Never Give Up on Your Dreams with Anna Szabo

Salesforce Admins Podcast

Today on the Salesforce Admins Podcast, we talk to Anna Szabo, ISV Platform Expert at Salesforce.

Join us as we chat about getting started with Trailhead, how to decide which certifications to go for, and why we all need to embrace failure.

You should subscribe for the full episode, but here are a few takeaways from our conversation with Anna Szabo.

Give yourself a chance

Anna wanted to be Salesforce certified for a long time before she actually jumped into Trailhead and got started. “To be honest with you, I didn’t believe I could,” she says. But in 2022, she decided: she’d get her certification by the end of the year.

She left notes for herself everywhere that she’d be a certified Salesforce Administrator, but still couldn’t seem to get started. On May 23, 2022, she wrote herself a poem:

"Give Yourself a Chance" by Anna Szabo

When feeling scared, just give yourself a chance!

By analyzing paralyzed, you can’t advance.

To make some progress, starting is a must!

While outcomes pursuing, please the process trust!

Just give yourself a chance so you can soar!

View learning as a blessing, not a chore!

For outcomes to happen, you must start the process!

Engage in learning to ensure your progress!

Yes, you can do it; give yourself a chance!

At future, not the past I recommend you glance.

A vision helps you through the journey to advance!

Get started please! Just give yourself a chance!

Within 30 days, Anna earned her Admin certification. She became 19x Salesforce certified in 1 year, and earned the All Star Ranger rank in only 477 days. Today, she works for Salesforce as an ISV Platform Expert and has helped over a thousand Trailblazers get their certifications, too.

Be the CEO of your career

One of the most common questions I get asked at events is some version of, “How do I decide which certifications to pursue on Trailhead?” Anna’s advice is to be the CEO of your career and, as CEO, you need to look at which certifications are demanded in the marketplace. What shows up on job listings? What about for your dream job?

When you’re going for these certifications, Anna encourages you to embrace failure. “Studying for these exams only exposes how much you don’t know,” she says. Even with all of her accomplishments, Anna had to retake several certification exams. Keep on giving yourself a chance and you’re bound to succeed.

More content from Anna to help with your certifications

In addition to her role at Salesforce, Anna creates a ton of content to help other Trailblazers follow their dreams. If you’re thinking about getting more certifications or going for your first, make sure to check out her YouTube channel or find her on LinkedIn.

This episode is jam-packed with inspiring words and motivation, so be sure to take a listen if you haven’t already. See you next week!

Podcast swag

• Salesforce Admins on the Trailhead Store

Learn more

• Anna Szabo on YouTube

• Anna’s Story

Admin Trailblazers Group

• https://sfdc.co/admintrailblazers

Social

• Anna: @AnnaSzaboJDMBA

• Salesforce Admins: @SalesforceAdmns

• Mike on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@mikegerholdt/

• Mike on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@salesforce.mike`

• Mike on X: @MikeGerholdt