Priyanka Miryalkar, Meet the Galacticos

Priyanka Miryalkar, Mulesoft Lead Developer – Meet the Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

 

Welcome to the latest in our series of Meet the Galacticos blogs to learn more about our growing Cloud Galacticos team. Say ‘hello’ to Priyanka Miryalkar, one of our few recent recruits. We caught up with Priyanka to ask her a few questions.

 

Priyanka Miryalkar, Mulesoft Lead Developer

 

Hi Priyanka, can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your work history?

I’m from an IT background  from a small town in India. After my education I moved to the city and after so many hurdles joined start-up companies and product based companies in my journey and learned a lot.

I have more than ten years of experience in the IT industry. I initially started my career as a tester, then moved to middleware technologies, scripting like Node.js, Mule4, Javascript, and queuing servers like activeMQ.

My relevant experience is six plus years of experience on integration platforms and worked with different companies on integration roles. My last role was with Hitachi Vantara India. I worked as Senior integration lead where I used to be a solo contributor from offshore on Mulesoft integration. It involved different projects with internal and external clients, including participated onshore go-lives with the salesforce development and admin team.

 

What’s your story behind joining the Cloud Galacticos team?

Priyanka Miryalkar, Cloud GalacticosI always wanted to have a learning experience in my career. Also to make sure any company I joined should have that learning curve and should also have that family time.

When I spoke to Phil and Paul, it felt good and they gave me that confidence to take on this role. I think Cloud Galacticos is a place where I can leverage my skills and also learn new things.

 

 

 

 

 

What is your role as a Mulesoft Lead Developer at Cloud Galacticos, and what do you enjoy about it?

  1. Responsible for programming and software development using various programming languages and related tools and frameworks, reviewing code written by other programmers, requirement gathering, bug fixing, testing, documenting and implementation.
  2.  Understand and implement Dataweave scripts. Deploy APIs to Cloudhub.
  3.  Mule applications developed to connect third parties APIs easily and quickly. Regardless of various technologies used by applications, Mule ESB enables easy integration of applications, enabling them to exchange data.
  4. Had enablement calls with Podpoint team and with MuleSoft team. Onboarded few resources and allocated stories together and worked on it.
  5. I enjoy working with multiple people because integration is all about engaging so many teams and demonstrating the applications.

 

Do you have plans to take any Salesforce certifications in the near future?

I have very good experience working with salesforce sales and services cloud from the past. So, I have already done my admin certification on salesforce. I’m also a Mule 4 certified developer. However, I am planning to do the Architect level certification on Mulesoft later this year. And if required I’ll look into more Salesforce certs.

 

Aside from Salesforce and working at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

I spend most of my days in front of a computer which isn’t the healthiest thing. I try to minimise screen time where possible. So I try to spend as much time with nature – gardening, or going for walks. I also enjoy reading books on human psychology, cooking, and just hanging out with family and friends. I really miss my large family back in India, I have long video calls with them almost everyday.

 

Anything else you want to add?

Priyanka Miryalkar LondonI celebrated my one year wedding anniversary in the UK, but I haven’t had the chance to explore many places.

I’m planning to go on vacation this summer – it’d be great to get few suggestions on budget-friendly places to visit in the UK!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favourites:

– Food: Chicken and Mutton Biryani anytime ,chicken, seafood

– Drink: Anything non alcoholic 

– TV Shows: Young Sheldon, Steve Harvey shows and lots of drama series from Netflix and amazon prime

– Film: I think my all time favourite movie is Argo, Schindler’s List, and the Terminal and a few fantasy movies. 

– Animal: Dogs and Cows

– Place to Visit: India always (especially Hyderabad)

 

About Cloud Galacticos

Cloud Galacticos is a Salesforce consultancy with an all-star team. We are user and developer group leaders, bloggers, MVPs and all round Salesforce nerds. Our company has people all over the UK including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, and London.

So if you are looking for a Salesforce partner with experience to help you make the most of your org, why not get in contact?

 

Digital City Awards, Best Small Digital Company Finalist 2022

London’s Calling Platinum Sponsor 2022

fallbackcg

Kully Dosanjh, Consultant – Meet the Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

Welcome to the latest in our series of Meet the Galacticos blogs to learn more about our growing Cloud Galacticos team. Say ‘hello’ to Kully Dosanjh, one of our recent Consultant recruits. We caught up with Kully to ask her a few questions.

 

Kully Dosanjh, Consultant

Hi Kully, can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your work history?

My educational background is Information Systems related. I then got introduced to Salesforce at the start of 2015, where I worked for an Oil & Gas company in Dubai.  Since then I have worked for quite a few end users as well as being self employed as a contractor.

 

What’s your story behind joining the Cloud Galacticos team?

I was introduced to Cloud Galacticos through ‘Supermums’ who are a fabulous recruitment company where they find their candidates’ roles based on skills and expertise.

 

What’s it like joining a new company during these Covid times?

For me, the transition was great as I had worked at home pre-Covid so was well accustomed to the new ways of working which many had to learn to adapt to.

What is your role as a Consultant at Cloud Galacticos involve, and what do you enjoy about it?

Since joining CG I was put on a project with an end user where I’ve been tasked to capture and create all ‘as-is business processes.  I must say I have really enjoyed my role so far,  I’ve had exposure to all sides of the business to really understand what their requirements are, and have regular communication with stakeholders at all levels within the organisation. From here I am looking forward to helping them review and improve these processes and implement their new changes in Salesforce.

 

Do you have plans to take any Salesforce certifications in the near future?

Absolutely, I would really be interested in the Not for Profit and Sales Cloud Certifications.

 

Cloud Galacticos is a remote working focussed company. What advice would you give people to make the most of working remotely and staying motivated?

Definitely set times when you are working. Often working from home you actually end up doing more work than you would in an office environment.  Make sure to still take time out for lunch or even a quick walk or chat with someone. 

 

Aside from Salesforce and working at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

I enjoy travelling and exploring new places as well as going for a regular run, it helps clear my mind (not so much since being back in England and the cold weather!) 

Favourites:

– Food: I love Thai food, anything spicy does the job!

– Drink: Coffee, Gin and Wine

– Music: Varies on my mood

– Animal: Dog

– Place to Visit: Next on my list is Maldives

 

About Cloud Galacticos

Cloud Galacticos is a Salesforce Consulting Partner with an all-star team. We are user and developer group leaders, bloggers, MVPs and all round Salesforce nerds. Our Salesforce consultancy has people all over the UK including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, and London.

So if you are looking for a Salesforce Gold partner with experience to help you make the most of your org, why not get in contact?

fallbackcg

James MacRae, Salesforce Consultant – Meet the Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

Welcome to the latest in our series of Meet the Galacticos blogs to learn more about our growing Cloud Galacticos team. Say ‘hello’ to James MacRae, one of our recent Salesforce Consultants. We caught up with James to ask him a few questions.

 

James MacRae, Salesforce Consultant

Hi James, can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your work history?

I got involved in Salesforce back in 2007 while working on an integration project at a media end user as a data migration analyst. I have worked at several end users as well and also as a contractor.

 

James at our Cloud Galacticos London Team drinks

James at our Cloud Galacticos London Team drinks

What’s your story behind joining the Cloud Galacticos team?

I reached out to the team over Linkedin and had initial conversation with Phil. Once I had met the wider team I really liked the approach they took towards the people side of the the business for both employees and clients. It felt this was a company that I’d like to work for.

 

What’s it like joining a new company during these Covid times?

Not easy. I think people have found starting new jobs in Covid times tricky, however Covid made me re-evaluate my career goals. I had never considered working at a consultancy, but thought it would be the best move to further my experience with the Salesforce platform. Hence the decision to move to Cloud Galacticos.

 

What is your role as a Salesforce Consultant at Cloud Galacticos involve, and what do you enjoy about it?

Since joining I have been working with a couple of Not for Profit organisations as a hybrid Salesforce Admin/Business Analyst.  I enjoy the variety that the role brings – the reward of delivering technical solutions as well as the people element of the role, and working with end users to understand what their requirements are.

 

Do you have plans to take any Salesforce certifications in the near future?

Definitely. Next on my list is the Salesforce Not For Profit certification and hopefully the Service Cloud cert after that.

 

Cloud Galacticos is a remote working focussed company. What advice would you give people to make the most of working remotely and staying motivated?

I think working remotely, it’s easier to work longer hours than you might in a non-remote environment.  Having a separate space where you can work in your home helps.  Keeping in touch and having conversations during the day is also important. An activity to do in your lunch break can really help and boost motivation too; if its a walk or a cycle or anything similar.

 

Aside from Salesforce and working at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

I like my tennis. I try and play two to three times a week. By having a desk job I really appreciate getting outside and doing something active – even took my hand to gardening and DIY (not particularly successfully) during the pandemic.

 

Favourites:

– Food: Anything except mushrooms 🙂

– Drink: An americano in the morning

– Music: Anything on the radio really. Absolute 80s, 90s and 00’s are the radio stations I tune into.

– Animal: I’m going to go with Hedgehogs because I saw one for the first time recently.

– Place to Visit: Sagres in Portugal

 

ABOUT CLOUD GALACTICOS

Cloud Galacticos is a Salesforce Consulting Partner with an all-star team. We are user and developer group leaders, bloggers, MVPs and all round Salesforce nerds. Our Salesforce consultancy has people all over the UK including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, and London. If you are looking for a Salesforce partner with experience who can help you make the most of your org, why not give us a call?

fallbackcg

Vetri Manoharan, Salesforce Developer – Meet the Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

Welcome to the latest in our series of Meet the Galacticos blogs to learn more about our growing Cloud Galacticos team. Say ‘hello’ to Vetri, a Salesforce developer. We caught up with Vetri via Slack to ask him a few questions.

 

Vetri Manoharan, Salesforce Developer

Hi Vetri, can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your work history?

I started my career as a .net web developer.  I got a chance to work on Salesforce around ten months into my career. Working on Salesforce is awesome because of the configuration and low-code methodology. On my first deployment I didn’t know that we needed to write a unit test class – I was the only person with Salesforce experience…!  So I started learning things on my own.

My major career breakthrough in Salesforce was when I started working with Phil while I was at Dazeworks. I have worked with Phil and his team for almost 5 years before joining full-time with Cloud Galacticos. I recently got involved on various projects on Salesforce Field Service and CPQ – hoping to do my CPQ certification soon. 

 

What’s your story behind joining the Cloud Galacticos team?

I started working with Phil in 2015, I was part of various complex projects, even travelled to the UK for a project delivery. I always like the way things are handled at Cloud Galacticos and approached Phil around the start of 2021 to convey that I would like to join the team! My career recently was more into project management and leading the team, but I wanted to be on the development side of things. Also I wanted to be part of a team where I can learn and do things differently.

 

One of the main benefits with working at Cloud Galacticos is the remote working culture. This allows me to spend more time with my parents.

 

Vetri with Paul and Neel at India Dreaming

Vetri with Paul and Neel at India Dreaming

 

What is your role as a Salesforce Developer at Cloud Galacticos involve, and what do you enjoy about it?

My role here is more into Salesforce development – I really like to code! I’m also involved in projects writing APEX cods and have been part of the sprint planning and retrospectives in the projects.

 

Aside from Salesforce and working at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

I like to do yoga and meditation which I try and find time to do each day. Sport-wise, I like watching and playing cricket, and I enjoy trekking in the Himalayan mountains. If time allows, I would like to learn to play some musical instruments too 🙂

 

Cloud Galacticos is a remote working focussed company. What advice would you give people to make the most of working remotely and staying motivated?

I would say, don’t sit for hours, make sure you get up every hour and stretch yourself. Also, the pandemic has changed a lot of things, so spend time with your family and friends.

 

ABOUT CLOUD GALACTICOS

Cloud Galacticos is a Salesforce Consulting Partner with an all-star team. We are user and developer group leaders, bloggers, MVPs and all round Salesforce nerds. Our Salesforce consultancy has people all over the UK including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, and London. If you are looking for a Salesforce partner with experience who can help you make the most of your org, why not give us a call?

fallbackcg

Pippa Cox, Project Manager – Meet the Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

Continuing in our series in which you get to meet and learn more about the Cloud Galacticos team, say ‘hello’ to Pippa, one of our project managers at our growing Salesforce consultancy. I caught up with Pippa via email to ask her a few questions.

 

Pippa Cox, Project Manager

Hi Pippa, thanks for finding a few minutes to help people learn a bit more about you. Can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your work history?

I studied Fine art at degree level which is quite a leap to my day job as a Salesforce project manager. I started working in the IT industry about 19 years ago and have always been involved in the consultancy service side of business. My roles have incorporated the full lifecycle from sales, delivery to finance. While my career has involved vendor relationship management within managed services and progressed from Project office manager to managing external projects.

 

What’s your story behind joining the Cloud Galacticos team?

I joined Cloud Galacticos in November 2020, but first met Phil in March of that year prior to everything going into lockdown. After learning more about Cloud Galacticos and its close-knit team, I was excited to become a part of it. There’s real talent within the team and they have a respectful way of working together. Considering I joined in lockdown and not met most of the team in person they have made me feel extremely welcome.

 

Tell us about your Project Management role at Cloud Galacticos, and what do you enjoy about it?

I like the interaction and the diversity of working with so many different organisations. Mainly I see the Project Manager function as someone to help, be that for the client or within the Cloud Galacticos team. The satisfaction I get is in establishing a good working relationship in order to help and ultimately complete a smooth and successful project.

 

Aside from Salesforce and working at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

My fine art background has stuck with me. Lockdown has actually given me the time to get creative a bit more again. My most recent hobby is in making lampshades – I have no more lamps needing shades in my house, so I think the paintbrushes need to come back out! Like most people I miss travelling. I’m excited for the time I can start exploring the world again with my family.

 

What tips would you have on working remotely during the current Covid-19 situation?

If you are on a break from work, then make it count and do something you enjoy. Get outside as much as possible and try to appreciate the small things.

 

About Cloud Galacticos

Cloud Galacticos is a Salesforce Consulting Partner with an all-star team. We are user and developer group leaders, bloggers, MVPs and all round Salesforce nerds. We have people all over the UK including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, and London. If you are looking for a Salesforce partner with experience who can help you make the most of your org, why not give us a call?

fallbackcg

Phil Walton, CEO – Meet the Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

In our Meet the Galacticos series so far this year, we’ve met project managers, COOs, Senior Salesforce Consultants, and Developers. And as 2020 draws to a close, we meet the man behind the magic at Cloud Galacticos, our CEO, Phil Walton. I caught up with Phil via email to find out more about him and his experiences.

 

Phil Walton, CEO

Hi Phil, thanks for finding a few minutes in your busy schedule to help people learn a bit more about you. Can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your history with Salesforce?

I started using Salesforce back in 2004. It was simple back then. There were help files and a 250 page ‘Salesforce for Dummies’ book which covered EVERYTHING! So I see myself as rather fortunate, that I got to experience Salesforce early, and learn in steps as Salesforce grew. 

After attending Cloudforce events and User Group events in London, I kept asking why there weren’t similar events happening elsewhere in the UK. One day someone called my bluff and said I should set one up in my home city of Manchester, so I did. I also spent a lot of time on the Answers forum, working with Appexchange, writing my Salesforce blog, and because of this was first awarded as Salesforce MVP in Christmas 2013. I am now in the MVP Hall of Fame as ‘MVP for life’.

 

Cloud Galacticos at Salesforce World Tour London 2019

What made you decide to set up Cloud Galacticos?

I had been a freelance Salesforce Consultant since 2005, so the company has been going since then. But with a few rebrands and updates, we re-launched as Cloud Galacticos in 2017. I wanted a brand that reflected the high skillset of the team. The term ‘Galacticos’ can be used as superstar, or in the football/rugby world as an exceptionally skilled and celebrated player. A bit over the top, but it made a point. 

It was also a great chance to work together with like-minded people. When you have a small team like this, you can work a lot faster, and smoother, and in a friendly and respectful environment.

 

You’ve worked on a lot of Salesforce projects through the years, can you tell us about some of your favourite or memorable ones?

I have lost count of the hundreds of Orgs I have looked at and worked upon, the number of Clients, Users, and industries. There’s been so many great people and experiences. But I feel you only learn from the difficult situations – the easy wins are a bonus, but don’t help you to grow. I look back at some global rollouts where a year of work all hinged on a go-live in an evening/weekend. Where the deadline was tight but we all piled in to make it happen. Or where a mis-communication could nearly have ruined a project and a working relationship. These things happen in business! But it is how you react to a potential issue that marks you out. And having an experienced team that has battled through the tough times, makes us ready and prepared for whatever lies ahead.

 

Phil at Punta Dreamin

Looks like you’ve done a lot of travelling and have been to a few Salesforce events around the world, can you tell us some of your highlights?

Yes, I have been very lucky to speak at Salesforce events on five continents in the last few years. Some of the team went to India Dreamin in 2018 and 2019. It was a fantastic experience to travel with friends and colleagues, meet people in person that we had ‘e-met’ on social media and Trailblazer Communities, and spend time with some of our extended team. I travelled to Uruguay and Argentina for Punta Dreamin in 2018, my first trip to South America. Everyone was so welcoming, and the steaks and red wine were amazing.

Closer to home, I am looking forward to the chance in 2021 to get back to in-person meetings with the local Salesforce Communities. You can’t beat them!

 

Aside from Salesforce and running Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

Normally I enjoy running. When the first lockdown happened, it didn’t feel enjoyable anymore, so I tried weight training. I am not sure if it will last, but I have already had to buy new t-shirts to fit! 

I enjoy spending time with my family (my wife and two young sons). There is always something going on. Last month on a bike ride we ‘discovered’ the remains of a 5th century Saxon defensive fortification.

 

Cloud Galacticos Christmas Zoom 2020

What tips would you have in working with clients remotely, or working remotely in general?

The ‘new norm’ has been just ‘norm’ to me and most of Cloud Galacticos for the past 10 years. I think the key is communication. You don’t get those visual signs that you get from being sat next to someone in an office – verbalise them. If you need something, be prepared to ask. When you have done something amazing, be prepared to tell people. If you are unavailable, feel free to show a notification. Reinvent the water-cooler/coffee break moments. 

While I believe 90% remote is great, 100% is not so great. We all need that in-person catch up, with clients, colleagues, friends, and family. For those hospitality businesses that can survive Covid, I think they will be very busy when the coast is clear and we can all meet in person. See you at the party! 

 

ABOUT CLOUD GALACTICOS

Cloud Galacticos is a Salesforce Consulting Partner with an all-star team. We are user and developer group leaders, bloggers, MVPs and all round Salesforce nerds. We have people all over the UK including Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield and London. If you are looking for a Salesforce partner with experience who can help you make the most of your org, why not give us a call?

fallbackcg

Ben Duong, Marketing Manager – Meet The Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

Continuing in our series in which you get to meet and learn more about the Cloud Galacticos team, say ‘hello’ to me, Ben Duong, Marketing Manager at Cloud Galacticos. Read on to find out more about me and my experiences.

 

Ben Duong, Marketing Manager

Can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your history with Salesforce?

My background is pure marketing. I did a Business and Marketing degree, then a Chartered Institute of Marketing Postgrad. I then worked in account management at various marketing agencies in London before moving to Sheffield to go freelance.

I met Phil at university, and when he approached me about helping him with some marketing back in 2013, I thought ‘why not’? The rest, as they say, is history.

Cloud Galacticos at Salesforce London World Tour with Paul Sturgess

Cloud Galacticos at Salesforce London World Tour with Paul Sturgess

You’ve worked on a lot of marketing projects at Cloud Galacticos through the years, can you tell us about some of your favourite or memorable ones?

I’ve been working with Phil on his marketing since he started his journey as a Salesforce consultancy. It was great to see his business grow – employing more people, gaining MVP status and the respect of the Salesforce community.

Deciding to rebrand as Cloud Galacticos was a big project as it meant levelling up the business. We were now competing with more established and larger companies. I think our sponsorship at the Salesforce World Tour London is one of my highlights. It’s our biggest project of the year, and normally the most rewarding for myself and the team.

 

Looks like you’ve done a lot of travelling and have been to a few Salesforce events around the world, can you some of your highlights?

I’ve been very fortunate to have been to so many Salesforce related events around the world with my job. From Paris to New York, Amsterdam to San Francisco, it highlights that Salesforce is truly a global business, as well as community.

In terms of favourite, Dreamforce stands heads and shoulders above them all. Words can’t describe the vastness of the 4-day conference. It’s also convenient that my dad and family live in San Francisco. So best of both worlds.

Salesforce Ohana Golden Gate Bridge Walk Dreamforce 2019

Aside from working as the Marketing Manager at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

With Covid-19 affecting our lives at the moment, I’ve taken to doing regular lunch time walks and yoga to help stay focused and healthy. I also enjoy with cooking and trying to make new dishes from scratch at home. Plus, going to my weekly local pub quiz helps keep the old brain cells in check!

 

What tips would you have in working with clients remotely, or working remotely in general?

Before Covid-19, I was part working from home and part working from a co-working space in Sheffield called Kollider. So I’m used to being flexible with my working environment.

I’d say it helps to have a dedicated space to work from. Somewhere you feel comfortable and focused. Having regular online casual / non-work catch ups with your team helps too. Also, don’t forget to take regular breaks to get some fresh air!

 

ABOUT CLOUD GALACTICOS

Cloud Galacticos is a Salesforce Consulting Partner with an all-star team. We are user and developer group leaders, bloggers, MVPs and all round Salesforce nerds. We have people all over the UK including Manchester, Leeds, York, Sheffield, and London. If you are looking for a Salesforce partner with experience who can help you make the most of your org, why not give us a call?

fallbackcg

Nkosi Ncube, Developer – Meet the Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

Continuing in our series in which you get to meet and learn more about the Cloud Galacticos team, say ‘hello’ to Nkosi, one of our Developers. I caught up with Nkosi via email to find out more about him and his experiences.

Nkosi Ncube, Developer

Hi Nkosi, thanks for finding a few minutes to help people learn a bit more about you. Can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your history with Salesforce?

Coming from an Automotive Engineering background,  I have always had passion for IT and just couldn’t find the domain that excited me. I did Cisco, MCSE but was not captivated until by chance I came across Salesforce. It was via the video ‘Introduction to Salesforce App Development’ on Udacity, by Samantha Ready sometime in 2014. I then started my certification journey, building on my IT foundation laid at University. I managed to get two small projects after my 2nd certification and haven’t looked back since. Since joining Cloud Galacticos have worked on a variety of projects for different entities.

 

Nkosi at a User Group Social at Bundobust

So how did you find Phil and the Cloud Galacticos?

When I discovered Salesforce I then went on a networking drive. My plan was to meet the top influencers in the industry, and without a doubt Phil is one of them!  I met Phil and Paul at the first User Group meet I attended  in Leeds in 2015 at of course the default meeting eatery Bundobust.

 

Aside from Salesforce and working at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

I enjoy playing the bass guitar at church, usually in front of one thousand people every Sunday!  I also enjoy playing golf. The family likes to travel and do road trips, the last one being Holland.  I have also got back into running. 

 

We recently featured a success story with Data Protection People that I know you were key in helping be successful. Can you tell us a bit more about your role as a Developer and what that involves?

The Data Protection People project was exciting in that it had quite a broad scope, both declarative and apex code based.  Automation of their flagship product meant development of the user interface on top of heavily automated processes. The most important thing after gathering the requirements is to plan before doing any actual development. 

If it can be done declaratively I try to use that, and use code where absolutely necessary. Also apply coding best practices in general. Finally, in relation to Salesforce, ensure test class coverage is achieved not just coverage but assertion of the expected outcomes.

 

What tips would you have in working with clients remotely, or working remotely in general?

Being responsive is very assuring to the customer and maintaining regular contact, preferably daily.  Also, agree on a body of work and time estimates and deliver. Regular breaks are mandatory in my view because it’s very easy to get your head down on something and not take a break. It’s not healthy in the long run, so I usually take a long walk during lunch.

 

Thanks Nkosi for your time and insight into your life. We have a few other team members to interview in due course. Watch this space!

 

fallbackcg

Neel Meghani, CTO – Meet The Galacticos

by with No Comment Team Galacticos

Continuing our series in which we get to meet and learn more about the Cloud Galacticos team, say ‘hello’ to Neel Meghani, our Chief Technical Officer. I caught up with Neel via email to find out more about him and his experiences.

Neel Meghani, CTO

Hi Neel, thanks for finding a few minutes to help people learn a bit more about you. Can you give us a bit of background about yourself and your history with Salesforce?

I was first introduced to Salesforce around 2004. I was working on a large migration project at a national newspaper on the very new force.com platform. I then transitioned from general IT to concentrating on Salesforce, even then I saw the potential for the technology could have. I then moved into the world of finance in the City where I bumped into Phil Walton. Since working with Phil, I have experienced working with many of the various clouds in different industry sectors, from potato farms to health care!

Wow, that is a long time working with Salesforce! You were also the first official Galactico that joined Phil. How long ago was that and how did you start working together?

I first met Phil in 2010 at an asset manager where we worked together on a couple of projects. We both put our heads together and managed to overcome major challenges with a very large data migration including attachments. Since then I have been known as the man to go to where data is concerned! 

Neel and Phil at India Dreamin 2018

Aside from Salesforce and working at Cloud Galacticos, what else do you enjoy doing?

I’m known by my friends, family and colleagues as the go to guy for all things fitness and nutrition. I have been a keen bodybuilder since the age of about 16. It my way of letting off steam and pushing myself. Although in recent times I have taken tips from our CEO Phil and started running. I’ve not found it easy! 

Also, I am also always hungry for technology and gadgets. I always jump feet first when something new and shiny comes out! 

Can you tell us more about your role as CTO and what it involves?

Officially I am responsible for delivery of all projects. But I’m glad to say that every day is different. With a small leadership team we cover all roles from sales all the way through to developing and delivering projects. 

So it sounds like your day is spent with a lot of time interacting with clients. What would be your top tip for working with people when remote?

Working remotely means I spend a lot of time on the phone. I find I need to have a dedicated space for work without distractions. I also recommend ensuring you have a good connection to the internet and a headset is a MUST! Also ensure you keep regular hours and take regular breaks. I have found over the years it is almost too easy when working from home to stay at your desk thinking “I’ll just get these few bits done” and then before you know it it’s 8-9pm! 

You recently passed your non-profit consultant certification. I know you have given us a write up of some tips, but do you have any study tips for exams in general?

I used a mixture of Trailhead and focus on force training guides. I especially like to do a number of practise exams along the way to see where I am lacking knowledge. Also, never assume you know the basics/fundamentals. Brush up on that knowledge also just to be sure! 

Neel with the team at Salesforce World Tour London 2019

Finally, what about tips for anyone starting out with Salesforce?

I have been asked this question many times! As Salesforce has become more popular, friends and family who have largely ignored what I do have come to me down the line as they are now using Salesforce in their place of work.

Firstly developer orgs are a brilliant! When I first realised I could have more or less the full product for FREE to learn on I was blown away. That along with Trailhead, the learning path is free and fantastic. Remember to also take advantage of the community and the user groups. There is a whole world of friendly people out there who are more than willing to help you along the way!

 

Thanks Neel for your time and insight into your life. We have quite a few other team members to interview in due course. Watch this space.