Category Archives: Dreamforce

What’s in my Dreamforce bag?

Of the many pieces of Dreamforce wisdom that I’ve gained over the years, selecting the contents of my daily Dreamforce bag is among the most important.  You will do a lot of walking (yes, I’ll have my FitBit so #GAMEON) and you should always plan to be away from your hotel from 8am -> 10pm+ (this doesn’t always happen but you should plan for it just in case), so it’s important to make sure you are armed with the essentials.   I was inspired by my fellow MVP Brent Downey’s recent post about what goes into his Dreamforce bag, so I thought I’d share what goes into mine since I’m apparently a tad more high maintenance than my friend Brent 😉

The Bag

I completely agree with Brent that this Rickshaw Commuter bag is the best bag ever.  It’s light, has pockets for everything, has perfect length and depth, is made of high quality material, has a soft liner for your laptop… it’s really just awesome.  If you don’t have one, go ahead and do yourself a favor by picking one up.

My Dreamforce Bag

The Essentials

Going counterclockwise, starting with…

  • Chatty! Obviously.  He is so excited for DF13, he can hardly contain himself…
  • Business cards and a business card holder (I just hate when they are everywhere)
  • Phone/card holder with wrist thing:  sometimes you want to drop your bag at your company’s booth or with some buddies while you go off to do X or Y.  I don’t always have pockets that accommodate my phone/business cards , so I keep them in this handy dandy holder so that I can easily grab and go.
  • Notepad and pen…you know, just in case…
  • FitBit Charger: I will not lose a single FitBit step because of low juice, no sir. (Friend me on FitBit for a lil friendly competition!)
  • GridIt: I LOVE LOVE LOVE my GridIt organizer (courtesy of Salesforce’s Erica Kuhl and Matt Brown) because it keeps what would otherwise be loose charging cords/headphones organized and together.
  • Extra wall charger …just in case
  • Mophie and/or Limeade battery charger (depending on which one Fred has): MUST.HAVE.JUICE at Dreamforce and I for one am not interested in being tethered to a wall.  These portable batteries have changed my life.
  • iPad: … yes, it’s 1st gen but hey – it works as well as I need it to!  But man, I cannot wait to get a Nexus tablet!
  • Personal hygiene/maintenance items + carrying case:  hand sanitizer, lotion, Listerine Pocketmist x2 (don’t worry, I have plenty more of these at the hotel), an extra hair band, eye drops for dry contacts, lip gloss, and Rubz for emergency foot massaging (thanks for the rec, Becka Dente), and Friction Block for preventative foot blister care (thanks for the rec, Brandy Colmer!).  Carrying case is essential so that these little things don’t end up everywhere!
  • Sephora’s Instant Depuffing Eye Mask: okay so I probably won’t actually bring this to Dreamforce, but I wanted an excuse to recommend these AMAZING one-time-use gel eye masks that makes you feel refreshed and amazing, even if you feel good! (Thanks for the rec, Cristina!)

So, I *think* that’s it.  Will keep note for next year in case any other bright ideas come along the way.  Happy DF13, all!

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Join My Dreamforce 13 Sessions!

I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to speak at Dreamforce this year! Not only is this my first time speaking at Dreamforce, but I am presenting in 4 different sessions.  I’m super excited and would love to see and hear feedback from all my friends!   Remember that the Agenda Builder goes live at 9am PST on Thursday 10/10. Drum roll, please …. here are my sessions (titles link to the sessions in the Dreamforce org):

MVP Throwdown 2013; Bring It On
Monday, November 18: 1-2pm

Join Salesforce’s MVPs as they share stories of their success, brainstorm cool ways to use technology, and even bring the (friendly) heat to salesforce.com product managers in the dreaded dunk tank of doom — actually more of a chair.

Chatter Launch – What you wish you knew first
Monday, November 18:  3:30-4:25pm

You’re about to click “Enable Chatter.” What don’t you know? Have you thought of everything? Do you have reasonable expectations for success? We all realize what brilliant things we should’ve done once a project is completed. Launching Chatter has little to do with the technology, and everything to do with people and processes.  Hear how a Salesforce Customer prepared for their Chatter launch, the outcomes, and what they would have done differently.  Join us for highlights of “what you wished you knew” before you clicked “Enable Chatter.” Ask questions and share your experiences in our session’s Chatter feed!

Set Up Your Org Like a Pro
Tuesday, November 19: 12:30-1:25pm 

Join us to learn from four seasoned admins and developers about some of the common mistakes made when setting up a new org. If we could start from scratch, how would we set up the ideal org? If you already have an org up and running, we’ll show you how to transition to these best practices. We’ll cover both old and brand new features, so there’ll be something for everyone.

Turn Chatter Into Your Sales Team’s Secret Weapon
Tuesday, November 19: 3-3:50pm

Chatter can be your sales team’s best friend or worst enemy – which is it for your organization, and how much have you done to make Chatter intuitive and valuable? Realizing a positive sales impact from Chatter depends on whether you’ve focused on a variety of people, processes, and technological considerations that are frequently overlooked. Join us as we uncover the keys for what every VP of Sales, sales rep, and Salesforce administrator should know to ultimately turn Chatter into your Sales Team’s secret weapon. If you take advantage of these recommendations – including how to measure adoption and success – your sales team will gain an advantage unmatched by your competition.

Comedy of Clouds (2nd Annual)
Wednesday, November 20: 9-10am

Join us to break away from stuffy coworkers and awkward networking to laugh your tail off. With this second annual installment, Comedy of Clouds is the hippest Dreamforce tradition since bean bags were invented. Salesforce-related skits and comedy will have you in tears… but in the cloud… so instead of tears it will be rain. Be there.

See you all soon – cheers to being #DF13Ready! (Click here to view/follow me in the Dreamforce org!)