Is Was ..
Yet another world class event that only Salesforce.com could put on. Think about it, what other corporate conference has the combination of robust attendance, brand enthusiasm, learning and a social message…. only this one.
I think this was my 6th Dreamforce and I am always amazed at the positive energy that every single participant has, I mean everyone is positive and excited about the future. The entrepreneurial spirit is on full display with businesses big and small releasing new features and products with the hopes they will fill gaps and add value.
A Dreamforce where more companies had multiple booths, and the normally large sponsors like DocuSign and Apptus were clearly not dominating the floor space like they once did. What does that mean? Probably many things, but I will leave it to you to draw your own conclusion if you attended.
A great time to meet with our clients from around the country, reconnect with my friends and strategize with my off shore teams.
It Wasn’t
A waste of time, correct it wasn’t a waste of time. Nor was it worth the normal full price ticket to get in, sorry Salesforce – it is just priced way to high, especially for a company that is clearly dominating with positive financials and stock prices.
With the evolution of Trailhead more and more training can be done at your desktop vs. sitting in sessions at Dreamforce and thus you have devalued one of the reasons to pay the big money for a full ticket.
An event you should goto without a plan. In order to get the most out of the event and your $$, it is very important that you plan months in advance. I started setting up meetings about 8 weeks prior and booking meals or coffee with people that I needed to get to know better. Hope is not a strategy .. you better plan.

“Yo man, this is the best ice cream I have ever had, I have to get more” Chris Federspiel of Blackthorn.io
As always it was great to catch up with my buddy Chris, as you can see above he was all about the ice cream runs. It was really cool to learn a bit about Smitten’s journey, I admire entrepreneurs that really take risks which result in success.