Expert Stories

The 10K mission is to give people the freedom to do more of the work they love. For Salesforce customers, that means building solutions that bring business initiatives to life and make users’ lives easier. For our independent Salesforce experts, it’s about connecting them with cool projects and customers that speak to their passions and interests. Today we are featuring Jeff Mevorah, an independent Salesforce technical consultant, and entrepreneur. 

How did you know it was time to go independent?

I worked at a few different SI (system integration) partners and then an in-house client team right up until I went independent. 

Working with partners, my Salesforce work touched every aspect of the project lifecycle – business development, project management, etc. – so burn-out was constant. I transitioned to an in-house client team for a change of pace, but that’s when I realized I missed hands-on consulting. Going independent just made sense. 

What did your first few months look like?

I went independent in March and my first few months have been great. However, I will admit it was scary to take the plunge. There was also a lot of internal questioning. Will I be working even more hours? Do I have the resources to make it happen? Is this even possible? 

In the end, the calculated risk was worth it. I saw an opportunity and couldn’t resist. Yes, there’s added responsibility, like building and maintaining a sales pipeline, client relationships, etc. but the freedom being independent affords is the best part. 

What have you grown to love about being an independent consultant?

I get to choose the number of hours I want to work and build a schedule that fits my lifestyle. I live in Colorado, so I plan around the weather for the things I love – skiing, hiking, and being outside. 

Owning the ability to say yes or no to certain projects is also a great part of being independent. You don’t have that luxury with full-time jobs. It’s been awesome to lean on my network of previous partners I’ve worked with for new projects. These are people I’ve worked with and like working with – it’s a win-win. 

Are there any lessons you can share from your journey?

Think like an entrepreneur and get yourself out there. Tell everyone about your new journey. At first, I was hesitant to post on LinkedIn and promote myself, but I realized I had to get out of my head. My network has shown me an outpouring of support. It’s also a major source for project leads. The Salesforce community is incredibly supportive.

The 10K mission is to give people the freedom to do more of the work they love. For Salesforce customers, that means building solutions that bring business initiatives to life and make users’ lives easier. For our independent Salesforce experts, it’s about connecting them with cool projects and customers that speak to their passions and interests. Today we are featuring Lamin Ceesay, an independent Salesforce architect and entrepreneur. 

How did you know it was time to go independent?

It was all about freedom. I wanted to be in control of my career and gain the ability to choose challenges that excite me. 

I also knew there was a real business opportunity. At the time, I noticed that most of the Salesforce contractors focused on mid-size customers. There was a gap for startups and smaller businesses – companies that didn’t have big-time budgets but still had room to get more out of their Salesforce investment. I wanted to help those smaller companies. 

At the same time, I deeply cared about giving motivated and younger talent an opportunity to develop their skills. The best way to do that was to build my own consultancy. It’s been three years since I went independent, and my business now has five full-time employees and two contractors. 

What did your first few months look like?

There was a big learning curve. Running a business was totally new for me. I was surprised by all that goes into being the boss besides the technical project work. It’s been three years since I went independent, but I’m still learning about sales, marketing, networking, and how to strengthen the positioning of our services. 

There was a lot of experimenting in the beginning. With some trial and error, I got better at hiring the right talent and setting the right price points to break into the market. I took a consulting workshop that was incredibly helpful and connected with other folks who helped with some key business decisions. 

What have you grown to love about being an independent consultant?

I get to choose which clients I work with. This is a significant motivator because there are industries I’m more passionate about than others. Being the boss also allows me to drive solutions for our customers. I choose the approach for how to get to the root of their needs, how to act as an extension for their team, and how to get the job done.  

Going independent has also given me room to be more active in the Salesforce community and contribute to the development of younger talent. I love co-hosting the Toronto Marketing Cloud Community group – it’s one of the ways I’m able to provide training and mentorship. 

Are there any lessons you can share from your journey?

Prioritize your pricing and positioning from day one. When my business entered the market we offered pricing customers couldn’t refuse, but that ultimately played against us. It’s difficult to raise your prices once they’re set and relationships are built. 

To find your market niche, do some competitive analysis. Compare your offerings to consulting firms, other independent consultants, etc. You don’t want to compete with the big players, but you have to find a place to compete and provide value. 

Also, networking is key. Connecting with the right people can help you overcome imposter syndrome and answer some difficult questions that come with starting a business. Research other agency owners who already walked the walk. This will help you find your blind spots. 

The Salesforce ecosystem has so many evangelists from all walks of life. Reading about their journeys motivated and helped me envision what I wanted to accomplish. They made it seem realistic and gave me confidence that I could build my own Salesforce business too. 

Surround yourself with positive people who can support you on your journey – this will help you take the leap. 

The 10K mission is to give people the freedom to do more of the work they love. For Salesforce customers, that means building solutions that bring business initiatives to life and make users’ lives easier. For our independent Salesforce experts, it’s about connecting them with cool projects and customers that speak to their passions and interests. Today we are featuring Tasha Rucker, an independent Salesforce technical consultant, and entrepreneur. 

How did you know it was time to go independent?

My full-time job turned predictable and consistent. I had stability, but I wasn’t excited about my day-to-day anymore. I started to crave variety and curiosity, so that’s when I started dabbling with freelance work at the beginning of 2020. 

My freelance work was engaging – I absolutely loved it. I couldn’t ignore the feeling that my mind was asking me to lean in, so I paid attention. My side projects were taking away focus from my full-time job, with a company I cared about and respected, so I took that as my sign to go all-in on my independent business. 

What did your first few months look like?

I started transitioning out of my full-time job during December, so I had some downtime to map my out goals and draft a business plan. Come January, my independent Salesforce work never stopped. I had client relationships and opportunities lined up in advance, so all I had to do was connect with folks about my new availability. 

In the beginning, I struggled with managing my bandwidth and knowing my maximum workload. To be fair, this is something I still struggle with. It’s important to maintain a consistent pipeline but I also need to recognize when enough is enough. Luckily, I haven’t stretched myself too far, but it’s a conscious practice. 

What have you grown to love about being an independent consultant?

I love choosing my own projects and doing work that keeps me curious. I have a lot of pride in my clients and learning how their businesses work. Being independent also gives me the opportunity to touch more corners of the Salesforce platform. I like to call it trial by fire – this is how I’ve learned the most. 

Best practices matter, too, but exposure to a wider variety of projects allows more opportunity for creative solution-designing. The best consultants gain insight from experience. 

That said, I’m a life-long learner. I can design my own professional development and it’s funded by me. Whether it’s which conferences to attend, present at, or how to market my brand – I have the freedom to choose. It feels good to invest in myself and my future. 

Are there any lessons you can share from your journey?

Practicing honesty with your clients is key. Be transparent about your knowledge and abilities. It’s okay to not know everything. Salesforce is becoming more complicated with every release, so it’s impossible to know how to do and implement everything. Customers will respect you for not wasting their time or resources. 

I also recommend dedicating time to professional development. When you’re working by yourself you don’t have a manager recommending new skills to gain. The responsibility lies with you, but it’s fun to customize that path. 

For anyone considering the leap I’d tell them it’s scary at first, but there are so many opportunities and people willing to help. I feel like once you get a taste of independence, there’s no going back. I love being the boss. 

The 10K mission is to give people the freedom to do more of the work they love. For Salesforce customers, that means building solutions that bring business initiatives to life and make users’ lives easier. For our independent Salesforce experts, it’s about connecting them with cool projects and customers that speak to their passions and interests. We’re kicking off Independents Week with Jeff May, an independent Salesforce technical architect, and entrepreneur. 

How did you know it was time to go independent?

I decided to go independent in July 2011. The idea of being my own boss was a driver, but I also wanted to be the decision-maker for my projects. 

What did your first few months look like?

At the end of that first August, I had a slump. I thought “Uh-oh, this isn’t good. It’s only my second month.” My goal was to replace my full-time salary, and I was off to a rough start. Thankfully, my first rough patch turned out to be a fake-out, because I’ve seen steady work ever since. 

Maybe it’s timing and a healthy dose of luck, but I’ve learned this is a foundational truth for running your own business – If you’re good at what you do and put your clients first, work will never dry up. That’s when the real fun starts. You get to choose what you work on. 

What have you grown to love about being an independent consultant?

I get to be in control of my life. We spend a lot of it working, and there is too much fun and rewarding work out there to take on disappointing projects. Life is too short for that kind of stress. 

It also feels good to do good business – I want my clients to feel like they’re getting value. Sometimes that means convincing a client they only need me in a fractional capacity. They don’t need to pay my rate and seniority for me to sit there for unused hours. Guiding clients to the best decision for them – even if that doesn’t include me – helps them spend their budget wisely while building trust for the future. 

The key is to practice honesty, with yourself and your clients. I turn down work that’s not exciting or a good fit. If my gut tells me a client isn’t interested in what I have to offer and approaches the partnership with a closed mind, then I know they’re not a great client for me.

Are there any lessons you can share from your journey?

Every client relationship – potential or active – matters. It pays to be professional when turning down work or walking away from a project, no matter the reason. If the market were to crash and you lose the luxury of choice, you’ll still have your client relationships to fall back on. You need to keep the door open for the future. You also have to accept you’re going to spend a lot of time not doing the work you love. There is going to be a lot of time spent on administrative tasks, financials, chasing down payments, and marketing yourself to potential clients.

The timing of 10K’s founding was a happy accident. As we look forward to celebrating our nation’s independence on the Fourth of July, we’re also thrilled to raise a glass to our sixth year in business. 

Our mission is to give people the freedom to do more of the work they love. For Salesforce customers, that means building solutions that bring business initiatives to life and make users’ lives easier. For our independent Salesforce experts, it’s about connecting them with cool projects and customers that speak to their passions and interests. 

We built an on-demand Salesforce consultancy to serve the new way people want to work, and it’s been an awesome journey to see the validation of our model. We’re thankful for not only the exciting milestones – signing our first contract, growing our global expert community, hiring our first-ever Chief Talent Officer, and establishing 10K’s headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky – but also our day-to-day work. It feels great to love your work. And we want more people to achieve that, too. 

Independents Week 2022

Every day on our blog next week we will feature a game-changing entrepreneur from the Salesforce ecosystem. Follow along with us at #IndependentsWeek for each person’s unique journey, lessons learned along the way, and advice for others who might be interested in joining the thriving independent Salesforce consultant ecosystem.