Different Paths, One Common Career: New Admin Stories

By

It was an accident.
I didn’t want to be a cranky old programmer.
I was looking for a better way to support my family.

This is how Misty Jones, Ryan Headley, and Zac Otero became Salesforce Admins. Very different paths that all led them to create amazing careers on the Salesforce platform. One thing they all have in common is a passion for making their business run smoother and making their users happier. Zac loves being able to connect the dots, matching business requirements with Salesforce tools. Misty loves being able to wow her end users, collecting glowing emails along the way. Ryan also loves making his users happier because he knows it makes their day-to-day jobs easier.

The most powerful message from all these Admin Stories is the power of the community. By tapping the resources of the Salesforce community, Zac was able to transform his blue collar manufacturing job into a technical career. He met his future boss at his first user group meeting. Ryan’s life changed after he performed a Salesforce song on stage at Dreamforce because he discovered the passion that Salesforce Admins had for their careers, making him want to feel the same way. Being a truly solo Admin, Misty found a way to deeply connect with the Salesforce community virtually since she only got to see everyone in person once a year. The takeaway? Get involved in the community! Join the Success Community, post your question to Twitter using #askforce, or visit your local user group. You never know, your next employer could be waiting for you at that meeting.

I hope you enjoy these Admin Stories as much as I did collecting them. We are so lucky to have so man incredible Admins in our community. It makes me very proud to be able to share them. Do you know of someone who has a great story to share? Let me know @gilliankbruce.

Salesforce Admin: Karen Xiao

Read through this profile of #AwesomeAdmin Karen Xiao! Favorite Hack: The Power of 1 Admin Hero: SteveMo Admin Motto: “Listen with the intent to understand, not the intent to reply” – Stephen Covey Why did you become an Admin? I just became a Salesforce Admin less than a year ago, after spending over 20 years […]

READ MORE
The TDX 2026 Call for Participation is Now Open

Your TDX 2026 Moment Starts Here: Submit Your Session

Every year, TDX brings together the builders—the admins, developers, architects, IT leaders, and Slack pros who aren’t just imagining the future of work; they’re actively shaping it. And TDX 2026 is already on track to be where the technical content gets sharper, the demos go deeper, and the ideas you hear on stage spark real […]

READ MORE
5 Ways Admins Leveled Up in 2025

5 Ways Salesforce Admins Leveled Up in 2025—And What’s Next

2025 was a year of learning, experimentation, and celebration for Salesforce Admins. You strengthened your skills, explored your org in new ways, and connected with a thriving global community of peers. But more than anything, this year was about opportunity: the chance to step into a more strategic, high-impact role as automation and AI take […]

READ MORE