Be More with Tom Bassett

In this episode of Be More Podcast, I sit down with Jennifer Ndlovu — a passionate community leader — to explore what it means to Be More Africa Ohana. As the founder of the African Women in Salesforce community and a Trailblazer Community Leader in Zimbabwe, Jennifer shares her unique perspective on uniting, uplifting, and mentoring across the African continent and beyond. From blazing trails in tech to raising three sons and championing the boy child, she offers a deeply personal and powerful view of leadership, inclusion, and impact in the Salesforce ecosystem.Jennifer dives into how the Africa Ohana role connects with Admins, Consultants, and Community Leaders, explaining how it’s often embedded in multiple roles driven by heart and purpose. Listeners will gain insights into the essential attributes needed to foster unity and belonging, the advice she would give to others stepping into this mission, and what she wishes more people understood about the power of regional identity and representation. Tune in to hear how Jennifer’s work is reshaping the Salesforce landscape in Africa and discover how you can be part of the Ohana too.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, host Tom Bassett sits down with Alice Jessop — author, canine massage therapist, and Salesforce Certified Sharing and Visibility Architect — to explore what it truly means to Be More Admin Secure. With a proven track record in designing robust security solutions for brand-new Salesforce orgs and managing the complexities of multi-org splits, Alice shares how the principle of least privilege and role-based access can transform the safety and scalability of your Salesforce environment. Whether you’re a full-time admin, a consultant wearing many hats, or simply the go-to security person on your team, Alice offers practical tips, hard-earned lessons, and guidance for anyone looking to level up their security skills.Listeners will discover how Admin Secure professionals collaborate across roles, the essential attributes for thriving in this space, and the common pitfalls to avoid when starting out. Alice also opens up about what she’d do differently if she could begin her journey again, and the one thing she wishes everyone understood about security in the Salesforce ecosystem. If you’re ready to strengthen your org and your career, this conversation will leave you both inspired and better equipped. Plus, don’t miss how you can connect with Alice and dive deeper into her work, including her book Salesforce Security: An Admin’s Guide.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, I'm joined by the Janeen Marquardt for Be More Strategist. With over 15 years of experience driving digital transformation through Salesforce, Janeen shares what it really means to be a Strategist in the ecosystem blending technical expertise, business acumen, and fearless honesty to create impactful solutions. As someone who bridges the gap between non-technical stakeholders and technical teams, Janeen unpacks how this role intersects with Admins, Consultants, Architects, and beyond, often acting as the connective tissue between vision and execution.Janeen also offers candid advice for those aspiring to step into the Strategist role—what she’d do differently if she were starting again, the skills that matter most, and why being a truth-teller is a key part of strategic leadership. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just beginning your Salesforce journey, Janeen’s insights will leave you inspired to think bigger, lead with purpose, and bring others along with you.

In this episode of Be More, we sit down with Salesforce MVP, Trailblazer Community Forum Ambassador, and Salesblazer, Piyusha Pilania, to unpack what it really means to thrive in a Salesblazer role. With over a decade of Martech experience and 11X Salesforce certifications, Piyusha leads with empathy, agility, and vision—guiding Horizontal Digital’s Salesforce team while empowering trailblazers across APAC and beyond. She shares how the Salesblazer role intersects with admins, consultants, and marketers, offering powerful advice for anyone looking to step into the world of sales-driven Salesforce success.From writing Salesblazer blogs and leading community groups to advocating for women in rural India, Piyusha is proof that being a Salesblazer is as much about purpose as it is performance. Tune in as she reflects on the skills that matter most, what she wishes she’d known starting out, and the mindset that’s helped her spark change—both in the ecosystem and beyond.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, host Tom Bassett is joined by Anna Shaffer to explore what it means to Be More Mentor. With over a decade of experience delivering impactful Salesforce solutions and leading with empathy and strategy, Anna unpacks how mentorship weaves into every role—whether you’re a product leader, admin, consultant, or developer. She shares how mentorship isn’t a job title but a mindset, embedded in everyday interactions that shape careers, confidence, and communities.Anna offers thoughtful guidance for those looking to step into mentoring, including how to lead with curiosity, listen with intention, and build spaces where others can grow. Reflecting on her journey, from building products to leading Women in Tech communities, she opens up about what she would do differently, what it truly takes to be an impactful mentor, and why mentorship is more accessible than many think. Whether you’re looking to find a mentor or become one, this episode will leave you energized to lift others as you climb.

In this episode of Be More Podcast, I sit down with Oleh Mykytyn, Chief Growth Officer (CGO) at Redtag, to explore the role of a CGO within the Salesforce ecosystem. With over nine years of experience spanning from developer to executive leadership, Oleh shares how strategic growth, innovation, and AI-driven transformation come together in his role to unlock business value with Salesforce. As a Salesforce MVP, certified Application Architect, and Community Leader, he offers rich insights into how CGOs collaborate across roles, drive scalable solutions, and inspire teams to deliver customer success at speed.Oleh also opens up about the path to becoming a CGO—how this leadership role can evolve from consulting and technical foundations, what key skills are essential, and what he would do differently if he were starting over. Tune in to learn how to lead with purpose, deliver impact, and fuel your growth journey in the Salesforce ecosystem and beyond.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, host Tom Bassett sits down with Bradley Rice to explore what it truly means to Be More Freelancer in the Salesforce ecosystem. Bradley shares his journey, the unique dynamics of working independently, and how freelancers collaborate with other roles. From breaking down misconceptions to offering practical, real-world advice for aspiring freelancers, this episode is packed with valuable insights and honest reflections.Whether you’re curious about stepping into freelancing or want to better understand how freelancers fit into the broader Salesforce, Slack, Tableau, and Mulesoft landscape, this conversation sheds light on the skills, mindset, and flexibility needed to thrive. Bradley also shares what he would do differently if starting over, the power of community, and how to find your niche in a fast-evolving ecosystem.

Behind every breakout presentation, there’s a Stage Mom—and in the Salesforce ecosystem, no one embodies that better than Tristan Lombard. Join us for a heartwarming, hilarious, and insight-packed conversation that lifts the curtain on what it really means to be the ultimate cheerleader, connector, and community amplifier.In this session, Tristan introduces us to the Stage Mom role—an unofficial but essential force behind countless success stories in tech and beyond. We’ll explore how this role weaves into other jobs like Consultant, Admin, Advocate, and Community Leader; why emotional intelligence and hype skills matter just as much as technical ones; and what it really takes to support others while staying true to yourself.

In this episode, we’re joined by Will Turner, a trustee of Shirtforce.org—a community-driven initiative that combines tech humor with charitable impact. Shirtforce creates (hopefully) funny t-shirt designs tailored for folks in the Salesforce ecosystem, with 100% of profits going to good causes. From supporting Pancreatic Cancer UK to providing travel grants for community members attending Salesforce events, Shirtforce has raised over $8,000 and continues to find creative ways to give back.Will shares his journey with Shirtforce, what it means to be a trustee, and how the project fits into the broader tech community. We discuss the value of purpose-driven side projects, the importance of accessibility in community spaces, and how others can get involved or even start their own initiatives. Whether you're looking to support Shirtforce, start something similar, or just hear a heartwarming story from the ecosystem—we’ve got you covered.

In this episode of Be More, we dive into what it means to Be More ADHD-Aware at Work. Whether you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, suspect you might be neurodivergent, or simply want to be a better ally, this conversation will shed light on the real-world impact of ADHD traits in the workplace. From “dopamine seeking” behaviors to people-pleasing patterns, we explore how ADHD can shape work relationships, productivity, and self-perception—often in ways that go unseen or misunderstood.Through lived experience, practical insights, and a compassionate lens, our guest unpacks how to work with these patterns rather than against them. Learn how to build healthy structures, protect boundaries, and recognize the hidden strengths within ADHD. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to create more inclusive, empathetic, and effective workplaces—starting with awareness.

In this episode, we dive into the world of open source within the Salesforce ecosystem with Nicolas Vuillamy, CTO of Cloudity France and the brilliant mind behind projects like MegaLinter, SFDX Hardis, and SFDX Essentials. Nicolas shares what it means to be an "Open-Sourcerer" — a role rooted in community contribution, collaboration, and technical excellence. From developer tooling to automation, his projects have empowered teams to work more efficiently and adopt Salesforce DX best practices with ease.We explore how the open source role interacts with others across the Salesforce landscape, and how you can begin your own journey as a contributor or creator. Whether open source is your full-time gig or a passion project alongside your day job, Nicolas offers practical advice for getting started, building impactful tools, and embracing a collaborative mindset. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with someone who’s not only building solutions but helping to shape the way the Salesforce community codes, shares, and grows.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, we sit down with François Perret to explore the role of a Marketing Cloud on Core, with a focus Marketing Cloud Growth and Advanced. François answers key questions about his role—how he got started, how professionals collaborate with other roles, and whether this is typically a standalone position or part of a broader admin or consultant career path.We dive into what it takes to succeed in this space, including the skills and attributes that make a difference. François shares his top advice for anyone looking to break into Marketing Cloud on Core, what he’d do differently if he were starting out today, and one thing he wishes more people understood about this fast-growing area of the Salesforce platform. If you're curious about the future of digital marketing in Salesforce, this episode will help you on your journey.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, we’re joined by Vuk Stajić to dive into life as a solo entrepreneur in the Salesforce ecosystem. Vuk shares his personal journey, what his day-to-day looks like, and how his role interacts with others in the community. We discuss whether being a solo entrepreneur is typically a full-time path or something that evolves from roles like consultant or admin.Vuk offers honest insights for anyone looking to start out on their own—covering key skills, what he’d do differently if starting again, and one thing he wishes more people understood about going solo. Whether you’re already independent or just thinking about it, this episode will give you plenty to consider—and show you how to Be More Solo Entrepreneur.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, we chat with Errol Schmidt, a Heroku Evangelist, about what it means to champion the Heroku platform. Errol shares how his role blends technical knowledge with storytelling to inspire teams to build powerful applications on Heroku. He explains how the Evangelist role connects with other functions and how Heroku expertise often lives within broader roles across the ecosystem.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, Tom Bassett and Justyna discuss the role of Credential Ambassadors within the Salesforce ecosystem. They explore what it means to be a Credential Ambassador, the responsibilities involved, and the skills necessary for success. Justyna shares her experiences and insights on collaboration, learning, and the importance of being open and curious. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by Credential Ambassadors and the significance of community engagement. Sign up as a Credential Ambassador on Trailhead; https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/help?article=Get-Involved&search=get+involved

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, Tom Bassett interviews Nicole Pomponio, a Senior Project Manager at SaltClick, to explore the multifaceted role of a senior project manager within the Salesforce ecosystem. Nicole shares her journey from being an accidental admin to a full-time project manager, emphasizing the importance of relationship management, communication, and emotional intelligence in her role. She provides insights into the responsibilities of a project manager, the necessity of wearing multiple hats in smaller consultancies, and offers valuable advice for aspiring project managers. The conversation also touches on the importance of self-reflection, key skills needed for success, and debunking common myths about project management. Nicole concludes by sharing resources and tools that have aided her professional growth.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, Tom Bassett speaks with Richard Clark about the intricacies of alliances within the Salesforce ecosystem. Richard shares insights on his role as VP for EMEA alliances and Customer Success at Elements.Cloud, discussing the importance of relationship management, the impact of AI on efficiency, and the skills needed for success in alliances. He also reflects on his personal journey, offering advice for those looking to enter the field and clarifying common misconceptions about alliances.

In this episode of the Be More Podcast, Tom Bassett and Shelly Sousa explore the multifaceted role of an enterprise architect within the Salesforce ecosystem. Shelly shares her journey, insights on collaboration with various roles, the importance of certifications, and the essential skills needed for aspiring enterprise architects. The conversation emphasizes the significance of soft skills, community engagement, and the evolving nature of enterprise architecture, debunking common misconceptions about the role.

In this episode of the Be More podcast, Tom Bassett and Katka discuss the multifaceted role of Salesforce design, exploring its responsibilities, collaboration with other roles, and the importance of user adoption. Katka shares insights on the paths to becoming a designer, practical tips for aspiring designers, and the essential skills needed in the field. They also address common misconceptions about design and highlight resources available for those interested in enhancing their design skills within the Salesforce ecosystem.

In this episode of the Be More podcast, Tom Bassett and Peter Chittum delve into the multifaceted world of Developer Relations, exploring its core activities, the importance of community, and the various career paths within this field. They discuss the significance of enabling technical practitioners, measuring success in developer enablement, and the strategies for effective content creation. Peter shares valuable insights for those aspiring to enter the Developer Relations space, emphasizing the need for expertise, visibility, and community engagement. In this conversation, Peter Chittum and Tom Bassett explore the nuances of developer relations, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, constructive engagement, and strategic communication. They discuss the balance between being vocal in the community while maintaining professionalism, the role of developer advocates, and the key traits necessary for success in this field. The dialogue also touches on personal growth, learning from failures, and the significance of anticipating audience needs in the tech landscape.