As part of Salesforce now, lots of the ExactTarget Marketing Cloud marketing team ventured out to San Francisco in November for the 100,000+ plus event, Dreamforce. Myself included.

Somewhere between our planning for the event and actually arriving, I agreed to host a segment of their live studio coverage, Salesforce Live. Now, you should know that I’m not particularly fond of public speaking. I never turn down an opportunity, but I also haven’t exactly submitted for a Ted talk. So, when I was asked, I didn’t hesitate in saying yes. I then recruited two of my colleagues, Kyle Lacy and Scott Roth. Safety strength in numbers.

 

Hosting a segment of Salesforce Live

Hosting a segment of Salesforce Live

I like to say that you should always be in over your head. Early on in my career I signed up for projects that I had no business doing, or were outside of experience or expertise. I knew I would figure out a way to do it. I’m no different 10 years on. This experience at Dreamforce, reminded me of some really useful professional tips.

– Push yourself outside of your comfort zone. It will make your career.
– Surround yourself with brilliant people – I did this with Kyle and Scott for the segment. Along the same lines, always hire the best, select the best agencies, and so on.
– Preparation is everything. For this 12 min segment, I was ready to keep it going for 20-30 minutes if needed. The same goes for your day, big meetings or new projects.
– Smile. I’m terrible at this.
– Always act like you know what you’re doing. ’nuff said really.
– Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can never do it alone.
– Set the vision and drive the tempo.

I could keep going, but a few weeks after Dreamforce, I’ve found myself thinking about these points – a direct result from this studio experience.

Please enjoy the segment below, and feel free to share your thoughts on any professional advice. Thank you.