Salesforce for Everyone by Talent Stacker

Hosted by Bradley Rice and Anita Smith

Business Careers Education

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Facebook Instagram

Episodes

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

If you're looking to secure your financial independence with a high-paying job without sacrificing your freedom today, this podcast is for you. Welcome to Salesforce For Everyone, the one-stop free resource to help you land your first Salesforce job in under 8 months, even without a college degree or tech experience. This podcast will give you the tips, tactics, and inspiration to find and secure your new career, on your terms, on your way to your financial independence.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 1, 202656 min

063. How Mentorship is Leading to Salesforce Career Success & How to Easily Find a 1 on 1 Mentor

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

May 4, 202659 min

062. The Ultimate Guide to a Salesforce Career on Your Terms

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.

April 6, 20261 hr 10 min

061. Bootstrapping a Boutique Salesforce Consultancy

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: joshua@dynaspecgroup.com 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

March 9, 20261 hr 8 min

060. Tech Freelancing to Reach Financial Independence and Early Retirement

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.

February 9, 20261 hr 1 min

059. How to Start a Salesforce Career in 2026

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.

January 27, 202536 min

058. This Secret Skill Is More In Demand Than AI + CPQ + Marketing Cloud Combined

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

January 20, 202541 min

057. Does Your Company Hate Salesforce? How To Turn Your Salesforce Org Around

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

January 6, 202549 min

056. How To Find The Perfect Salesforce Mentor For You

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

September 9, 202450 min

055. You Won't Land a Job by Applying | Job Search Strategy 101

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

July 8, 202456 min

054. Should Admins Learn Development?

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