From Admin to MVP: Salesforce Ben's Journey and Tips for Private Equity

"AI and data quality are coming into play. AI isn't going to be any good if your data's rubbish. And data quality has always been a big issue on Salesforce." - Ben McCarthy, Founder of Salesforce Ben

In this episode of Preferred Return, we hear from Ben McCarthy, also known as Salesforce Ben, about the journey of building Salesforce Ben into the leading media company within the Salesforce ecosystem. Ben shares how his passion for Salesforce and creating content turned into a thriving business, now celebrating 10 years and a team of 23. Ben explores the evolution of the Salesforce platform, the role of AI, and the need for niche expertise in consulting.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Power of Niche Expertise: Why specializing in an industry can set those with niche solutions apart in the Salesforce ecosystem.
• Evolution of Salesforce: How the platform's flexibility and acquisitions have shaped its role as a business data hub.
• Embracing AI in CRM: How Salesforce’s new AI features could give companies a competitive edge.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:18) Welcoming Ben McCarthy, the story behind Salesforce Ben

(04:05) Early days of Salesforce Ben and initial traction

(07:10) Transition from blog to a full media company

(10:32) Ben’s early encounters with Salesforce and his initial experiences

(13:52) How the Salesforce ecosystem has evolved over the years

(16:24) Exploring Salesforce’s approach to multi-cloud and acquisitions

(19:45) Ben’s take on Salesforce’s AI advancements

(22:37) The importance of quality data for AI effectiveness

(25:03) The unique flexibility and customization of Salesforce

(28:10) Common challenges in Salesforce implementations

(31:19) The role of Salesforce’s ecosystem and niche solutions

(35:22) Discussing Salesforce’s new features like Data Cloud

(38:47) How industry experience impacts Salesforce consulting success

(41:15) The evolution and future of specialized Salesforce solutions

(44:03) Final thoughts on the growth and future of Salesforce

Resources:

• Learn more about Salesforce Ben: https://www.salesforceben.com/

• More from Altvia: https://altvia.com/
  

Connect with Ben McCarthy🐦 X: https://x.com/salesforceben💡 LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salesforceben/