Salesforce MVP’s Picks for Dreamforce 2013 – Judi Sohn

Judi Sohn,
Senior Solution Architect,
KELL Partners

1. Tell us a little about yourself?

I helped start the Colorectal Cancer Coalition in 2005. Within a few months, I realized we needed a good offline database and I found Salesforce. Back then there were not many resources so I had to learn most everything on my own.  What I learned, I shared with others on my website at http://judisohn.com.

I’ve been co-moderator of the NPSF Google Group since 2009. I’ve presented sessions at Dreamforce multiple times (2008, 2011, 2012 and now 2013).

I am now a consultant/solutions architect at KELL Partners and recently became a certified Sales Cloud Consultant (I’m also Administrator, Advanced Administrator and Developer certified). I’ve been a Salesforce MVP since Spring 2011.

I live in Southern New Jersey just outside of Philadelphia, mom to 2 teenage girls and recently celebrated my 20th wedding anniversary to my best friend!

2. How many times have you been to Dreamforce? – This will be year 6

3. What is your Best Overall Advice to First Timers?

Each day, pick one thing that you’ll regret if you don’t do/see and build your day around that. Don’t expect you’ll be able to do it all. When a hard choice has to be made, pick what will have you connecting with others over something that you’ll sit and passively watch. You can passively watch YouTube videos when you get home.

4. Complete this sentence…If I could only go to 1 thing at Dreamforce it would be?

Congrats to those of you who got into the Hands on Trainings, they are great. If you did not I would recommend one of the over 40 Success Clinics or Success Circles (they are found under the activities filter.)  They will be located in the same area as the Foundation Campground and promise to be valuable.

5. List your top 10 session picks

These are a mix of Foundation and “regular” sessions – mostly focused on Admins:

• Formula Gurus
• So You’re a Nonprofit Salesforce Admin, now what?
• The Small and Mighty Salesforce Organization
• Parker Harris’s True to the Core
• Common Mistakes Salesforce Admins Make
• Hands on Training: Extend and Customize the Nonprofit Starter Pack
• Managing Complex Member and Donor Relationships in Salesforce
• Salesforce Magic for the Everyday Admin
• Conga to Success! How-to, Tips & Tricks for Excellent Merges
• Answers Live – Nonprofit HUB

6. Besides Sessions, give people other advice on things you would not miss, how and why?

The nonprofit expo hall will be fabulous this year, no doubt, but make a point of spending time at the “regular” exhibit halls too. Focus on the smaller vendors on the side. They tend to be easier to approach and chat with, and they will often want to help you meet your mission. I once had a great talk with a vendor who lost his grandmother to colon cancer and he ended up setting us up with a discount, and he implemented their application for us on his own time over a weekend.

7. What parties are you planning on going to?

KELL Partners’ party on Monday night of course

I’m looking forward to Exponent’s Social Impact Salon before, and the Idealist Nonprofit Engagement Party is always a great event later in the week.

When I first started going to Dreamforce in 2008 all the nonprofit folks could fit in a single small room. This year I’m looking forward to the nonprofit-focused parties as a chance to meet and network in a way that will be more difficult during the day.