Advertise on podcast: Salesforce for Everyone by Talent Stacker

In this episode, Bradley sits down with Dave Moudy, creator of Portwood, a completely free, natively built Salesforce document generation app that is now ranked number 12 on the Agent Exchange globally. Dave walks us through the full origin story, from a lead generation idea at a consulting firm to a growing business with over 1,200 installs and 10 to 20 new leads coming in daily. If you have ever thought about building your own app, or if you just need a free, powerful document generation tool in your Salesforce org, this one is for you. Timestamps: 0:45 - Introduction and What Portwood Does 4:10 - The Origin Story: Where the Idea Came From 8:26 - From Passion Project to Business: The Consultancy Chapter 19:02 - Intellectual Property and Leaving the Consultancy 24:22 - Getting Approved on the Agent Exchange 35:08 - Pricing a Free App and the Business Model Behind It 45:00 - AppExchange Amplified and Community-Led Marketing 57:55 - Scaling the Business: Hiring, Mindset, and Thick Skin Links and Resources: Dave Moudy/Portwood LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portwoodllc Portwood Website: https://portwood.dev/ AgentExchange: https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=5a580bd8-2745-41e5-b62c-c495957857d3 Talent Stacker: https://talentstacker.com/appexchange-amplified-application/ https://talentstacker.com/appexchange-amplified-talent-show-building-a-real-world-salesforce-pdf-solution-with-portwood-docgen/

In this episode, Bradley sits down with returning guest Jordan Nelson, the only person Bradley personally knows who has grown to over 100,000 LinkedIn followers by doing it the right way: consistently, authentically, and with real content. As they explain, LinkedIn is the one platform that can change the entire trajectory of your Salesforce career. They cover everything from crafting your first post, optimizing your profile as a landing page, strategic DMing, the power of commenting, what not to do, and how LinkedIn has compounded into real career and business results for both of them over the years. Whether you are just starting out or ready to take your network to the next level, this episode is your LinkedIn playbook. Timestamps: 1:12 - Intro and Why LinkedIn Matters 4:00 - How to Post: Format, Length, and Tools 7:45 - Tagging, Hashtags, and Posting Etiquette 15:12 - Managing Comments and Why Engagement Is Everything 26:35 - Building a Profile That Works Like a Landing Page 33:17 - Connecting, DMing, and the Long Game. 48:26 - What Not to Do on LinkedIn 1:01:50 - LinkedIn in 20 Minutes a Day and the Long-Term Payoff Links and Resources: More detailed version of the podcast episode: https://talentstacker.com/media Start Your Salesforce Career w/ The Free 5 Day Challenge at TalentStacker.com/Start Magic Post: LinkedIn post writing and formatting tool WhisperFlow: Voice-to-text tool for creating human-sounding written content

Bradley sits down with Emily Witucki, a Salesforce consultant and first-time mentor on the Trailblazer Mentorship Platform, alongside her three mentees: Andi Poulson, Ola Mostafa, and Monique Larroux. Together, they pull back the curtain on what mentorship in the Salesforce ecosystem actually looks like: the vulnerability, the breakthroughs, the LinkedIn glow-ups, and the genuine human connections that form along the way. Whether you're chasing your first certification, stuck in a job search rut, or an experienced pro wondering if mentorship still applies to you, this episode will meet you where you are. Spoiler: it does. And it's free. Episode Timestamps 01:16 - Welcome & Panel Introductions: Bradley welcomes mentor Emily Witucki and her three mentees: Andi, Ola, and Monique. 06:18 - Why Emily Became a Mentor: The Salesforce Fairy Godmother: Emily shares that her motivation to mentor came from a deep love of helping people and a desire to pay forward the sense of community she found in Talent Stacker. 08:22 - The Mentee Perspective. What Andi, Ola & Monique Were Looking For: Each mentee shares what drew them to the platform, from bombing interviews and feeling stuck, to needing direction after certification, to simply wanting to level up. 10:00 - How the Trailblazer Mentorship Platform Actually Works: Bradley clarifies the application and matching process, explains that membership in Talent Stacker is not required, and notes that 100% of applicants were accepted in the last two cohorts. 26:05 - Branding: Emily identified Andi's brand right away by seeing her pink hair. Emily's approach with all of them on social media and resume and portfolio, is to show people who they are, that who they are is already amazing. 30:14 – LinkedIn and Community: The panel discusses the importance of LinkedIn in the modern job search, but also the supportive community to be found there, along with the Salesforce Ohana and Talent Stacker. 42:08 - What's Next: Goals from Each Mentee: Andi aims for two new certifications and deeper community involvement, Ola is pursuing Salesforce legend status and Google Data Analytics, and Monique is weeks away from passing her admin exam. 51:50 - Advice for the "Mentorless" & How to Get Involved: The group encourages listeners to apply for mentorship without hesitation, with Emily also calling on companies to consider sponsoring the program through trailblazermentorship.com. Links & Resources Trailblazer Mentorship Platform: trailblazermentorship.com Talent Stacker: talentstacker.com

From $54K to Six Figures — Working Part-Time & Fully Remote What does it look like to leave a career that's draining your time and capping your income and rebuild your professional life entirely on your own terms? Hermela is a former college advisor who pivoted into the Salesforce ecosystem and, in under a year, went from earning $54K with a 2+ hour daily commute to a six-figure job offer. She then strategically negotiated it down to work fewer hours, earn more than ever, and build the life she actually wanted. Today she's a fully independent Salesforce consultant working 15–20 hours a week, on her own schedule, from anywhere in the world. This episode is packed with repeatable strategies: landing your first Salesforce role, leveraging LinkedIn, turning transferable skills into offers, negotiating for time freedom and building toward full financial independence. Episode Timestamps 00:01:16 — Introduction & Guest Welcome: Bradley introduces Hermela and previews her journey from a capped career with a punishing commute to full autonomy as a Salesforce solopreneur. 00:02:54 — Life Before Salesforce: The Commute, the Cap, the Frustration: Hermela describes her previous reality — 2+ hours of daily DC traffic, a student caseload she loved, but an income ceiling that required waiting for someone else to leave just to get a raise. 00:08:01 — How She Landed Her First Salesforce Role in 3–4 Months: Trailhead, an 8-week bootcamp, internal Salesforce implementation experience, and Bradley's LinkedIn tips.  Hermela breaks down her exact preparation playbook. 00:14:48 — Strategic Job Searching: LinkedIn Networking Over Blind Applications: Instead of applying to posted jobs, Hermela messaged employees; it's not about asking for jobs, it's about having genuine conversations and consistently sharing both who you are and what your goals are. 00:33:29 — The Second Jump: Networking Into a $105K Offer: Through consistent networking while employed, a recruiter reached out on behalf of a hiring manager who already knew her name. Hermela landed a $105K offer, nearly double her pre-Salesforce salary. 00:38:27 — The Bold Move: Negotiating Down to 24 Hours/Week: Rather than accept full-time six figures, Hermela negotiated to 24 hours per week at 60% salary — still earning more than her college advisor role — freeing herself up to freelance and eventually go fully independent. 00:54:29 — Hermela's Advice for Anyone Considering This Path: Master your transferable skills, build on Trailhead, use LinkedIn as a landing page, network through real conversations, and tackle goals one step at a time.

What does it really take to build a Salesforce consultancy that people actually love? In this episode, Bradley sits down with Joshua Karrasch, founder and CEO of Dynamic Specialties Group (DSG) — a Salesforce partner consultancy that's quietly doing things differently. From going bankrupt and living in a friend's basement, to building a thriving boutique firm with a team of A-players and a growing list of loyal clients, Josh's journey is honest, hard-won, and deeply human. Josh shares the philosophy at the heart of DSG: the win-win-win. The client has to win. The consultant has to win. And the company has to win. You'll hear how that principle shapes everything — from how DSG takes on new clients, to how they hire, to how they handle growth. The conversation goes deep on the "accordion model" for staffing, why boutique doesn't have to mean small, the importance of leading with business process discovery before ever opening Salesforce, and why diverse, non-traditional backgrounds often make the best consultants. Josh also opens up about the mentorship relationship that changed his entrepreneurial career, and the ongoing challenge of learning to step back before burnout sets in. If you're building a consultancy, growing a Salesforce career, or just trying to run a business with integrity — this one's for you. Episode Timestamps 00:01:06 — Bradley Rice introduces his guest Joshua Karrasch Bradley, founder and CEO of Dynamic Specialties Group who discusses how he got started, challenges he faced along the way, to finally finding the footing to launch DSG, and his Win-Win-Win Philosophy DSG's core operating principle. 00:15:41 — The Accordion Model - How DSG found stability by moving to a 1099 contractor model that could expand and contract with the natural ebbs and flows of project-based consulting work. 00:27:44 — The single most pivotal moment in Josh's entrepreneurial career: meeting the mentor who could see what he couldn't — and how that relationship continues to shape DSG today. 00:37:51 —Why so many Salesforce implementations fail: clients know they're in pain but haven't diagnosed the root cause — and some partners are incentivized to oversell. 00:45:57 — The Hiring Challenge - Every company struggles with it. Josh explains why traditional interviews fall short — and how DSG discovered that TalentStacker graduates consistently showed up as A-players. Why diverse, non-traditional backgrounds often produce the strongest Salesforce consultants. 01:04:49 — What Makes DSG Fundamentally Different? The win-win-win, the empathy, the authenticity, the refusal to exploit anyone in the engagement. 01:07:45 — How to Reach Joshua Karrasch & DSG LinkedIn, email, advising services, fractional work, and through Bradley directly. Links, Contact, Resources Companies & Organizations Dynamic Specialties Group (DSG) — dynaspecgroup.com TalentStacker, run by host Bradley Rice — talentstacker.com  Contact Information Email: [email protected] Books Mentioned The Way and the Power — Strategy book referenced multiple times by Josh as foundational to his leadership philosophy; includes the concept of "The Watcher" The Art of War by Sun Tzu — Referenced by Josh as an early strategy text he studied

Many people enter tech accidentally. Few turn it into a deliberate lifestyle strategy. In this episode, Kacie Molina shares how she went from discovering Salesforce through a friend to building a high-earning consulting career, all while aligning her work with financial independence principles. This episode breaks down the most powerful lessons from the conversation. You will walk away with: • The mindset shifts that accelerated her growth • The financial strategy behind her confidence • A practical roadmap you can follow Listening to the episode adds depth and personality. But this guide gives you the strategy. If you want to explore specific parts of the conversation, here are the core segments: Discovering Salesforce and Getting Hooked Timestamp. 1:01:25 – 1:04:37 How Trailhead made learning feel accessible and even fun. Why Salesforce Enables Lifestyle Design Timestamp. 1:09:33 – 1:10:44 The flexibility that allows geographic freedom and career experimentation. The FIRE Mindset and Career Decisions Timestamp. 1:13:42 – 1:16:10 How financial independence thinking changed her risk tolerance. Salary Transparency and Earning Potential Timestamp. 1:16:58 – 1:18:45 Real talk about admin salaries and why surveys can mislead. Rapid Income Growth and Freelancing Timestamp. 1:26:33 – 1:29:59 From early roles to consulting and contracting.

Breaking into Salesforce in 2026 looks very different than it did just a few years ago and pretending otherwise is setting yourself up for frustration. In this episode, Bradley Rice returns to the Salesforce For Everyone podcast to lay out a realistic, modern roadmap for starting a Salesforce career in today's market. He breaks down what's changed since the hiring boom, why job application systems are fundamentally broken, and what actually works now if you want to land an entry-level Salesforce role. You'll learn which certification still matters, why LinkedIn is no longer optional, how to get hands-on experience without a job, and why blindly clicking "Quick Apply" is one of the fastest ways to get ignored. This episode is practical, direct, and designed to help you avoid the common traps that stall most aspiring Salesforce professionals. If you're serious about starting a Salesforce career in 2026 and want clarity instead of hype, this episode is your starting point. Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome Back & Episode Overview Bradley explains why the podcast took a break, what's changing going forward, and why now is the right time to talk about Salesforce careers again. 10:10 – The One Certification You Actually Need Why the Salesforce Administrator certification is still the baseline requirement for entry-level roles. 20:53 – LinkedIn Is Not Optional Why LinkedIn matters more than resumes, even for introverts, and how it multiplies opportunities. 25:22 – Why Job Application Systems Are Broken A breakdown of why "200 applicants" doesn't mean what you think it means for employers or candidates. 29:17 – How Networking Actually Gets Interviews How simple human connections on LinkedIn cut through applicant overload. 32:53 – Getting Hands-On Experience Before Your First Job Why paid experience is not required and why volunteering often backfires. 45:48 – Applying for Jobs the Right Way Why Quick Apply hurts you and how to approach applications strategically instead.

In this episode of the Salesforce for Everyone podcast, hosts Anita Jones and Bradley Rice, along with guest developer Warren Walters, delve into the critical yet often underrated topic of Salesforce integrations.   They discuss the significance of integration skills, even beyond popular Salesforce topics like AI and CPQ, and their pivotal role in most Salesforce projects. The conversation covers the basics of integration, different types of tools, and advanced technical aspects such as APIs and data security. Warren further elaborates on the demand for integration specialists and shares resources for beginners. Whether you're an admin, developer, or consultant, this episode offers valuable insights into enhancing your Salesforce capabilities through integrations. Links and Resources: Find Warren's Integration Roadmap and connect with Warren on LinkedIn! You can also find more at Cloud Code Academy to learn to become a Developer. Start learning Salesforce AI with Free AI Certification Training Apply for Free 1:1 Salesforce Career Mentorship Start Your Salesforce Career w/ The Free 5 Day Challenge at TalentStacker.com/Start Follow TalentStacker on LinkedIn! Looking for Community? Join our Free Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group   Timestamps:   00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview   02:39 The Importance of Integration Skills   04:07 Understanding Integration Skills   06:32 Resources for Learning Integrations   09:10 Custom vs. Point-and-Click Integrations   11:59 Popular Integration Use Cases   15:06 Salesforce's Marketing Influence   19:16 The Value of Integration Skills   27:36 Getting Started with Integration Skills   34:39 Conclusion and Additional Resources

In this episode of the Salesforce for Everyone podcast, hosts Anita Jones and Bradley Rice delve into a critical yet often overlooked topic: the dissatisfaction some companies face after implementing Salesforce. Joined by guest Brittany Chesney, a Sales Operations Coordinator with extensive experience in the Salesforce ecosystem, they explore the common pitfalls and challenges that arise from suboptimal Salesforce implementations. The discussion highlights the importance of soliciting feedback from end users, the role of business analysts in improving processes, and the necessity of having the right talent to ensure Salesforce operates effectively. Brittany shares her journey from an inside sales role to sales operations, emphasizing the value of internal advocacy and continuous process improvement for maximizing Salesforce's potential. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their Salesforce experience, whether you are an end user, administrator, or business owner.   Handy Timestamps:   00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview   02:30 Introducing the Special Guest: Brittany Chesney   08:04 Advocating for Better Processes   14:31 The Importance of Feedback and Listening   17:40 Strategies for Effective Salesforce Use   21:14 Navigating CRM Challenges   24:58 Implementing Effective Solutions   28:12 Finding the Right Talent   Links and Resources: TrailblazerMentorship.com  TalentStacker.com/start TalentStacker.com/cap TalentStacker LinkedIn Page Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group

In this exciting episode of the Salesforce for Everyone podcast, we dive into the transformative power of mentorship. Bradley and Anita welcome two special guests: Erin Davies, a recent mentee, and Scott Stafford, a seasoned mentor, who share their inspiring stories from the Trailblazer Mentorship Platform. Together, they explore why mentorship is vital for career growth, how to approach mentor-mentee relationships, and actionable tips for leveraging this powerful resource. We also discuss the Trailblazer Mentorship Platform—a game-changer for connecting mentors and mentees within the Salesforce ecosystem. Whether you're just starting out or looking to advance your career, this episode provides invaluable insights into finding the right mentor, overcoming self-doubt, and giving back as a mentor. Plus, Bradley unveils the inaugural Ohana Hero Awards, celebrating extraordinary mentors who go above and beyond. Episode Highlights: 1:10 - Introduction& The importance of mentorship. 3:50 - Erin Davies shares her journey from nonprofit work to landing her first Salesforce role with her mentor's guidance. 8:20 - Scott Stafford talks about the fulfilling experience of being a mentor and the unique value of giving back. 13:15 - What makes a great mentor and how mentees can maximize the experience. 22:40 - How to navigate your first mentor-mentee meeting with confidence and purpose. 28:15 - The Ohana Hero Awards: Recognizing top mentors in the Salesforce community. 47:00 - Encouragement to join the Trailblazer Mentorship Platform and start your mentorship journey. Final Thoughts: Mentorship has the power to change lives—for both mentees and mentors. If you're inspired by this episode, visit the Trailblazer Mentorship Platform to find your perfect match. If you enjoyed the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. See you next time! Links and Resources: TrailblazerMentorship.com - Free 1:1 Salesforce Mentorship TalentStacker.com/start - Free 5 Day Salesforce Challenge (Beginners) TalentStacker.com/cap - Free Career Accelerator Toolkit (Established SF Professionals) TalentStacker LinkedIn Page - Follow us on LinkedIn for weekly updates Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group - Join our Free Community

If you find yourself applying, applying, applying for jobs but getting no interviews and hardly any responses this episode is for you! We're going to walk you through how to get WAY MORE interviews in a broken job system. Unfortunately applying for jobs simply doesn't work anymore. In this show you are going to learn industry networking secrets, how to apply for less jobs and get more interviews and incredible job search strategies that can work in almost any industry! Handy Timestamps: 4:20: How to prepare for a job search? 10:00: How do actually apply for a job? 22:10: Why Volunteering at Dreamin' Events is an incredible networking strategy. 31:39:  Why interacting with the same person or company multiple times is important. 35:05: The Google Sheet you need to apply effectively and consistently. 39:25: Someone else landed a job, now's your chance! 47:05: How not to let conventional education hold back your kids. Links and Resources: TrailblazerMentorship.com  TalentStacker.com/start TalentStacker.com/cap TalentStacker LinkedIn Page Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group

If you had a tough time getting your Salesforce Admin certificate, today's episode featuring two admindevelopers ... erm .... adevelopers ... ok ok, adminevelopers might leave you scratching your head a bit. Bradley and Anita get the low down from Jennifer Olson and Hillary Fenton on why they decided to become Salesforce Developers on top of being Salesforce Administrators. Links and Resources: Jodi's Audio Series: https://sfadminsuccess.com/listenup Jodi's Book: https://sfadminsuccess.com Warren's Free Salesforce Developer 101 Course: cloudcodeacademy.com/Everyone TalentStacker.com/start TalentStacker.com/cap TalentStacker LinkedIn Page Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group

If you have kids and like the idea of blending work-from-home with school-at-home,  have we the episode for you! In today's show, Bradley and Anita talk to April Lee, Joshua Brist, and Talia Johnson to uncover how they've managed to combine their Salesforce careers with homeschooling their kids. It's striking how many parallels there are between the two! Handy Timestamps: 7:40: What is homeschooling and what are the various kinds? 12:55: What is the link between a Salesforce career and being a homeschooling parent? 12:24: What  are the challenges of first being a homeschooling single parent and then deciding to get into Salesforce? 26:20:  How important is community to homeschooling families? (Spoiler Alert, it's just as important as to Salesforce professionals). 35:30: Wait, Trailhead in a homeschool curriculum? 43:35: Brad's daughter's egg-cellent Salesforce homeschool adventure. 47:05: How not to let conventional education hold back your kids. Links and Resources: Videos: Changing Education Paradigms Do Schools Kill Creativity?   Online classes or curriculum: Outschool.com Kubrio Rainbow Resource Center Homeschooling With Games Learning apps for young kids: Teach Your Monster To Read Stack the States 2 Starfall Khan Academy Kids Podcasts: Life Without School Brave Writer Community: Worldschooling Alliance for Self Directed Education Also search Facebook groups, Reddit, TikTok and in-person homeschool groups. TalentStacker.com/voicemail TalentStacker.com/start TalentStacker.com/cap TalentStacker LinkedIn Page Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group

The Salesforce ecosystem is changing. In the history of Salesforce, this is known as the hardest time to land a job EVER. But is it impossible?   Today's special episode is recorded live from Camp Talentstacker, where Allie McCarron, Keegan McGoldrick, and Amy Morris join us to share their stories of how they stood firm and fought to secure their Salesforce careers. We explore the grit, persistence, and determination needed to weather the certification and job application process and discuss the key things that make you stand out in the job market. When the going gets tough, these people get going.   Handy Timestamps:   3:30: Why Salesforce is still worth it 6:40: Keegan, Allie, and Amy introduce themselves 8:40: Allie's story 11:00: Why you should be building connections, and other things you can do to increase your chances of landing a job 20:40: Keegan's story 29:00: Amy's story 36:40: Brad and the panel's closing thoughts   Links and Resources: TalentStacker.com/voicemail TalentStacker.com/start TalentStacker.com/cap TalentStacker LinkedIn Page Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group

You may know him as the LinkedIn guru, but Jordan Nelson is also well-established in the ecosystem as a Salesforce Consulting expert. Whether you're interested in freelancing or not, understanding what Salesforce customers need and how consultants meet those needs is a great way to step up your Salesforce game. Stay tuned as we discuss the ins and outs of becoming your own boss, a better way to build your online network, and how owning a business can shape an entirely new lifestyle for you (thanks, tax write-offs!)    To learn more about Jordan or to book a call with the man himself, be sure to check him out on LinkedIn or visit his consultancy, Simple Salesforce.   Handy Timestamps:   5:30: Jordan gives us a rundown of his Salesforce origin story. 11:50: At what point did Jordan decide to jump from full-time to his own thing?  17:00: Brad gives his take on the key things you need to succeed in switching over to independent consulting. 21:00: Jordan advises on how to stack the odds in your favor and take full advantage of your opportunities. 25:00: We give some key tips for building authentic relationships with people online. 33:00: Jordan explains what counted as wins for him when switching to independent consulting and the new things he's gained. 42:00: Brad and Joran discuss the finer pros of owning your own business, including the multipliers for selling, healthcare, and retirement plans. 47:00: Jordan shares some hard lessons he's had to learn along the way.   Links and Resources: TalentStacker.com/voicemail TalentStacker.com/start TalentStacker.com/cap TalentStacker LinkedIn Page Salesforce For Everyone Facebook Group Simple Salesforce