From track star to trailblazer
While studying for a Master’s in Data Science at the University of Oklahoma, Kaelan was a track and field athlete who went on to become a member of the USA track and field team and competed in the Olympics!
The combination of a challenging academic and athletic schedule gave Kaelan the drive and focus that would not only help him in his Salesforce career, but would enable him to work to inspire others too. “Being in sports really helps you analyse where you’re at in different areas of your life. My coach always used to say ‘Prior preparation prevents poor performance’, which has always stuck with me. Today as a learning and development professional I see it as my duty to be prepared, so that I can be best placed to help others.”
An internship opportunity to learn about Salesforce was a pivotal turning point for Kaelan’s career. “I never expected to work in the tech industry, it was something that I stumbled into. I thought it would be interesting to learn more about something I didn’t know that much about. It turned out to be a life-changer for me.”
Through the internship, Kaelan earned three Salesforce certifications, as well as the skills he needed to become a client-facing Salesforce professional. “From there, I was hooked. I got to see the power of the platform and how it could transform businesses, but also the power of the community—the Salesforce ecosystem is like no other and I knew I wanted to be a part of it from day one.”
The power of Salesforce Marketing Cloud
“Right now is one of the most interesting times to be working with the [Marketing Cloud] platform. There’s isn’t a massive amount of documentation and guidance out there and my goal as a Marketing Cloud expert is to fill this gap, between a general lack of knowledge and the great eBooks and training that are out there, but often overlooked or unfound.”
“It’s also an exciting ecosystem to work in generally. Often, I’ll see people go from a relatively tech-less background, to becoming a Salesforce expert; starting their own blog, creating guides on YouTube, becoming an influencer on LinkedIn.”
“There’s a strong future ahead for Marketing Cloud. Every single company needs marketing, especially when it comes to email. The practice is going nowhere—people check their inbox every day. More and more, companies are realizing how valuable good email automation can be to their sales and marketing efforts, which means there are a growing amount of job opportunities for people using Marketing Cloud. That’s what excites me most, the potential for future growth.”
Starting a career in Marketing Cloud- top tips
For people interested in working in Marketing Cloud Kaelan has some top tips:
- Get a mentor – Finding a mentor will set you up to be accountable on your learning journey. You need to constantly upskill and learn, so find someone that will help you keep your head on the right path. This will set you up for a kind of professional success that others can only dream of.
- Reach out to experts in the Marketing Cloud space – Reaching out and talking to experts will give you a head start in your Marketing Cloud career, much more than trying to figure it all out on your own. By learning from people further ahead than you, you can pick up the tricks to the trade and bypass some common mistakes.
- Give back to others – Share what you know and document your journey as you learn. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to share what you’re learning as you go. Other people don’t know Marketing Cloud, so just by sharing your knowledge, you could be providing value to people on a level that you don’t even realize.
- Make your personal brand unique – There are so many ways to connect online and when you’re starting out as a cog in the ecosystem, the best way to get noticed is to stand out and be unique. Build your brand around the things that make you you, as this will make it feel authentic. People love to see the “real” side of other people and their unique qualities, so build your brand around that.
On becoming a 2021 Salesforce champion
“Becoming a Salesforce Champion honestly means the world to me. I work hard to stay involved in the community and I love giving back to the ecosystem that gave me so much. To be recognized as an ambassador for a community that empowers and gives back is incredible. What’s even more incredible is seeing people go from not knowing about technology, to having it change their lives, as a result of that. That’s the power of the Salesforce ecosystem.”
On his Salesforce journey, Kaelan met many people from the ecosystem that inspired him including Natasha Martin (also a Salesforce Champion). “I took a lot of inspiration from [Natasha] when I worked with her on Love’s Travel Stops. She was amazing to work with! Everything she taught me helped me grow in Salesforce and I see her very much as a mentor figure. She was one of the first people to connect me with other Marketing Cloud experts, and invested a lot of time into me.”
Kaelan also named Matthew Anders as one of his first inspiration figures. “He was one of the first people to show me the ropes with Marketing Cloud. He was the first person I met at my Salesforce internship and I have kept in touch with him ever since.” He also cites Eliot Harper (now a Salesforce MVP), as another key figure who helped him along his way to becoming a Salesforce Champion.
A huge congratulations to Kaelan and all the 2021 Salesforce Champions—we thank you for all your inspiring work.
Looking for more great advice from Kaelan? Check out his YouTube channel MinuteAdmin or his Marketing Cloud Guide for updates on all areas of Salesforce and Marketing Cloud.
