to the heart of what we’re both keen to explore: the nuances and dynamics of our respective communities within the vast Salesforce ecosystem. It’s this blend of professional rigor and personal exchange that I find particularly invigorating. With that, let’s get into it!
Champion Programs: “Both communities have champion or ambassador programs. How can we combine forces to recognize and reward members who actively contribute to both ecosystems?”
Adam Mico | In the vast expanse of the data universe, it’s always invigorating to stumble upon intersections of communities and tools. That’s an interesting question you’ve posed. Over the years, I’ve had countless coffee chats with fellow data enthusiasts, and a recurring theme has been the desire to bridge and celebrate overlapping communities. It would indeed be revolutionary if there was a structured way to honor these intersections. A few pioneers are already charting this territory. For instance, Zach Bowders (X-Twitter | LinkedIn), a prominent figure from the Tableau community, has been blending worlds with his “Data + Love” podcast. Similarly, Sharif Shaalan’s (X-Twitter | LinkedIn) “Data Super Heroes” series is a testament to the power of collaborative data ventures.
Behind the curtain, many of us are tirelessly working to merge these spheres, even if it’s just by fostering conversations. Now, when discussing platforms like Salesforce, there’s a noticeable effort to integrate community leaders. Their invite-only events during Dreamforce are a nod to this initiative. While MVPs might enjoy a bit more limelight, the inclusion is palpable. On the flip side, Tableau’s own conference is predominantly a Tableau affair. The avenues for Salesforce professionals might seem limited at a cursory glance, but I believe there’s potential. If they were to venture into this domain, I’m confident they’d find themselves on the guest list for exclusive events.
While the path to blending these communities isn’t entirely laid out, recent steps have been promising after earlier missteps.
Vanessa | Good lord, I definitely made a mistake by letting you answer first, Adam! You sound all professional and my writing style is more akin to “long-form tweet.”
I am with you though in that it seems, unfortunately, that this work has to happen behind the scenes and then bubble up. There are amazing community leaders in both camps, and I think if there were more collaboration between them on a local level (combined holiday events? cross-advertising sessions that might appeal to both?), it might be a good step toward identifying and acknowledging the folks who are enthusiasts in both spaces.
I think when Salesforce awarded you the Golden Hoodie, it did also shine a nice spotlight on the #DataFam community and was a great step in the right direction. The Golden Hoodie is a way to showcase inspiring Trailblazers, and I would love to see more bridge builders be showcased in this way.
There is a directory for Salesforce MVPs and a way to filter them by product. While I am happy to see “Tableau” in the dropdown, I wonder if maybe the programs could be merged in some way. I’d love to see a combined directory where part of the nomination process is discussing the person’s expertise in a more specific capacity and is inclusive of all the programs (eg. Golden Hoodie, Tableau Visionary, Mulesoft Ambassador, etc.).
I don’t think combining the programs would be an easy process, but highlighting champions across communities could be worthwhile. Everything I’ve heard about the Tableau Visionary program indicates that the folks chosen are truly exceptional. Maybe it would make us Salesforce folks step up our MVP game a bit.
Salesforce/Tableau Community Leadership: “How can the community teams from Salesforce and Tableau help foster better community alignment?”
Adam | Navigating the intricate world of data tools often feels akin to deciphering multiple languages, each with its own nuances and cultural undertones. This sentiment echoed particularly loud during my time at Dreamforce. As I mingled with the crowd, I was taken aback by a striking observation: a whopping 90% of the Salesforce aficionados seemed almost oblivious to Tableau and its vibrant community. The disparity was palpable, and the question of bridging the two communities loomed large.
Now, from the vantage point of a seasoned data professional, this divide isn’t entirely surprising. Tableau and Salesforce cater to distinct needs and objectives. Most of my Tableau colleagues, brimming with enthusiasm for visual analytics, often find themselves questioning the relevance of diving deep into Salesforce’s cloud product waters. For them, the connection seems tenuous, almost superfluous to their daily tasks. I, however, took a slightly divergent path. Driven by necessity, I delved into the world of CRM Analytics and Einstein, becoming a certified consultant. My mission was clear: seamlessly integrate Einstein Analytics into Tableau without relying on external extensions.
An industry-wide momentum propelled this endeavor. There was a resounding clamor for Tableau to carve out compelling use cases that could seamlessly incorporate Einstein’s predictive prowess into its visual narratives. Rising to the challenge, I meticulously crafted a slew of use cases, which some are showcased on my former employer’s Tableau Public Profile. My journey didn’t end there. I took to blogging, sharing insights, and even participating in webinars and the 2021 Tableau Keynote at Dreamforce (virtually and the year before my golden hoodie), all in a bid to champion these integrative use cases.
However, a lingering challenge remains. Tableau’s legacy business model and Salesforce’s modus operandi are akin to parallel universes with distinct laws of physics. This divergence makes it daunting for traditional Tableau customers, unfamiliar with Salesforce’s ecosystem, to venture into uncharted Salesforce territories. The added intricacies of procuring specialized CRM Analytics licenses only compound the dilemma.
In essence, while the products seem like distant cousins, the linguistic and operational chasm makes community alignment a Herculean task. It’s an intriguing paradox: two communities that, on the surface, exude similar vibes yet are steeped in vastly different lexicons and workflows. As we forge ahead, the quest to bridge these worlds remains a tantalizing challenge, filled with opportunities and pitfalls in equal measure.
Vanessa | I was definitely part of the 90% for most of my Salesforce career. I really didn’t know the first thing about the “DataFam” until I got involved with the London Salesforce community. Interacting with the Salesforce London Dev, Admin, and Architect groups led me to eventually attend a couple of virtual “London DataTribe” community sessions since they do a lot of joint events together. Once I started following those #DataTribe folks on Twitter (I’m intentionally ignoring that it’s called “X”), the platform started recommending that I follow all these #DataFam types. Now I am here co-authoring a blog post with you. It’s cool that I managed to find my way here, but there has to be an easier way!
I think including Tableau community groups in trailblazercommunitygroups.com would be an easy first step. There are a lot of folks trying to find where they belong when they first embark on a Salesforce career, and it seems silly for them to have to go to a completely different website to find folks who could talk to them about a more data-focused path.
Coming from a more business analysis / product owner background, I don’t think the tools are as “distant cousin” when you look at it from a business lens. For me, Salesforce and Tableau are ultimately tools in the toolbelt to solve business problems. As someone in a leadership role at a company that has both, I would absolutely love to see more events focused on how to crush those silos to optimize our use of both tools.
Future Predictions: “With the evolving integration between Tableau and Salesforce, where do you see the biggest opportunities or changes for our communities in the next 5 years?”
Adam | Your question is both timely and thought-provoking. As we stand on the cusp of a new era in data integration, I firmly believe that the trajectory is leaning heavily towards a Cloud-first and AI-first approach. Both Tableau and Salesforce, as distinct entities, offer robust functionalities. However, when we envision them under the unified umbrella of the Data Cloud, the synergies become even more pronounced. I’ve always been an ardent advocate for the potential of the Data Cloud. Yet, its current architecture poses challenges, especially when integrating non-Salesforce data. Peering into the future, the coming half-decade will witness a gradual melding of these platforms. The distinction between them might blur, giving way to a more unified, symbiotic product ecosystem. This transformation will be fueled by the seamless interplay of data and AI, amalgamating the strengths of both Tableau and Salesforce into a singular, cohesive product powerhouse.
Vanessa | I couldn’t agree with you more, Adam. I’ve had the fortune of working with enterprise-level organizations with great technical leaders that saw this future and started reworking their Salesforce orgs and data architecture to move toward it. Dreamforce 2023 was all about “AI + Data + CRM,” and just like we have inspiring Trailblazer stories in the community, I look forward to seeing the inspiring business stories in the coming years from the trailblazing leaders that will give us all a taste of what’s possible.
At the end of the day, AI, Tableau, and Salesforce all have data in common. Businesses need to be able to feed data to their business applications properly. Being able to architect company data in such a way to gain insights, communicate them in a compelling way, and then leverage them to take action quickly is going to be so key.
Salesforce professionals have historically had a difficult time allocating resources to data cleanliness and tech debt projects because they are often up against the requests of other business stakeholders who are in charge of revenue-generating activities. With the potential revenue and productivity increases that are likely to come with AI, I hope we’ll all be able to build stronger cases for prioritizing activities that will prepare our data for whatever the future brings.
I also see enterprise, business, and data architects becoming more needed in organizations.
Socializing: “I think sometimes Tableau folks can come across as serious intellectuals and sometimes Salesforce folks come across as culty plushie collectors. Both intimidating in their own ways. What do you think is a good way to start a chat with a die hard member of the community?”
Adam | Vanessa, your observation brought a smile to my face. It’s true — stepping into Dreamforce as a dedicated Tableau enthusiast feels akin to being a traveler in a foreign land, surrounded by unfamiliar customs and languages. Yet, beneath the surface, there’s a shared passion for data that binds both communities. I believe the key to bridging this divide is genuine curiosity. For a Tableau devotee, this might mean delving into Salesforce’s Data Cloud, exploring dashboard functionalities, or even taking a deep dive into Einstein analytics via Trailhead — which, by the way, stands out as one of the most comprehensive e-learning platforms I’ve encountered. A more structured learning path for Tableau could potentially pave the way for mutual appreciation, leveraging Trailhead as common ground.
Engaging with a member of the #Trailblazer community mirrors the camaraderie found within the #DataFam. Yes, our professional inclinations might differ, but the essence of our communities — the zest for learning, the spirit of collaboration, and the commitment to inclusivity — remains strikingly similar. So, to my fellow #DataFam, I’d say: Take the plunge, start a conversation, and you might just discover more commonalities than differences. After all, at the heart of it, we’re all driven by a shared love for data and the myriad stories it can unveil.
Vanessa | As a Salesforce nerd planning on attending her first Tableau Conference in 2024, this question was a bit selfish on my part!
On the Salesforce side of things, there are quite a number of specialties. People can specialize in specific clouds (Marketing, Service, Sales, etc.) and/or roles (Business Analyst, Architect, Developer, etc.). I remember attending my first Salesforce community events and feeling very intimidated initially by the super technical folks. I assumed they would think I was an idiot with all my “soft” skills. What I soon came to discover was that people appreciated what I could bring to the table. Developers and architects weren’t judging me based on my ability to code or configure some mega-technical solution. If anything, they loved hearing about my expertise because they wanted to work alongside people like me.
I think that is a huge thing to keep in mind when meeting enthusiastic folks from other communities. We all want to be great at what we do, but we also understand that we can’t be experts at everything. We can all teach each other, learn from each other, and be resources for each other on our career journeys.
It’s also important to connect with people on a human level. We are all enthusiastic professionals, but we can also connect as parents, neighbors, music lovers, sports fans, or any number of other things. I find that it’s so much easier to ask a friend for help on a Salesforce or Tableau issue than it is to ask a LinkedIn connection.
Social media is also a great tool for getting familiar with folks you might meet at an event, the things they get excited about, and some of the vocabulary words that you might hear. From following basically anyone with “#datafam” in their Twitter bio, I’ve learned about the #IronViz competition and even what a “viz” refers to in the first place.
We’ll see if these strategies pay off for me come April…
Who is Who: “MVP, Zen Master, Visionary, Golden Hoodie, Champion, Ambassador, Evangelist 🤯 Make this easy for me… Who should I be following and why?”
Adam | Navigating the colorful landscape of data communities can indeed feel overwhelming, especially with the myriad of titles floating around. Let me break it down for you, drawing from my experiences with Tableau.
First off, let’s discuss the Visionary program, previously known as the Zen Master program. Visionaries is currently a select group of about 50 individuals globally (and Visionary Hall of Famers) who showcase exemplary mastery of Tableau, a passion for teaching, and a spirit of collaboration. Each Visionary brings something unique to the table — for me, it may have been integrating Einstein Analytics with Tableau. Holding this title offers an insider’s view, allowing collaboration with Product Management teams to influence Tableau’s future trajectory.
Next, we have Tableau Ambassadors, a more extensive group of approximately 350 individuals known for fostering positivity and inclusivity within the Tableau community. They highlight fresh voices, and innovative ideas, and significantly enhance community spirit. They serve in specific branches, such as Forums, User Groups, Academic, DataDev, Public, Social, and CRM Analytics.
While many Visionaries also don the Ambassador cap, not all Ambassadors ascend to Visionary status. I was humbled to transition from an Ambassador to a Visionary, and it’s been a rewarding journey.
The Golden Hoodie, initially exclusive to Salesforce, caught me by surprise when I became its recipient. This accolade is reserved for Trailblazers who make significant impacts through teaching, making a difference using Salesforce, or overcoming challenges in their Salesforce careers. Being the first from the #DataFam to receive it was a surreal experience.
The Evangelist title is more fluid. While at Keyrus, I served as a Tableau Evangelist, encompassing client consultations, blogging, technical demonstrations, and public visualization contributions. However, the responsibilities attached to this title can vary across employers. It is definitely not a Tableau-recognized program — it’s a professional title.
Now, whom should you follow? If your goal is to master Tableau, the Visionaries are your go-to group. Social Ambassadors offer insights into community product evangelism. CRM Analytics Ambassadors are your best bet for insights into CRM Analytics on the Salesforce platform. Depending on your specific interests, whether it’s academic data visualization, troubleshooting in forums, exploring Tableau’s development space, or diving into user groups, there’s an Ambassador for every niche.
In essence, Tableau and Salesforce have vibrant communities, each with champions. Depending on where your interests lie, there’s a plethora of thought leaders waiting to be discovered and followed.
Vanessa | *cracks knuckles*
Okay — on the Salesforce side of the house…
First, we have the Most Valuable Professional (“MVP”) program. Approximately 25–30 are selected annually through a rigorous nomination and review process focusing on expertise, generosity, and leadership. As of 2023, there are 112 Salesforce MVPs worldwide. Once selected, the new MVPs retain the title and perks for a year. Extras include free training, free certifications, event invites, speaking engagements, and opportunities to give Salesforce feedback on upcoming features and enhancements. While I can’t confirm, I assume plushies are also involved. After the one-year term, MVPs are re-evaluated for renewal.
MVPs that are renewed for five consecutive years are then inducted into the MVP Hall of Fame. By my count, there are currently 175 MVP Hall of Fame members globally. You can find all of them through the MVP Directory, which is a great way to filter them by product expertise (some Tableau folks in there!) or region. Connecting with these generous thought leaders on social media is a great way to learn about the Salesforce community, news, and events. Many are also happy to connect through direct messages or even virtual coffees (and I’ll specifically call out Eric Dreshfield, the founder of Midwest Dreamin’, who has connected with so many people in this ecosystem that he might as well be part of the Salesforce community welcoming committee).
The Golden Hoodie program highlights inspiring Trailblazers, and since you already have a shiny one in your possession, I’ll trust you have that one covered.
The Champion program is for Marketing Cloud experts and enthusiasts. These folks apply to the program and are selected on a yearly basis. I’d direct any folks interested in the marketing side of the house to reach out to them. There used to be champion programs for other Salesforce areas of expertise, but those programs were discontinued a few years back.
The Ambassador program is specific to Mulesoft, and these folks get selected based on their expertise, mentorship, and community contributions. The Mulesoft Ambassadors and Mentors are a great way to connect with that community and learn more about Mulesoft.
Evangelist and Advocate are both professional titles in Salesforce circles, but they are notable because many actually work for Salesforce. Their jobs focus on creating content to spread the word on Salesforce-recommended best practices in their particular areas of expertise, making them excellent people to follow. People like Gillian Bruce (for admins), Susannah Plaisted (for architects), and Alba Rivas (for developers) regularly put out wonderful guidance for Salesforce Trailblazers.
The Salesforce community is absolutely massive, but finding those trusted sources for information in your areas of interest is a great way to make sure you’re getting correct guidance and getting it early.
In the lively exchange with Vanessa, I’m cautiously optimistic about the future of Salesforce and Tableau’s integration. My journey across both terrains has been marked by an eagerness to connect these distinct but complementary domains. We’ve contemplated the essence of community engagement and the potential for collaborative recognition, converging on the idea that our collective pursuit of data’s narrative is a shared ambition. This dialogue has been about bridging technical capabilities and uniting the individuals behind the data — those dedicated to harnessing its power to tell transformative stories.
Looking forward, the impending fusion of AI and cloud-centric approaches signals a period of significant evolution. It’s an exhilarating prospect — the next half-decade promises a melding of platforms that will blur the lines between analytics and customer relationship management, fostering a unified product ecosystem. As we embrace this shift, it’s the people, the community architects and data storytellers, who will drive this change, blending their expertise and enthusiasm to reshape the landscape of business intelligence. Here lies the heart of our endeavor: a commitment to not just witness, but actively sculpt a future where our united communities thrive on exchanging knowledge and innovation.
Adam Mico
Twitter | LinkedIn | Tableau Public
Note: My book, “Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification,” is available for order here.
