After leaving a music teaching career due to health challenges, I began volunteering at a music education nonprofit while trying to figure out what to do next in life. The nonprofit happened to use Salesforce, and I got a chance to see some of the awesome capabilities of the platform. A few years later, I was lucky enough to attend Dreamforce, where I was introduced to the concept of an #AwesomeAdmin. I became really motivated by the idea that I could use Trailhead and the Trailblazer Community to help gain skills that would end up building a new career for myself, and I was hooked. I started soaking up every piece of information I could—I was like a sponge! I dove head-first into Trailhead and began tackling badges one after another, learning new skills and practicing building with the tools available on the platform. Working with Trailhead and visiting my local Trailblazer Community Group, I began developing hands-on experience and a network of other Salesforce professionals. After a while, I decided that I wanted to make Salesforce Administration my career. Today, I've earned six Salesforce certifications and have a satisfying career in the Financial Services industry, where I guide the vision and implementation of Salesforce at my company.

Trailhead is fun and I use it almost every single day. Whether I'm using it for reporting or referencing it when deciding whether to add new functionality features for the company, I've found Trailhead to be super helpful. I've completed more than 700 badges over the course of several years, which has really given me a strong sense of what's possible within the Salesforce Platform. I hope others who come from nontraditional technology backgrounds—meaning people who have no official training or education in technology—can see themselves in me and know that with dedication, hard work, some persistence, and passion, they, too, can build a fun and successful career using Trailhead.

The greatest thing I've gained through Trailhead is confidence. Accomplishing those 600+ badges really helped me develop the “I can do it!” attitude I needed to begin reaching further than I ever thought I could within this ecosystem. With Trailhead, I plan to continue building my skills, learning as much as I can, and blazing my own trail to success. The sky is the limit!

My biggest challenge was figuring out a new career path after a serious injury caused me to leave my longtime work in music education. I absolutely loved helping students find joy through music, and when surgery left me unable to teach, I felt completely lost and hopeless. I consider myself lucky to have found a way back up using the resources available to me through Trailhead and the friendships I've built within the Trailblazer Community. I've found not only a new career but also a new support system that has brought great hope back into my life. I am forever grateful to people within the Trailblazer Community.

To me, being a Trailblazer means being courageous and open to learning new ideas, practicing new skills, and helping others do the same. Being a Trailblazer is a collaborative experience, a community experience. It's an adventure we can take together, working together to make the world a better place for everyone.

For as long as Trailhead exists! I'm really eager to keep learning as I move toward my next goal: becoming a Salesforce Architect.

Get connected to the Trailblazer Community! These are some of the best people I've ever met in my life—generous, intelligent, and passionate people who consistently look to help those around them. Get involved with your local Trailblazer Community Group and ask questions... and then ask more questions. The Trailblazer Community is full of people who will not only help you but also become like family—the Salesforce Ohana.