1. Did not lose our way...
…in the Dreamforest. As Dreamforce veterans (it’s our 7th year in a row), we’ve learned to navigate the madness and get the most of our DF experience. The Agenda Builder helped us plan our week before we even got there – and we chose smartly from the tech tracks like those on Salesforce DX, Einstein Analytics and MuleSoft Integration as well as from the partner-centric sessions around Customer Success, and Customer 360. Plus, the location maps printed behind our badges were super-helpful.
2. Did not get a seat at the keynote…
…but caught every word as we tuned in to the live stream at the Partner Lodge. With all the revolutionary technology and partnerships being announced we couldn’t help but be super-excited about being a member of the vibrant and inclusive Salesforce community.
3. Did not scan every badge holder that passed by…
...because Extentia is built on a foundation of long-term relationships, and we’re on the lookout for real partners with whom to build new relationships. With a focus on quality over quantity, we heard everyone who visited our booth and they listened in return – resulting in some strong post-Dreamforce conversations.
4. Did not stick to a diet...
…how could we, when there was an endless supply of cookies, marshmallows, and a mid-week ice-cream fest at the Partner Lodge? All that sugar combined with a heady-mix of engaging conversations, riveting sessions, and stimulating discussions contributed to the euphoria of being at Dreamforce 2018.
5. Did not fit inside Einstein’s big head…
…believe me we tried, but Einstein’s intelligence simply blew us away - Artificial Intelligence, voice I/O, natural language understanding, intelligent interpretation, contextual responses… You’ll see all the intellect put to good use as we begin to use Einstein technologies in our upcoming projects.
6. Did not attend enough sessions…
There were too many sessions, too many photo ops, and even more excitement, so no matter how much we did, or how well we planned, we just couldn’t get enough. We’re going to spend the next few weeks catching up on videos and write-ups of keynotes, sessions and inspirational discussions with some of the world's brightest Trailblazers.
7. Did not miss our family (too much)…
…but don’t tell them we said that! Being part of the Salesforce Ohana, we were pretty much at home and in the midst of friends and partners. To quote Benioff himself, “Dreamforce is more like a ‘family reunion’ than a tech convention” – we were right where we belonged.
8. Did not win Appy…
…despite Binu’s every effort to procure Appy for his son – Justin. The halls were buzzing with smart Salesforce enthusiasts, many of whom became ‘Appy-winners. And Binu finished another Trailhead challenge to win Codey. Needless to say, Justin was over the moon, but Binu’s bigger challenge for Dreamforce 2019 is to bring Appy home.
9. Did not sleep…
…instead we went to the Metallica concert - a testament to our hard rock core commitment to heavy metal and Salesforce. It was music to our ears to hear that Metallica uses Salesforce Marketing Cloud to connect with millions of fans around the world.
10. Did not get to see enough of San Francisco…
…because we were busy visiting the mini-city of Dreamforce in SF. The Salesforce ecosystem creates its own community with high energy, great food, new learnings, and interesting chatter with many friends, partners, and colleagues. So, of course we never wanted to leave!
(With inputs from Naazneen Boocha, Executive VP-Engineering, and Binu Moothedan, Salesforce Practice Manager)